Australian Government - Department of Health and Ageing
Australian Government - Department of Health and Ageing - Healthy Weight

Healthy Eating

Recommended Daily Servings

This page contains information about Recommended Daily Servings.

Cereals
(including breads, rice, pasta, noodles)
Vegetables, legumesFruitMilk, yoghurt, cheeseLean meat, fish, poultry, nuts & legumesExtra foods
(have no more than)
Children & teenagers
4-7 years5-72121/21-2
8-11 years6-931211-2
12-18 years5-1143311-3
Women
19-60 years4-952210-2 1/2
60+ years4-752210-2
Pregnant4-65-6421 1/20-2 1/2
Breastfeeding5-775220-2 1/2
Men
19-60 years6-1252210-3
60+ years4-952210-2 1/2

What is a serve?

Here are some examples
Cereals, breads etc
2 slices of bread1 medium bread roll1 cup cooked rice, pasta, noodles
1 cup porridge1 cup breakfast cereal flakesor 1/2 cup muesli
Vegetables and legumes (choose a variety)
Starchy vegetables
1 medium potato or yam1/2 medium sweet potato1 medium parsnip
Dark green leafy vegetables
1/2 cup cabbage, spinach, silverbeet, brocolli, cauliflower or brussel sprouts
Legumes and other vegetables
1 cup lettuce or salad vegetables1/2 cup broad beans, lentils, peas, green beans, zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, capsicum, cucumber, sweetcorn, turnips, swede, sprouts, celery, eggplant, etc
Fruit
1 piece medium sized fruit eg apple, orange, mango, mandarin, banana, pear, peach etc
2 pieces of smaller fruit eg apricots, kiwi fruit, plums, figsAbout 8 strawberries
1 cup dried pieces or canned fruit1/2 cup fruit juice1/4 medium melon (rockmelon, honeydew)
Dried fruit eg 4 dried apricots1 1/2 tablespoons sultanasAbout 20 grapes or cherries
Milks, yoghurt, cheese & alternatives
250 ml glass or one cup of milk (can be fresh, longlife or reconstituted milk)
1/2 cup evaporated milk40g (2 slices) of cheese250ml (1 cup custard)
200g (1 small carton) of yoghurt, plain or fruit, or, as an alternative try:
a cup of calcium-forified soy milk1 cup almonds1/2 cup pink salmon with bones
Meat, fish, poultry & alternatives
65-100gm cooked meat or chicken (eg 1/2 cup mince, 2 small chops or 2 slices roast meat)
80-120g cooked fish fillet, or, as an alternative try:
2 small eggs1/3 cup cooked (dried) beans, lentils, chick peas, split peas or canned beans1/3 cup peanuts or almonds
Extras Foods which we can occasionally include for variety. They are generally higher in fat and/or sugar, kilojoules, salt etc
1 medium piece of plain cake or 1 bun3-4 sweet biscuitsHalf a chocolate bar
60g jam, honey (1 tablespoon)30g potato crispsSlice pizza = 2 extras
1 can soft drink or 2 glasses cordial2 scoops icecream1 meat pie or pasty = 3 extras
2 standard glasses of alcohol (for adults only)1 tablespoon (20g) butter, margarine, oil

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