Look over the following lists of examples for each of the food groups. These lists are broken into subgroups to emphasize foods that are particularly good sources of dietary fiber or of certain vitamins and minerals that are low in the diets of many Americans; food items with more fat and sugar are also identified. Hints for making healthy choices within each food group are provided.

For each food group, complete the following:

1. Circle the items you eat most often. If a food you commonly eat doesn't appear on the list, add it to the appropriate group and subgroup and then circle it.
2. Review the circled items, and analyze your current diet. Do your typical food choices conform to the recommendations in the hints section? Do you eat a variety of foods within each group?
3. Based on your analysis of your current diet, and with the goal of eating a variety of healthy foods, choose 3-6 items in each food group either to try for the first time or to eat more often. Choose food items that conform to the advice in the hints section and that are available and affordable.

Hints:

1. Citrus fruits, melons, and berries are particularly good choices.
2. Choose whole fruits more often than juices; choose fruit juices over fruit punches, ades, and drinks.
3. For canned fruits, choose those packed in 100% fruit juice rather than in syrup.

Foods to try or emphasize:

Hints:

1. For variety, eat dark-green leafy vegetables, orange or deep-yellow vegetables, starchy vegetables, legumes, and other types of vegetables. Dark-green leafy vegetables, orange or deep-yellow vegetables, and legumes are particularly high in nutrients and fiber.
2. Limit the fat you add to vegetables during cooking and at the table (as spreads and toppings).
3. Legumes can be counted as servings of vegetables or as alternatives to meat.

Foods to try or emphasize:

Hints:

1. Choose foods made from unprocessed, whole grains.
2. Choose foods low in fat and sugars.
3. Go easy on the fat and sugars you add as spreads, seasonings, or toppings.

Foods to try or emphasize:

Hints:

1. To limit your intake of fat and saturated fat, choose lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry. Trim away all the fat you can see. Watch serving sizes carefully.
2. Choose at least one serving of plant proteins (legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds) per day.

Foods to try or emphasize:

Hints:

1. Choose low-fat or fat-free items to limit your overall fat intake. Limit serving sizes of high-fat choices.
2. Cottage cheese is lower in calcium than most cheeses.

Foods to try or emphasize:

Hints:

1. Choose about 5-10 teaspoons of oils per day to obtain the essential fats.
2. If your intake of solid fats, sweets and added sugars, and alcoholic beverages is high, consider developing a behavior change strategy to substitute healthier food choices from other groups.
3. Limit your intake of reduced-fat versions of foods--they are often very high in both added sugar and calories.
4. When choosing among different types of fats, favor unsaturated fats (vegetable and fish oils) over saturated and trans fats (animal fats, palm and coconut oils, hydrogenated fats).