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MyPlate Worksheet: 1,200 Calories
Your calorie needs are about 1,200 calories a day. Below are the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for your daily recommended amount of each food group.

Eat a variety of vegetables each day.
Aim for these amounts each week:
-
1 cup dark green vegetables
-
3 cups red or orange-colored vegetables
-
½ cup dry beans and peas
-
3½ cups starchy vegetables
-
2½ cups other vegetables
Eat a variety of fruits each day.
Go easy on fruit juices.
Good choices of fruits include:
-
Berries
-
Bananas
-
Apples
-
Melon
-
Dried fruit
-
Frozen fruit
-
Canned fruit
Choose whole grains whenever you can.
Aim to eat at least 2 ounces of whole grains each day:
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Bread
-
Cereal
-
Rice
-
Pasta
-
Potatoes
-
Tortillas
Choose low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, or cheese each day.
Good choices include:
-
Low-fat or fat-free milk or chocolate milk
-
Low-fat or fat-free yogurt
-
Low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese or other reduced-fat cheeses
-
Calcium-fortified milk alternatives
Choose low-fat or lean meats, poultry, fish and seafood each day.
Vary your protein. Choose more:
Choose less high-fat and red meat.
Source: USDA MyPlate, www.myplate.gov
Know your limits on sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars
-
Your allowance for saturated fat is 13 grams or less a day.
-
Limit added sugars to 30 grams or less a day.
-
Cut back on salt (sodium). Stay under 2,300 mg sodium a day. If you have a health condition such as heart disease or high blood pressure, your doctor will likely tell you to limit sodium to no more than 1,500 mg a day.
Get moving and be active!
Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week or 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week.
MyPlate Servings Worksheet: 1,200 calories
This worksheet tells you how many servings you should get each day from each food group, and tells you how much food makes a serving. Use this as a guide as you plan your meals throughout the day. Track your progress daily by writing in what you actually ate.
Food group
|
Daily MyPlate goal
|
What you ate today
|
Vegetables
|
3 half-cups or 3 servings
One serving is:
½ cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables
1 cup raw, leafy vegetables
½ baked sweet potato
½ cup vegetable juice
Note: At meals, fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit and eat them first.
|
Fruits
|
2 half-cups or 2 servings
One serving is:
½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit
1 medium piece of fruit
1 cup of berries or melon
½ cup dried fruit
½ cup 100% fruit juice
Note: Make most choices fruit instead of juice.
|
Grains
|
4 servings or 4 ounces
One serving is:
1 slice bread
1 cup dry cereal
½ cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal
1 5-inch tortilla
Note: Choose whole grains for at least half of your servings each day.
|
Dairy
|
2-1/2 servings or 2-1/2 cups
One serving is:
1 cup milk
1½ ounces reduced-fat hard cheese
2 ounces processed cheese
1 cup low-fat yogurt
1/3 cup shredded cheese
Note: Choose low-fat or fat-free most often.
|
Protein
|
3 servings or 3 ounces
One serving is:
1 ounce cooked lean beef, pork, lamb, or ham
1 ounce cooked chicken or turkey (no skin)
1 ounce cooked fish or shellfish (not fried)
1 egg
¼ cup egg substitute
½ ounce nuts or seeds
1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter
¼ cup cooked dry beans or peas
½ cup tofu
2 tablespoons hummus
|
Online Medical Reviewer:
Brittany Poulson MDA RDN CD CDE Online Medical Reviewer:
Diane Horowitz MD Online Medical Reviewer:
Heather M Trevino BSN RNC Date Last Reviewed:
1/1/2023
© 2000-2025 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.