How to Eat the Four Food Groups
- 1). Identify the four food groups which are whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Know which group individual foods fall into and what is considered an appropriate serving size. For example, NutritionMD.org says one serving of whole grain is equal to 1/2 cup hot cereal, one ounce dry cereal or one slice bread.
- 2). Determine the recommended daily number of servings from each food group. The New Four Food Groups suggests a minimum of five whole grains, three vegetables, three fruits and two legumes per day.
- 3). Omit all meat, dairy and eggs from your diet.
- 4). Avoid foods containing hydrogenated trans-fats.
- 5). Add a good source of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 can be found in common multi-vitamins or by eating at least one serving of a food fortified with vitamin B12 such as fortified breakfast cereals or fortified soy milk.
- 6). Plan your meals ahead of time and incorporate foods you like into your meal plan. Divide daily servings throughout the day and try to eat at least one serving from each food group at every meal. For instance, try to incorporate a whole grain, a fruit, a vegetable and a legume in each meal. Use foods with a higher amount of daily servings for your larger meals and snacks.
- 7). Choose a variety of foods from each food group each day. Pick a variety of colors and different textures when choosing foods. Don't be afraid to try new foods, because taste buds can change over time. Try preparing foods a different way or blending foods you don't normally like into other recipes. For instance, carrots pureed are easily blended into tomato sauce. You retain the nutritional value of the carrots, but don't notice the taste in the sauce.