USDA’s My Plate

MyPlate is a great tool to use when planning your meals; it’s the new version of the Food Pyramid (remember that?) but it’s more user-friendly. The USDA recommends that we eat:

Fruits

  • A little less than 1/4 of your daily food intake
  • Whole fruit is preferable to juice but any fruit counts: fresh, frozen, canned, 100% juice or dried.
  • Fill half your plate with fruits and veggies

Protein

  • A little less than 1/4 of your daily food intake
  • Go lean with protein.
  • Nuts, beans/peas, seeds, poultry, lean meat, seafood, soy and eggs are in this group.

Vegetables

  • 1/4 of your daily food intake
  • Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of vegetable group.
  • Fill half your plate with fruits and veggies, and vary your veggies.

Grains

  • 1/4 of your daily food intake
  • Whole wheat, brown rice, and oatmeal are great grains! Try to keep at least half of this as whole grains.
  • Read labels to find more whole grain foods.

Dairy

  • One glass of 2% milk suffices
  • Go easy on cheese.
  • Skim yogurt is a good choice, too.

Nutrition at Elon

Find information on ingredients, allergens, meals that meet your dietary needs and more on the Elon Dining website.

Portion Size Guide

The Basics

  • 1 cup = baseball
  • 1/2 cup = lightbulb
  • 1 oz or 2 tbsp = golf ball
  • 3 oz chicken or meat = desk of cards
  • 3 oz fish = checkbook

Grains

  • 1 cup of cereal flakes = baseball
  • 1 pancake = compact disc
  • 1/2 cup cooked rice = lightbulb
  • 1/2 cup cooked pasta = lightbulb
  • 1 slice bread = cassette tape
  • 1 bagel = 6 oz can of tuna
  • 3 cups popcorn = 3 baseballs

Dairy & Cheese

  • 1.5 oz cheese = 3 stacked dice
  • 1 cup yogurt = baseball
  • 1/2 cup of frozen yogurt = lightbulb
  • 1/2 cup of ice cream = lightbulb

Fats & Oils

  • 1 tbsp butter or spread = poker chip
  • 1 tbsp salad dressing = poker chip
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise = poker chip
  • 1 tbsp oil = poker chip

Fruits & Vegetables

  • 1 medium fruit = baseball
  • 1/2 cup grapes = about 16 grapes
  • 1 cup of salad greens = baseball
  • 1 cup carrots = about 12 baby carrots
  • 1 cup cooked vegetables = baseball
  • 1 baked potato = computer mouse

Meats, Fish & Nuts

  • 3 oz lean mean = deck of cards
  • 3 oz fish = checkbook
  • 3 oz tofu = deck of cards
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter = golf ball
  • 2 tbsp hummus = golf ball
  • 1/4 cup almonds = 23 almonds
  • 1/4 cup pistachios = 24 pistachios

Mixed Dishes

  • 1 hamburger (without bun) = deck of cards
  • 1 cup fries = about 10 fries
  • 4 oz nachos = about 7 chips
  • 3 oz meatloaf = deck of cards
  • 1 cup chili = baseball
  • 1 sub sandwich = about 6 inches
  • 1 burrito = about 6 inches