Count Food Guide Servings in a Meal

When eating a meal made of single items such as vegetables, rice and chicken, it can be straight forward to compare what is on your plate to Food Guide Servings.

However, many meals are made of a mix of different foods such as casseroles, stir-fries and stews. These mixed dishes have ingredients from at least two food groups. Look at the examples below to learn more about counting Food Guide Servings in a meal and mixed dishes.

How do I count Food Guide Servings in a meal?

	Here is an example:
	Vegetable and beef stir-fry with rice, a glass of milk and an apple for dessert.
	250 mL (1 cup) mixed broccoli, carrot and sweet red pepper	=	2 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Servings
	75 g (2 1⁄2 oz.) lean beef	=	1 Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	250 mL (1 cup) brown rice	=	2 Grain Products Food Guide Servings
	5 mL (1 tsp) canola oil	=	part of your Oils and Fats intake for the day
	250 mL (1 cup) 1% milk	=	1 Milk and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	1 apple	=	1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving

More Examples:

Beef Lo Mien Beef Sukiyaki Brazilian Seafood Stew Chicken Couscous Chile Con Carne With Beans Cod Chowder Dal Fajita Omelette

Paella Palak Paneer Plantain and Meat Casserole Rice and Beans Shish Kabob on Rice Squash and Chickpea Soup Vegetable Curry Venison Stew

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Learn More About:

• How Much Food Do I Need Every Day?
• What is a Food Guide Serving?
• Fast and Easy Meal Ideas
• Planning Meals
• Smart Snacking

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Beef Lo Mien

	Beef Lo Mien
	250 mL (1 cup) broccoli, sweet red pepper, celery, onion	=	2 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Servings
	250 mL (1 cup) egg noodles	=	2 Grain Products Food Guide Servings
	75 g (1 ½ oz.) beef strips	=	1 Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	30 mL (2 Tbsp) unsalted cashews	=	½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	5 mL (1 tsp) peanut oil	=	part of your Oils and Fat intake for the day

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Beef Sukiyaki

	Beef Sukiyaki
	125 mL (½ cup) mushrooms	=	1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	60 mL (¼ cup) leek	=	¼ Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	125 mL (½ cup) cellophane noodles	=	1 Grain Products Food Guide Serving
	105 g (3 ½ oz) beef	=	1 ½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	75 g (90 mL ) tofu	=	½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving

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Brazilian Seafood Stew

	Brazilian Seafood Stew
	125 mL (½ cup) canned tomatoes with juice	=	1Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	60 mL (¼ cup) red pepper, onion	=	½ Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	150 g (5 oz.) shrimps, bay scallops, white fish	=	2 Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Servings
	5 mL (1 tsp) olive oil	=	part of your Oils and Fat intake for the day

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Chicken Couscous

	Chicken Couscous
	375 mL (1 ½ cups) carrot, turnip, zucchini, red pepper	=	1 ½ Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Servings
	250 mL (1 cup) couscous	=	2 Grain Products Food Guide Servings
	75 g (2 ½ oz.) chicken	=	1 Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	about 90 mL (6 Tbsp) chickpeas	=	about ½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	5 mL (1 tsp) olive oil	=	part of your Oils and Fat intake for the day

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Chile Con Carne with Beans

	Chile Con Carne with Beans
	125 mL (½ cup) tomato sauce	=	1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	125 mL (½ cup) celery, onion, stewed tomatoes	=	1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	75 g (2 ½ oz.) ground beef	=	1 Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	About 90 mL (6 Tbsp) kidney beans	=	about ½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving

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Cod Chowder

	Cod Chowder
	125 mL (½ cup) potato	=	1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	60 mL (¼ cup) onion	=	½ Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	225 g (7.5 oz.) cod	=	3 Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Servings
	250 mL (1 cup) milk	=	1 Milk and Alternatives Food Guide Serving

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Dal

	Dal
	125 mL ( ½ cup) tomato, onion	=	1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	175 mL (¾ cup) lentils	=	1 Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving

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Fajita with Beef and Vegetables

	Fajita with Beef and Vegetables
	125 mL (½ cup) sweet green pepper, onion, tomato	=	1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	1 tortilla (70 g)	=	2 Grain Products Food Guide Servings
	About 35 g (1 ¼ oz.) steak	=	about ½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	5 mL (1 tsp) vegetable oil	=	part of your Oils and Fat intake for the day

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Omelette

	Omelette
	60 mL (¼ cup) green pepper	=	½ Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	60 mL (¼ cup ) onion	=	½ Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	1 egg	=	½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	30 g (1 oz) ham	=	½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	5 mL (1 tsp) margarine	=	part of your Oils and Fat intake for the day

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Paella

	Paella
	125 mL (½ cup) sweet red pepper, Spanish onion	=	1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	250 mL (1 cup) short grain rice	=	2 Grain Products Food Guide Servings
	75 g (2 ½ oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast	=	1 Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	about 35 g (1 ¼ oz.) sausage, shrimp	=	about ½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	10 mL (2 tsp) olive oil	=	part of your Oils and Fat intake for the day

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Palak Paneer

	Palak Paneer
	125 mL (½ cup) spinach, raw	=	½ Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	125 mL (½ cup) onion	=	1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	50 g (1 ½ oz) paneer	=	1 Milk and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	15 mL (1 Tbsp) margarine	=	part of your Oils and Fat intake for the day

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Plantain and Meat Casserole

	Plantain and Meat Casserole
	250 mL (1 cup) tomato, red and green peppers, onion	=	2 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Servings
	125 mL (½ cup) plantain	=	1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	about 35 g (1 ¼ oz.) ground beef	=	½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	1 egg	=	½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	10 mL (2 tsp) olive oil	=	part of your Oils and Fat intake for the day

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Rice and Beans

	Rice and Beans
	60 mL (¼ cup) scallions, hot peppers	=	½ Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	125 mL (½ cup) brown rice	=	1 Grain Products Food Guide Serving
	175 mL (¾ cup) kidney beans	=	1 Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving

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Shish Kabob on Rice

	Shish Kabob on Rice
	125 mL (½ cup) sweet green pepper, tomato, onion	=	1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	about 35 g (1 ¼ oz.) lean beef	=	about ½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving

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Squash and Chickpea Soup

	Squash and Chickpea Soup
	250 mL (1 cup) butternut or acorn squash	=	2 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Servings
	60 mL (¼ cup) tomato, onion	=	½ Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	about 90 mL (6 Tbsp) chickpeas	=	about ½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving

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Vegetable Curry

	Vegetable Curry
	125 mL (½ cup) fresh spinach	=	½ Vegetable and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	250 mL (1 cup) carrot, cauliflower, mushrooms, green beans, onion	=	2 Vegetable and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	about 90 mL (6 Tbsp) chickpeas	=	about ½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
	15 mL (1 Tbsp) peanut oil	=	part of your Oils and Fat intake for the day

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Venison Stew

	Venison Stew
	125 mL (½ cup) carrots, onion, green peas	=	1 Vegetable and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	60 mL (¼ cup) potato	=	½ Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	60 mL (¼ cup) tomato juice	=	½ Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
	75 g (2 ½ oz) venison	=	1 Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving