Dietary Guidelines:
Follow a Health dietary pattern at every life stage.
Meet your nutritional needs primarily from foods and beverages.
Choose a variety of options from each food group.
Pay attention to portion size.
Customize your food and beverage choices to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions and budgetary considerations.
Instead of donuts, try a whole grain bagel
Instead of snack crackers, try animal or soda crackers
Instead of potato chips, try unsalted pretzels
Instead of fried rice, try rice with a vegetable sauce
Instead of cream cheese, try fresh fruit
Instead of breaded fish sticks, try grilled fish
Instead of ice cream, try sorbet
Instead of cookies, try fig bars
Focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods.
Nutrient-dense foods contain vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fats.
Examples: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seafood, lean meats, eggs, peas, beans and nuts.
Limit foods and beverages higher in sugars, saturated fat and sodium.
Limit sugars to less than 10% of your caloric intake.
Avoid sugars for infants and toddlers.
Limit saturated fat to less than 10% of calories per day.
Limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day.
Limit alcoholic beverages.
From Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025
