Serving sizes for teens and Daily Servings for a Teen’s Diet

How Many Servings Do You Need as an Adolescent?

A serving is the size of food after it is cooked. Do you know that three ounces of cooked meat is about the size of a deck of cards?

The serving sizes below will guide you in measuring the amount of food and liquid you take daily.

 1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) of liquid is the size of a soda-pop can.
 1 cup (8 ounces) of food is the size of a large handful.
 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of food is about half of a large handful.
 1 ounce of cheese is about the size of a 1 inch cube.
 2 tablespoons (Tbsp) is about 2 times the size of the tip of your thumb (from the last crease).
 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).

Daily Servings for a Teen’s Diet
The table below is a food guide for adolescents. Adolescents can achieve
their energy and nutrient requirements by eating a variety of foods daily. This
guide may be used to ensure variety in foods eaten.

Bread and Starches 5 to 10 servings

 1 muffin
 2 slices bread
 1/2 cup cooked cereal, pasta, potatoes, or rice
 1 ounce or 3/4 cup dry cereal

 4 pcs. pan de sal

 1 small size root crop
 1 pack instant noodles

Fruits 2 to 3 servings

 1/2 cup canned fruit or fruit juice
 1 piece fresh fruit, such as an apple, orange, banana
 15 to 20 grapes
 1-1/2 cups fresh melon

Meat / Meat Substitutes 3 to 5 servings

 1/2 cup cottage cheese
 3/4 to 1 cup cooked dried beans or legumes
 1 egg
 1 ounce low-fat or regular cheese
 2 to 3 ounces meat, fish, or poultry
 2 to 3 Tbsps. peanut butter
 1/2 cup nuts

Milk or Yogurt  4 to 5 servings

 1 cup low-fat milk or yogurt
 one ounce of cheese
 1/2 cup of cottage cheese

Vegetables  2 to 3 servings

 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw
vegetable
 2 cups salad greens
 1 cup vegetable or tomato juice

Fats  2 to 4 servings

 10 peanuts
 2 Tbsps. cream cheese, avocado, or low calorie salad dressing
 1 tsp oil, margarine, mayonnaise, or butter
 1 Tbsp salad dressing

Sweets and Desserts 1 to 3 servings per week

 1/8 of a pie
 1/2 cup ice cream
 3-inch pastry
 1/2 cup pudding,
 2 small cookies.

Too muchToo much sweets and dessert can aggravate skin problems, like pimples.

Water and Beverages 6 - 8 glasses (240 ml each)

Do you include food from the different food in your daily meal?