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?

Serves per day
4-8yrs 9-11yrs 12-13yrs 14-18yrs
Boys 1 ½ 2 2 2
Girls 1 ½ 2 2 2

 

What’s a serve?

  • 1 medium 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?

Serves per day
4-8yrs 9-11yrs 12-13yrs 14-18yrs
Boys 4 ½ 5 5 ½ 5 ½
Girls 4 ½ 5 5 5

 

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?

Serves per day
4-8yrs 9-11yrs 12-13yrs 14-18yrs
Boys 2 2 ½ 3 ½ 3 ½
Girls 1 ½ 3 3 ½ 3 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 whole grain

rsz_grains_and_cereals

How much should I have?

Serves per day
4-8yrs 9-11yrs 12-13yrs 14-18yrs
Boys 4 5 6 7
Girls 4 4 5 7

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

Choose lean cuts

rsz_meat

How much should I have?

Serves per day
4-8yrs 9-11yrs 12-13yrs 14-18yrs
Boys 1 ½ 2 ½ 2 ½ 2 ½
Girls 1 ½ 2 ½ 2 ½ 2 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