The five food groups

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend we should include a variety of foods everyday from all five food groups.

Fruit

rsz_fruit
How much should I have?
4-8yrs9-11yrs12-13yrs14-18yrs
Boys1 ½222
Girls1 ½222

What’s a serve?
  • 1 medium fruit (banana, apple, orange)
  • 2 small fruit (apricot, plum, kiwi fruit)
  • 1 cup canned fruit (without added sugar)

Or occasionally:

  • ½ cup fruit juice (without added sugar)
  • 30g dried fruit

Vegetables and legumes/beans

rsz_vegetables
How much should I have?
4-8yrs9-11yrs12-13yrs14-18yrs
Boys4 ½55 ½5 ½
Girls4 ½555

What’s a serve?
  • 1 cup raw leafy green veg (lettuce, rocket)
  • ½ cup cooked green or orange veg (carrot, broccoli, pumpkin)
  • ½ cup corn
  • ½ medium potato or sweet potato

Milk, yoghurt, cheese and alternatives

Choose mostly low fat

rsz_dairy
How much should I have?
4-8yrs9-11yrs12-13yrs14-18yrs
Boys22 ½3 ½3 ½
Girls1 ½33 ½3 ½

What’s a serve?
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 2 slices of cheese
  • ¾ cup of yoghurt
  • 1 cup of soy milk (with added calcium)
  • 100g firm tofu

Grains and cereals

Choose mostly wholegrain

rsz_grains_and_cereals
How much should I have?
4-8yrs9-11yrs12-13yrs14-18yrs
Boys4567
Girls4457

What’s a serve?
  • 1 slice of bread
  • 1 medium roll or flat bread
  • ½ cup cooked rice, pasta or noodles
  • ½ cup cooked porridge
  • 2/3 cup wheat cereal flakes
  • ¼ cup muesli

Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans

Choose lean cuts

rsz_meat
How much should I have?
4-8yrs9-11yrs12-13yrs14-18yrs
Boys1 ½2 ½2 ½2 ½
Girls1 ½2 ½2 ½2 ½

What’s a serve?
  • 65g of lean meat (beef, lamb, pork or kangaroo)
  • 80g of chicken or turkey
  • 100g of cooked or canned fish
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup of legumes/beans
  • 170g tofu
  • 30g nuts or seeds

For more information about the foods within the five food groups, take a look at the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.



Sources:

National Health and Medical Research Council 2013, Australian Dietary Guidelines Summary, accessed 4th August 2015, www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/the_guidelines/n55a_australian_dietary_guidelines_summary_131014.pdf