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Northeast Regional Food Guide Fact Sheets
Why is a Regional Food Guide Necessary?
All food guides are based on our current understanding of the relationship between food choices and health, but few are specific to a particular region of the country. The Northeast Regional Food Guide helps you select a healthful diet from a wide variety of foods, emphasizing those that are produced and processed in the Northeast.
The foods we choose have an important impact on local agriculture and the environment. Northeastern consumers express a preference for locally produced foods and a concern about the region's farmers, farmland, and the resources used in transporting food great distances. One way to improve the market for northeastern farmers is to eat more of the foods they grow. By using the Northeast Regional Food Guide you will improve the nutritional quality of your diet while supporting your neighbors-northeastern agricultural producers and processors. The guide is easy to use and can help you and your family choose a healthy diet while learning more about our region's bountiful harvest.
Many foods listed in the guide are available from regional sources year round-milk, yogurt, and cheese; dry beans, nuts, eggs, poultry, fish, and meats; and bread, cereal, pasta, tortillas, and whole grains. But the foods in the fruit and vegetable groups are available seasonally. Thus eating produce from the Northeast means learning about the different forms in which they are available-fresh, canned, frozen, dried, and stored-throughout the year.
Dietary Guidelines for Good Health and a Sustainable Food System
The Northeast Regional Food Guide is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Fourth Edition, 1995) and the Food Guide Pyramid (United States Department of Agriculture, 1992).
The Northeast Regional Food Guide is designed to help you choose a diet that will meet nutrient requirements, promote health, support an active life, and reduce your risk of contracting several diet-related diseases. This guide promotes a diet rich in a wide variety of plant foods-fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, beans, and legumes-as well as an adequate and enjoyable variety of dairy products, meats, and eggs. There is much variety between the food groups as well as within each group.
Remember that most of your daily calories should come from foods in the grain group (6-11 servings), the vegetable group (3-5 servings), and the fruit group (2-4 servings). Foods from the dairy group (2-3 servings) and animal products from the meats and beans group (2-3 servings), especially those that are high in fat, should be eaten in moderate amounts. Foods founds in the smallest portion of the pyramid (fats and sugars) should be consumed sparingly. In addition, you should consume six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water or fluid each day.
Why is there a range of recommended servings?
As with the Food Guide Pyramid, the Northeast Regional Food Guide recommends a range of servings from each food group. The correct number of servings will depend on your energy needs, which are based on your age, sex, body size, and level of activity. Almost everyone needs at least the smallest number of servings in each food group range.
If you tend to be sedentary, you will require fewer servings each day from the groups in the pyramid. If you are more active, growing, or are pregnant or nursing, you will likely need to choose more servings to meet your nutritional needs.
How many servings are right for me?
The following table1 can help you decide:
| Food Groups |
1,600 cals |
2,200 cals |
2,800 cals |
| |
for many sedentary women and some older adults |
for most children, teenage girls, active women, and many sedentary adults |
for teenage boys, many active men and some very active women |
| Grains |
6 servings |
9 servings |
11 servings |
| Fruits |
2 servings |
3 servings |
4 servings |
| Vegetables |
3 servings |
4 servings |
5 servings |
| Dairy Products2 |
2-3 servings |
2-3 servings |
2-3 servings |
| Dry beans, nuts, eggs, poultry, fish, meat |
2 servings |
2 servings |
3 servings |
1Adapted from USDA (1992)
2Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, teenagers, and young adults need 3 servings.
How much is a serving?
The amount of any food that counts as a serving depends on the calorie and nutrient content of the food.
| Food Group |
Serving Size |
| Grains |
1 slice bread; 1/2 bagel; 1 oz. cold cereal; 1/2 cup hot cereal or pasta; 5 to 6 crackers; 1 tortilla |
| Vegetables |
1 cup leafy raw vegetables; 1/2 cup cooked or chopped raw vegetables; 3/4 cup, vegetable juice |
| Fruits |
1 medium piece fresh fruit; 1/2 cup chopped, cooked, or canned fruit; 3/4 cup fruit juice |
| Milk, Yogurt, Cheese |
1 cup milk, yogurt, or kefir (liquid yogurt made from cow's milk); 1 1/2 oz. cheese |
| Beans, Nuts, Eggs, Poultry, Fish, Meat |
1/2 cup cooked beans; 2-3 oz. poultry, fish, or lean meat; 4 oz. tofu or tempeh; 8 oz. soy milk; 2 eggs; 2 tbsp. peanut butter, tahini, or other nuts or seeds |
How can I shop for produce that's in season?
Because of the varied climate in the Northeast, different fruits and vegetables are available at different times of the year. In the winter, emphasize canned, frozen, dried, and stored produce in your diet, as well as year-round produce such as sprouts and mushrooms. During the spring, summer, and fall enjoy our region's abundant fresh produce.
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