Food Guide Pyramid Differently sized colored stripes/bands. The stripes are different widths to show how much of a person's daily food intake should be made up of that food group. Items in the thin part= not very nutritious Items in the thick part= very nutritious So, the orange band is much wider than the yellow one because people need to eat a lot more grains than fats and oils.

Orange for Grains Make half your grains whole 6 oz. every day Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits are examples of grain products.

Green for Vegetables Eat 2 ½ cups every day Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the vegetable group. Eat a variety of colors. Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated.

Red for Fruit Eat 2 cups every day Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the fruit group. Go easy on fruit juices Eat a variety of fruits Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut- up, or pureed.

Yellow for Fats and Oils Use sparingly Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature, like the vegetable oils used in cooking. Some common oils are: canola oil corn oil cottonseed oil olive oil safflower oil soybean oil sunflower oil

Blue for Dairy Get 3 cups every day Choose fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese. If you choose milk or yogurt that is not fat-free, or cheese that is not low-fat. Increases bone strength and teeth

Purple for Meats, Beans, and Fish Eat 5 ½ oz every day All foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of this group. Dry beans and peas are part of this group as well as the vegetable group. Limit processed meat. Eat lean cuts of meat.

BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE At least 1 hour a day ***The person running up the pyramid reminds us to be physically active.