Part 1: A Day's Menu:
Breakfast
1 hard-boiled egg, large
1 slice whole-grain bread, toasted with 1 tablespoon light butter spread
1 small banana
Snack #1
¼ cup unsalted almonds
1 medium orange
Sandwich:
2 slices whole-grain bread, 3 ounces canned tuna in water, 2 teaspoons mayo, lettuce and tomato
1 cup red pepper slices
1 cup strawberries
Snack #2
1 string cheese
5-6 whole-grain crackers
Dinner
4 ounces baked chicken breast cooked with
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon light butter spread
2 cups steamed broccoli
Snack #3
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 medium apple, sliced
Part 2: Food Exchange For the Daily Menu:
Breakfast
PROTEIN
Choose 1 serving
(ex: 1 large egg)
1 serving equals:
1 whole egg
¼ cup egg beaters
2 egg whites
1 cup milk or unsweetened soy milk
1 cup yogurt, plain
1 ounce cheese
1 ounce turkey sausage
GRAIN
Choose 1 serving
(ex: ½ cup of oatmeal, cooked)
1 serving equals:
1 packet low-sugar instant oatmeal
½ cup rolled or steel-cut oats, cooked
1 serving of dry whole-grain cereal (¾ cup bran flakes, shredded wheat)
1 whole-wheat waffle
1 slice whole-grain bread
2 slices light whole-wheat bread
½ whole-wheat small bagel or English muffin
FRUIT
Choose 1 serving
1 serving equals:
½ cup 100% juice (orange, apple)
1 medium fruit (orange, apple, peach, nectarine, pear)
½ grapefruit
1 cup berries/grapes (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
1 small banana
2 tablespoons of unsweetened dried fruit (raisins)
½ cup canned fruit in natural juice (not syrup)
1 cup melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon)
FAT
Choose 1 serving
1 serving equals:
1 teaspoon olive oil/vegetable oil
1 teaspoon butter
2 teaspoons natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon light butter spread
2 tablespoons light cream cheese
2 tablespoons nuts (almond, walnuts)
Lunch
PROTEIN
Choose 3 servings
(ex: 3 ounces chicken)
1 serving equals:
1 ounce skinless chicken or turkey
1 ounce fish (cod, flounder, haddock, salmon)
1 ounce lean beef or pork (<93% lean)
1 ounce cheese
¼ cup cottage cheese
1 ounce tuna, canned in water
¹⁄³ cup hummus
½ cup beans or lentils, cooked
½ cup tofu
GRAIN
Choose 2 servings
(ex: 1 cup of pasta, cooked)
1 serving equals:
½ cup potatoes or ½ small potato (sweet or white potato)
½ cup brown rice, barley, quinoa
or other whole grain, cooked
½ cup whole-wheat pasta
or noodles, cooked
1 slice whole-grain bread
2 slices light whole-wheat bread
1 low-carb whole-wheat sandwich thin
1 whole-wheat tortilla (6" across)
½ whole-wheat pita (6" across)
VEGETABLES
Choose 2 or more servings
(ex: 2 cups salad)
1 serving equals:
1 cup mixed greens salad
½ cup cooked or raw vegetables (spinach, kale, asparagus, broccoli, peppers, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, summer squash, tomatoes, onions, leeks, beets)
FRUIT
Choose 1 serving
1 serving equals:
1 medium fruit (orange, apple, peach, nectarine, pear)
2 tablespoons of unsweetened dried fruit (raisins)
1 cup berries/grapes/melon (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon)
1 small banana
FAT
Choose 2 servings
1 serving equals:
1 tablespoon regular salad dressing
2 tablespoons light salad dressing
1 teaspoon olive oil/vegetable oil
1 tablespoon light butter spread
2 tablespoons light mayo
2 tablespoons hummus
2 teaspoons mayo
¹⁄8 slice avocado
2 tablespoons nuts (almonds, walnuts)
Dinner
PROTEIN
Choose 4 servings
(ex: 4 ounces chicken)
1 serving equals:
1 ounce skinless chicken or turkey
1 ounce fish (cod, flounder, haddock, salmon)
1 ounce lean beef or pork (<93% lean)
1 ounce cheese
¼ cup cottage cheese
1 ounce tuna, canned in water
¹⁄³ cup hummus
½ cup beans or lentils, cooked
½ cup tofu
GRAIN
Choose 1 serving
(ex: ½ cup of pasta, cooked)
1 serving equals:
½ cup potatoes or ½ small potato (sweet or white potato)
½ cup brown rice, barley, quinoa or other whole grain, cooked
½ cup whole-wheat pasta or noodles, cooked
1 slice whole-grain bread
2 slices light whole-wheat bread
1 low-carb whole-wheat sandwich thin
1 whole-wheat tortilla (6" across)
½ whole-wheat pita (6" across)
VEGETABLES
Choose 2 or more servings
(ex: 2 cups salad)
1 serving equals:
1 cup mixed greens salad
½ cup cooked or raw vegetables (spinach, kale, asparagus, broccoli, peppers, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, summer squash, tomatoes, onions, leeks, beets)
FAT
Choose 2 servings
1 serving equals:
1 tablespoon regular salad dressing
2 tablespoons light salad dressing
1 teaspoon olive oil/vegetable oil
1 tablespoon light butter spread
2 tablespoons light mayo
2 tablespoons hummus
2 teaspoons mayo
¹⁄8 slice avocado
2 tablespoons nuts (almonds, walnuts)
Snacks
(choose 1 snack between each meal — up to 3 snacks per day)
Include 1 protein and 1 carbohydrate to keep you feeling full, longer.
PROTEIN
Choose 1 serving
1 serving equals:
1 ounce cheese
1 cup milk or unsweetened
soy milk
1 cup yogurt, plain
1 string cheese
1 large hard-boiled egg
¹⁄³ cup hummus
¼ cup unsalted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)
47 unsalted pistachios (1 ounce)
2 tablespoons natural nut butter
CARBOHYDRATE
Choose 1 serving
1 serving equals:
Fruit (see serving sizes above): aim for no more than 3 to 4 fruits per day
Whole-wheat crackers (refer to serving size on package)
½ whole-wheat English muffin
1 slice of whole-wheat bread or 2 slices of light whole-wheat bread
Whole-grain tortilla chips (refer to serving size on package)
3 cups of air-popped popcorn
Other Great Snack Ideas
1 serving equals:
2 tablespoons guacamole
and 1 cup raw veggies (peppers, cucumbers)
3 ounces cooked shrimp and
1 tablespoon cocktail sauce
1 sliced tomato, 1 ounce mozzarella and balsamic vinegar
½ cup sliced peaches and 1 ounce prosciutto
100-calorie whole-grain snack pack
Whole-grain granola bar (look for 3 or more grams of fiber per bar; 8 or less grams of sugar per bar)
1 ounce 70% dark chocolate squares
½ peanut butter sandwich on whole-grain bread
Homemade smoothie (½ cup yogurt, 1 cup milk and 1 cup frozen fruit blended together)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt with ½ cup fruit and 1 teaspoon of chopped nuts