SAMPLE 2000 CALORIE MENU:
Breakfast:
2 breads or starches like one English muffin or 1-1/2 cups bran flake cereal
1 milk, like 1 cup skim, 1% milk, or nonfat sugar-free yogurt
1 ounce meat or protein like 1 soft-boiled egg or 1/4 cup scrambled egg substitute. Do not eat more than 3 eggs each week.
1 fruit, like 1/2 large banana or 1-1/4 cup of fresh strawberries
1 fat, like 1 tsp margarine
Breakfast:
2 breads or starches like one English muffin or 1-1/2 cups bran flake cereal
1 milk, like 1 cup skim, 1% milk, or nonfat sugar-free yogurt
1 ounce meat or protein like 1 soft-boiled egg or 1/4 cup scrambled egg substitute. Do not eat more than 3 eggs each week.
1 fruit, like 1/2 large banana or 1-1/4 cup of fresh strawberries
1 fat, like 1 tsp margarine
Morning Snack:
1 bread or starch like 2 fat-free rice cakes or 6 saltine crackers
1 ounce meat or protein, like 2 Tbsp peanut butter or 1/4 cup lowfat cottage cheese
Lunch:
The following foods can be combined to make a chicken pasta salad:
2 ounces meat or protein, like 2 ounces cooked chicken breast with 1 ounce grated lowfat cheese2
vegetables, like 1 cup fresh salad greens and 1 cup chopped fresh vegetables
1 bread or starch, like 1/2 cup cooked pasta
1 fat, like 2 Tbsp lowfat salad dressing
Add the following foods for lunch:
1 bread or starch, like 1 small dinner roll (1 ounce)
1 fruit, like 1 small orange or 1/2 large pear
1 free food, like 12 ounces sugar-free soft drink
Afternoon Snack:
1 milk, like 1 cup skim or 1 cup nonfat sugar-free yogurt
1 bread, like three 2-1/2 inch squares graham crackers or 3 cups air-popped popcorn
Dinner:
3 ounces meat or protein, like 3 ounces baked cod or salmon
2 starches, like one 3-inch baked potato and 1/2 cup cooked corn
2 vegetables, like 1 cup steamed asparagus and 1 cup steamed carrots
1 fat, like 1 tsp margarine or 1 tsp olive oil
1 fruit, like 3/4 cup fresh pineapple or 1/2 cup fruit cocktail
1 milk, like 1 cup skim milk
Evening Snack:
1 bread, like 1 slice of toast or 3/4 ounce pretzels
1 ounce meat or protein, like 1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese or 1 ounce turkey breast
A serving size means the size of food after it is cooked or prepared.
1 pint or 2 cups (16 fluid ounces) of liquid is the size of 1-1/3 soda-pop cans.
1-1/2 cup (12 fluid ounces) of liquid is the size of a soda-pop can.
1 cup of food is the size of a large handful, or 8 fluid ounces of liquid.
1/2 cup of food is about half of a large handful, or 4 fluid ounces of liquid.
2 tablespoons (Tbsp) is about the size of a large walnut.
1 tablespoon (Tbsp) is about the size of the tip of your thumb (from the last crease).
1 teaspoon (tsp) is about the size of the tip of your little finger (from the last crease).
3 ounces of cooked meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards.
1 ounce of cooked meat, fish, or poultry is about 1/4 cup (c).
One ounce of hard cheese is about a 1 inch cube.
A serving of vegetables is 1/2 cup (1/2 handful) cooked, or 1 cup (1 handful) raw.
1 bread or starch like 2 fat-free rice cakes or 6 saltine crackers
1 ounce meat or protein, like 2 Tbsp peanut butter or 1/4 cup lowfat cottage cheese
Lunch:
The following foods can be combined to make a chicken pasta salad:
2 ounces meat or protein, like 2 ounces cooked chicken breast with 1 ounce grated lowfat cheese2
vegetables, like 1 cup fresh salad greens and 1 cup chopped fresh vegetables
1 bread or starch, like 1/2 cup cooked pasta
1 fat, like 2 Tbsp lowfat salad dressing
Add the following foods for lunch:
1 bread or starch, like 1 small dinner roll (1 ounce)
1 fruit, like 1 small orange or 1/2 large pear
1 free food, like 12 ounces sugar-free soft drink
Afternoon Snack:
1 milk, like 1 cup skim or 1 cup nonfat sugar-free yogurt
1 bread, like three 2-1/2 inch squares graham crackers or 3 cups air-popped popcorn
Dinner:
3 ounces meat or protein, like 3 ounces baked cod or salmon
2 starches, like one 3-inch baked potato and 1/2 cup cooked corn
2 vegetables, like 1 cup steamed asparagus and 1 cup steamed carrots
1 fat, like 1 tsp margarine or 1 tsp olive oil
1 fruit, like 3/4 cup fresh pineapple or 1/2 cup fruit cocktail
1 milk, like 1 cup skim milk
Evening Snack:
1 bread, like 1 slice of toast or 3/4 ounce pretzels
1 ounce meat or protein, like 1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese or 1 ounce turkey breast
A serving size means the size of food after it is cooked or prepared.
1 pint or 2 cups (16 fluid ounces) of liquid is the size of 1-1/3 soda-pop cans.
1-1/2 cup (12 fluid ounces) of liquid is the size of a soda-pop can.
1 cup of food is the size of a large handful, or 8 fluid ounces of liquid.
1/2 cup of food is about half of a large handful, or 4 fluid ounces of liquid.
2 tablespoons (Tbsp) is about the size of a large walnut.
1 tablespoon (Tbsp) is about the size of the tip of your thumb (from the last crease).
1 teaspoon (tsp) is about the size of the tip of your little finger (from the last crease).
3 ounces of cooked meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards.
1 ounce of cooked meat, fish, or poultry is about 1/4 cup (c).
One ounce of hard cheese is about a 1 inch cube.
A serving of vegetables is 1/2 cup (1/2 handful) cooked, or 1 cup (1 handful) raw.
