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1.800.Einstein ²

healthsheets

  • MyPlate Worksheet: 2,800 Calories

    Your calorie needs are about 2,800 calories a day. Below are the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for your daily recommended amount of each food group. 

    Vegetables

    3½ cups

    Fruits

    2½ cups

    Grains

    10 ounces

    Dairy

    3 cups

    Protein

    7 ounces

    Eat a variety of vegetables each day.

    Aim for these amounts each week:

    • 2½ cups dark green vegetables

    • 7 cups red or orange-colored vegetables

    • 2½ cups dry beans and peas

    • 7 cups starchy vegetables

    • 5½ 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 5 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.choosemyplate.gov

    Know your limits on oils (fats) and sugars:

    • Your allowance for oils is 8 teaspoons a day (oil includes vegetable oil, mayonnaise, soft margarine, salad dressing, nuts, olives, avocados, and some fish).

    • Limit the extras (solid fats and sugars, also called “empty calories”) to 400 calories 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 exercise a week.

    MyPlate Servings Worksheet: 2,800 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

    7 Half-cups or 7 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.

     

    Fruits

    5 Half-cups or 5 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

    10 Servings or 10 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

    3 Servings or 3 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

    7 Servings or 7 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