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    Children's Health

    MyPlate Worksheet: 1,200 Calories

    Your calorie needs are about 1,200 calories a day. Below are the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for your daily recommended amount of each food group.

    MyPlate graphic showing healthy balance of foods.

    Vegetables: 1½ cups

    Fruits: 1 cup

    Grains: 4 ounces

    Dairy: 2½ cups

    Protein: 3 ounces

    Eat a variety of vegetables each day.

    Aim for these amounts each week:

    • 1 cup dark green vegetables

    • 3 cups red or orange-colored vegetables

    • ½ cup dry beans and peas

    • 3½ cups starchy vegetables

    • 2½ cups other vegetables

    Eat a variety of fruits each day.

    Go easy on fruit juices.

    Good choices of fruits include:

    • Berries

    • Bananas

    • Apples

    • Melon

    • Dried fruit

    • Frozen fruit

    • Canned fruit

    Choose whole grains whenever you can.

    Aim to eat at least 2 ounces of whole grains each day:

    • Bread

    • Cereal

    • Rice

    • Pasta

    • Potatoes

    • Tortillas

    Choose low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, or cheese each day.

    Good choices include:

    • Low-fat or fat-free milk or chocolate milk

    • Low-fat or fat-free yogurt

    • Low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese or other reduced-fat cheeses

    • Calcium-fortified milk alternatives

    Choose low-fat or lean meats, poultry, fish and seafood each day.

    Vary your protein. Choose more:

    • Fish and other seafood

    • Lean low-fat meat and poultry

    • Eggs

    • Beans, peas

    • Tofu

    • Unsalted nuts and seeds

    Choose less high-fat and red meat.

    Source: USDA MyPlate, www.myplate.gov

    Know your limits on sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars

    • Your allowance for saturated fat is 13 grams or less a day.

    • Limit added sugars to 30 grams or less a day.

    • Cut back on salt (sodium). Stay under 2,300 mg sodium a day. If you have a health condition such as heart disease or high blood pressure, your doctor will likely tell you to limit sodium to no more than 1,500 mg a day.

    Get moving and be active!

    Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week or 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week.

    MyPlate Servings Worksheet: 1,200 calories

    This worksheet tells you how many servings you should get each day from each food group, and tells you how much food makes a serving. Use this as a guide as you plan your meals throughout the day. Track your progress daily by writing in what you actually ate.

    Food group 

    Daily MyPlate goal 

    What you ate today 

    Vegetables

    3 half-cups or 3 servings

    One serving is:

    ½ cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables

    1 cup raw, leafy vegetables

    ½ baked sweet potato

    ½ cup vegetable juice

    Note: At meals, fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit and eat them first.

     

     

    Fruits

    2 half-cups or 2 servings

    One serving is:

    ½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit

    1 medium piece of fruit

    1 cup of berries or melon

    ½ cup dried fruit

    ½ cup 100% fruit juice

    Note: Make most choices fruit instead of juice.

     

     

    Grains

    4 servings or 4 ounces

    One serving is:

    1 slice bread

    1 cup dry cereal

    ½ cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal

    1 5-inch tortilla

    Note: Choose whole grains for at least half of your servings each day.

     

     

    Dairy

    2-1/2 servings or 2-1/2 cups

    One serving is:

    1 cup milk

    1½ ounces reduced-fat hard cheese

    2 ounces processed cheese

    1 cup low-fat yogurt

    1/3 cup shredded cheese

    Note: Choose low-fat or fat-free most often.

     

     

    Protein

    3 servings or 3 ounces

    One serving is:

    1 ounce cooked lean beef, pork, lamb, or ham

    1 ounce cooked chicken or turkey (no skin)

    1 ounce cooked fish or shellfish (not fried)

    1 egg

    ¼ cup egg substitute

    ½ ounce nuts or seeds

    1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter

    ¼ cup cooked dry beans or peas

    ½ cup tofu

    2 tablespoons hummus

     

     
    Online Medical Reviewer: Brittany Poulson MDA RDN CD CDE
    Online Medical Reviewer: Diane Horowitz MD
    Online Medical Reviewer: Heather M Trevino BSN RNC
    Date Last Reviewed: 1/1/2023
    © 2000-2024 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.
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    Southern New Mexico
    Surgery Center
    2301 Indian Wells Rd. Suite B
    Alamogordo, NM 88310
    www.snmsc.org

    Phone: 575.437.0890
    Fax: 575.437.0905
    Email: info@snmsc.org

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