The first step in evaluating your eating habits is to record your food choices and portion sizes. Use the chart below to record all the foods and beverages you consume during a typical day. (To learn even more about your eating habits, you may want to complete several copies of this food record and look at data for both weekdays and weekends.) Break down each food item into its components parts (for example, a turkey sandwich might be listed as sourdough bread, turkey, tomato, mayonnaise, and so on).

Complete the rest of the chart by listing the amount of each food you consumed in the appropriate column; the units—cups or ounce-equivalents—are listed at the top of the chart for each group and subgroup. For example, for your sandwich, you might enter 2 oz-eq in the "other" grains column for the bread, 3 oz-eq in the lean meat column for the turkey, 1/4 cup in the "other" vegetables column for the tomato, and so on. (To help you determine your portion sizes and the MyPyramid equivalents, refer to the table on the back of this worksheet.) It may be more difficult to determine amounts for oils, fats, and added sugars, but do the best you can. Remember, if you choose foods from any group that are not in their lowest-fat form or that contain any added sugars or fats, the extra calories should be entered as solid fats or added sugars under the discretionary calories heading. Once your day's record is complete, total up the amounts for each group.

Grains (oz-eq)

Vegetables (cups)

Discretionary Calories

Food

Whole

Other

Total

Dark Green

Orange

Legumes

Starchy

Other

Fruits (cups)

Milk (cups)

Lean Meat & Beans (oz-eq)

Oils trans-free (tsp)

Solid Fats (g)

Added Sugars (g/tsp)

Daily Total

MyPyramid Group	Serving Sizes and Equivalents	Portion sizes Guide
Grains	1 oz equivalents = 1 slice of bread 1 small muffin 1 cup read-to-eat cereal flakes 1/2 cup cooked ceral, rice, grains, or pasta 1 6-inch tortilla	1/2 cup of rice = an ice cream scoop or one-third of a soda can 1 cup pasta = a small fist or a tennis ball 1-2 oz muffin or roll = plum or large egg 1 oz bagel = hockey puck or yo-yo 1 tortilla = diameter of a small plate
Vegetable	1/2 cup or equivalent (1 serving) = 1/2 cup raw or cooked vegetables 1 cup raw leafy salad greens 1/2 cup vegetable juice	1/2 cup cooked vegetables = an ice cream scoop or one-third of a soda can 1/2 cup juice = one-third of a soda can 1 medium potato = computer mouse The following count as 1 cup: 3 broccoli spears, 1 large tomato, 1 ear of corn, 12 baby carrots, 2 large celery stalks, 1 medium potato
Fruit	1/2 cup or equivalent (1 serving) = 1/2 cup fresh, canned, or frozen fruit 1/2 cup fruit juice 1 small whole fruit 1/4 cup dried fruit	1 medium fruit = baseball 1/2 cup fruit = an ice cream scoop or one-third of a soda can 1/2 cup juice = one-third of a soda can The following count as 1 cup: 1 large banana, 8 strawberries, 32 grapes, 12 melon balls, 1/4 medium cantaloupe
Milk	1 cup or equivalent = 1 cup milk or yogurt 1-1/2 oz natural cheese 2 oz processed cheese	1 oz cheese = your thumb, 4 dice, or an ice cube
Lean Meat and Beans	1 oz equivalents = 1 ounce lean meat, poultry, or fish 1/4 cup cooked dry beans or tofue 1 egg 1 tablespoon peanut butter 1/2 ounce nuts or seeds	3 oz chicken or meat = deck of cards or an audiocassette tape 1/2 cup cooked beans = an ice cream scoop or one-third of a soda can 2 tablespoons peanutbutter = a Ping-Pong ball or large marshmallow 1/4 cup seeds = golf ball
Oils	1 teaspoon or equivalent = 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon sald dressing or light mayonnaise	1 teaspoon margarine = tip of thumb

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