vegetable group serving suggestions
Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the Vegetable Group. Vegetables can be fresh, frozen or canned. If buying canned, look for varieties that have no added salt. Or drain and rinse the vegetables in a colander for a few minutes to remove sodium.
The MyPlate recommended amount of vegetables is 1.5-4 cups/day (based on a 1200- to 3200-calorie diet). Veggies supply vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and natural plant chemicals (phytochemicals) that are important for health – so try to include veggies at all meals and snacks. Following are vegetable group serving suggestions and tips:
| Food |
1/2 cup equivalent |
Tips |
| Broccoli
|
½ cup, cooked |
Broccoli dishes up several essential vitamins, including vitamins A and C. It tastes great topped with grated Parmesan cheese. |
| Frozen Mixed Vegetables |
½ cup, cooked |
Keep these on hand, for a quick side dish or to toss with cooked pasta or rice. |
| Carrots, cooked |
½ cup, cooked |
Carrots are packed with beta-carotene, which the body can turn into vitamin A. Cooking carrots brings out their natural sweetness. |
| Winter Squash |
½ cup |
Drizzle with honey or maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon before baking to enhance their natural sweetness. |
| Tomatoes |
1 medium |
Tomatoes supply vitamins A and C, along with a natural color pigment called lycopene. Lycopene is more concentrated in cooked tomato products like tomato sauce and tomato soup, so count the tomato sauce on your pasta as a serving of vegetables. |
| Lettuce |
1 cup |
Darker leaf lettuce, like romaine, is more nutritious than lighter leaf iceberg, so make your salads with a variety of greens. |
| Legumes |
½ cup cooked or canned |
Legumes such as chick peas, navy beans, pinto beans and lentils can count in either the Vegetables or Meat & Beans Group. |
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