Use this chart to help you plan your menus—or take it with you when you go to the store.
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Food Group
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Servings Per Day
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Serving Sizes
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Examples and Notes
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Significance of Each Food Group to the DASH Eating Plan
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1,600 Calories
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2,000 Calories
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2,600 Calories
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Grains*
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6
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6–8
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10–11
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1 slice bread
1 oz dry cereal†
½ cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal
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Whole wheat bread and rolls, whole wheat pasta, English muffin, pita bread, bagel, cereals, grits, oatmeal, brown rice, unsalted pretzels and popcorn
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Major sources of energy and fiber
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Vegetables
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3–4
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4–5
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5–6
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1 cup raw leafy vegetable
½ cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetable
½ cup vegetable juice
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Broccoli, carrots, collards, green beans, green peas, kale, lima beans, potatoes, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes
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Rich sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber
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Fruits
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4
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4–5
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5–6
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1 medium fruit
¼ cup dried fruit
½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit
½ cup fruit juice
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Apples, apricots, bananas, dates, grapes, oranges, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, mangoes, melons, peaches, pineapples, raisins, strawberries, tangerines
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Important sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber
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Fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products
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2–3
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2–3
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3
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1 cup milk or yogurt
1½ oz cheese
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Fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk or buttermilk; fat-free, low-fat, or reduced-fat cheese; fat-free or low-fat regular or frozen yogurt
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Major sources of calcium and protein
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Lean meats, poultry, and fish
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3–6
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6 or less
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6
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1 oz cooked meats, poultry, or fish
1 egg‡
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Select only lean; trim away visible fats; broil, roast, or poach; remove skin from poultry
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Rich sources of protein and magnesium
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Nuts, seeds, and legumes
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3 per week
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4–5 per week
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1
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1/3 cup or 1½ oz nuts
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp or ½ oz seeds
½ cup cooked legumes (dry beans and peas)
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Almonds, hazelnuts, mixed nuts, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, kidney beans, lentils, split peas
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Rich sources of energy, magnesium, protein, and fiber
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Fats and oils§
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2
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2–3
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3
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1 tsp soft margarine
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp salad dressing
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Soft margarine, vegetable oil (such as canola, corn, olive, or safflower), low-fat mayonnaise, light salad dressing
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The DASH study had 27 percent of calories as fat, including fat in or added to foods
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Sweets and added sugars
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0
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5 or less per week
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2
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1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp jelly or jam
½ cup sorbet, gelatin
1 cup lemonade
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Fruit-flavored gelatin, fruit punch, hard candy, jelly, maple syrup, sorbet and ices, sugar
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Sweets should be low in fat
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Whole grains are recommended for most grain servings as a good source of fiber and nutrients.
Serving sizes vary between ½ cup and 1¼ cups, depending on cereal type. Check the product's Nutrition Facts label.
Since eggs are high in cholesterol, limit egg yolk intake to no more than four per week; two egg whites have the same protein content as 1 oz of meat.
Fat content changes serving amount for fats and oils. For example, 1 Tbsp of regular salad dressing equals one serving; 1 Tbsp of a low-fat dressing equals one-half serving; 1 Tbsp of a fat-free dressing equals zero servings.
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