Food Choice Lists for Kids and Teens Note to the Health Care Provider: This is a takehome client education handout. See Sections 2, 3, and 4 in the handbook.
Food Choice Lists for Kids and Teens Carbohydrate Choices carbohydrate choice = 5 grams of carbohydrate serving of starch, fruit, milk, or other carbohydrates = carbohydrate choice (5 grams) Starch Bread, cereals and grains, starchy vegetables, beans, crackers, and snacks choice = 5 grams of carbohydrate Breads slice of whole-wheat, white, pumpernickel, or rye bread ( ounce) 6-inch corn tortilla 2 English muffin 2 hamburger or hot dog bun ( ounce) 2 small (6-inch) pita ( ounce) pancake (4 inches across, 4-inch thick; a bit smaller than a CD) small, plain roll ( ounce) 4 bagel ( ounce) waffle (4-inch square or across, reduced-fat) Cereals, Pasta, and Rice 3 4 cup unsweetened, ready-to-eat cereal 2 cup cooked cereal (unsweetened) 3 cup cooked pasta 3 cup cooked white or brown rice
Starchy Vegetables 2 cup cooked green peas, corn, sweet potato, yam, winter squash, or mashed or boiled potatoes 2 corn on the cob, large (5 ounces) Beans, Peas, and Lentils 2 cup cooked dried beans, peas, or lentils 3 cup baked beans Crackers and Snacks 6 saltine-type crackers 3 cups popcorn (popped, no added fat, or low-fat microwaved) 3 graham crackers (2 2-inch squares) 2 (4-inch) rice cakes or 6 mini rice cakes Starchy Foods Prepared with Fat Count these foods as carbohydrate serving plus fat serving. biscuit (2 2 inches across) 2 cup chow mein noodles 4 medium serving (.25 ounces) french-fried potatoes 3 cup bread stuffing 2 taco shells, each 6 inches across 3 cups of popcorn, microwaved 6 crackers, round, butter-type Potato and tortilla chips (9 3 chips, 3 4 ounce)
Fruit choice = 5 grams of carbohydrate small orange (6 2 ounces) small apple, unpeeled (4 ounces) small nectarine (5 ounces) small banana (4 ounces) medium peach, fresh (4 ounces) 2 large pear, fresh (4 ounces) 3 small cantaloupe ( ounces; cup cubes) 2 cup canned, unsweetened fruit cocktail 2 cup unsweetened applesauce 4 cup dried fruit 7 small grapes (3 ounces) 2 sweet cherries, fresh (3 ounces) 2 large grapefruit ( ounces) slice or cup cubed honeydew melon (0 ounces) 2 tablespoons raisins 4 cup whole strawberries slice (3 2 ounces) or 4 cup watermelon Fruit Juice 2 cup apple juice, grapefruit juice, orange juice, or pineapple juice 2 cup cranberry juice cocktail, grape juice, or prune juice Milk choice = 2 to 5 grams of carbohydrate cup fat-free (skim), low-fat (%), reduced-fat (2%), or whole milk (8 ounces) 2 3 cup fat-free plain yogurt (6 ounces) 2 3 cup fat-free yogurt flavored and sweetened with nonnutritive sweetener and fructose (6 ounces) cup fat-free or low-fat plain soy milk
Sweets, Desserts, and Other Carbohydrates choice = 5 grams of carbohydrate. Note: Many of these foods are prepared with fat. They are counted as carbohydrate serving plus or more fat servings. 2-inch square cake or brownie, unfrosted ( oz) ( carbohydrate, fat) 2 small cookies ( 2 3 ounce) ( carbohydrate, fat) small doughnut, plain cake (.5 oz) ( 2 carbohydrates, 2 fats) roll chewy fruit snacks ( 3 4 oz) ( carbohydrate, 0 fat) 2 cup sugar-free pudding, made with low-fat milk ( carbohydrate) 2 cup ice cream ( carbohydrate, 2 fats) 2 cup light ice cream ( carbohydrate, fat) 2 cup frozen yogurt, low-fat, fat-free ( carbohydrate, 0 fat) 4 cup sherbet or sorbet (2 carbohydrates, 0 fat) 2 cup whole milk chocolate milk ( carbohydrate, 2 fat) tablespoon syrup, jam, jelly, table sugar, or honey ( carbohydrate, 0 fat) 2 tablespoons light syrup ( carbohydrate, 0 fat) Vegetables (Non-starchy) serving = 5 grams of carbohydrate One choice is free. If you eat three or more choices at one meal, count them as carbohydrate choice. cup raw vegetables, such as tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms 2 cup cooked vegetables, such as carrots, beans (green, wax, Italian), canned tomatoes 2 cup tomato or vegetable juice
Meat and Meat Substitutes Choices choice = 7 grams of protein Choose unbreaded meats more often for less fat. Have a meatless meal once or twice per week. ounce cooked chicken, turkey, fish, beef, pork, lamb, wild game slice cheese or one -inch cube ( ounce) 2 cup fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese ounce canned or fresh tuna or salmon 2 cup tofu (4 ounces) tablespoon peanut butter ounce processed luncheon meat hot dog (0 hot dogs = pound) egg
Fat Choices choice = 5 grams of fat teaspoon margarine tablespoon lower-fat spread (30% to 50% vegetable oil) teaspoon stick or whipped butter teaspoon mayonnaise tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise teaspoon oil (corn, safflower, soybean) 8 large black olives 6 almonds 6 cashews 6 mixed nuts 0 peanuts 4 pecan halves 2 tablespoon peanut butter tablespoon cream cheese 2 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese tablespoon salad dressing 2 tablespoons reduced-fat salad dressing 2 tablespoons half-and-half cream tablespoon sesame, pumpkin, or sunflower seeds 2 tablespoons sour cream
Free Foods These foods contain small amounts of carbohydrate (5 grams or less per serving) or less than 20 calories per serving. If a serving size is listed, limit the food to three servings per day. tablespoon catsup tablespoon fat-free cream cheese ( 2 ounce) tablespoon fat-free mayonnaise tablespoon fat-free salad dressing 4 cup salsa 2 medium dill pickles Sugar-free gelatin dessert Sugar-free gum Sugar substitutes (made with aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, acesulfame K, or neotame) Spices, such as cinnamon Fresh or dried herbs, such as garlic or basil Lemon juice Diet soft drinks, sugar-free Prepared mustard Nonstick cooking spray Vinegar Water
Combination Foods These foods include choices from different food groups. cup tuna noodle casserole, lasagna, spaghetti with meatballs, chili with beans, or macaroni and cheese (8 ounces) = 2 carbohydrate choices, 2 meat choices, 2 fat choices burrito with beef (5 7 ounces) = 3 carbohydrate choices, meat choice, fat choice 6 chicken nuggets = carbohydrate choice, 2 meat choices, fat choice cup (8 ounces) vegetable beef, chicken noodle, or other broth-type soup = carbohydrate choice cup (8 ounces) tomato soup made with water = carbohydrate choice cup (8 ounces) cream soup (made with water) = carbohydrate choice, fat choice 4 of 2-inch thin-crust cheeze pizza (about 6 ounces) = 2 carbohydrate choices, 2 meat choices, fat choice Handout adapted with permission from Exchanges Lists for Meal Planning. Alexandria, Va: American Diabetes Association, and Chicago, Ill: American Dietetic Association; 2003.