The Five Food Groups
The five food groups are the main categories of foods our bodies need every day to grow strong, stay healthy, and have energy.
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The five food groups are Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy. Every food we eat belongs to one of these groups. Eating foods from all five groups every day gives our bodies the vitamins, minerals, and energy we need to think, play, and grow.
Remember the rule
Every meal, fill half your plate with Fruits and Vegetables, one quarter with Grains, and one quarter with Protein, then add a serving of Dairy on the side.
Key words
- Food Group
- A category of foods that share the same kinds of nutrients, like fruits or vegetables.
- Nutrient
- A good thing in food that helps your body work, grow, and stay healthy.
- Grain
- Foods made from wheat, rice, oats, or corn, like bread, pasta, and cereal.
- Protein
- A nutrient that builds and repairs muscles and other parts of your body.
- Dairy
- Foods made from milk, like cheese, yogurt, and milk itself, that help build strong bones.
- Vitamin
- A tiny but important nutrient found in foods that helps your body do its jobs, like healing cuts.
- Mineral
- A nutrient like calcium or iron found in foods that keeps your bones and blood healthy.
- Balanced Diet
- Eating the right amounts of food from all five food groups every day.
Worked examples
Which food group does an apple belong to?
→ Fruits · Fruits grow on plants and trees and are naturally sweet; they give your body vitamins like Vitamin C.
You eat a bowl of brown rice with your dinner. Which food group is that?
→ Grains · Rice, bread, pasta, and oatmeal are all grains; choose whole grains like brown rice when you can because they have more nutrients.
Your lunch has a grilled chicken strip. Which food group does chicken belong to?
→ Protein Foods · Meat, beans, eggs, nuts, and fish are all protein foods; they help your muscles grow strong.
You pour a glass of milk with your breakfast. Which food group is milk in?
→ Dairy · Milk, cheese, and yogurt are dairy foods that are full of calcium, which makes your bones and teeth strong.
Your mom puts broccoli and carrots on your plate. Which food group are they?
→ Vegetables · Vegetables come in many colors; eating different colored vegetables gives your body many different vitamins and minerals.
Look at this lunch: a turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread, a cup of strawberries, baby carrots, a slice of cheese, and a glass of milk. How many of the five food groups are included?
→ All five groups are covered. Turkey is Protein, bread is Grains, strawberries are Fruits, carrots are Vegetables, and cheese plus milk are Dairy. · A lunch that includes all five groups is a great example of a balanced meal.
Common mistakes
- Thinking french fries count as a full vegetable serving — they are made from potatoes but are often cooked in lots of oil and salt, so they are not the same as plain vegetables like carrots or peas.
- Forgetting that beans and nuts are in the Protein group, not the Vegetable group, even though they grow in the ground.
- Mixing up Dairy and Protein — cheese and yogurt are Dairy, not Protein, because they come from milk.
- Thinking juice is just as good as whole fruit — whole fruit has more fiber and nutrients than most fruit juices.
- Believing you only need to eat from one or two groups — your body needs foods from ALL five groups every single day to stay healthy.
FAQs
Why are there five food groups and not just one?
Different foods give your body different nutrients. No single food has everything your body needs, so eating from all five groups makes sure you get all the right nutrients every day.
How much should I eat from each group every day?
For a second grader, a good goal is about 1 cup of fruit, 1 to 1.5 cups of vegetables, 3 to 5 ounces of grains, 2 to 4 ounces of protein foods, and about 2 cups of dairy each day, but the exact amount can depend on your size and how active you are.
What if I do not like vegetables? Can I skip that group?
Your body really needs vegetables for vitamins and minerals, so try not to skip them. You might find a vegetable you like by trying different ones — some kids prefer crunchy raw carrots over cooked ones, or they like corn or peas.
Is pizza in a food group?
Pizza actually touches several food groups at once. The crust is a Grain, the cheese is Dairy, and if it has tomato sauce and vegetable toppings, those count too. Foods made with many ingredients can cover more than one group.
Are candy and chips in a food group?
Candy and chips do not belong to any of the five food groups. They are sometimes called extras or sometimes food because they have a lot of sugar or salt but not many nutrients. It is fine to enjoy them once in a while, but they should not replace foods from the five groups.
What is the difference between a fruit and a vegetable?
Botanically a fruit grows from the flower of a plant and usually has seeds inside, like apples, strawberries, and tomatoes. A vegetable is other parts of the plant like roots, leaves, or stalks, like carrots, spinach, and celery. In the food groups, tomatoes are counted as a vegetable because that is how we use them in meals.
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