MyPlate Worksheet: 1,000 Calories

Your calorie needs are about 1,000 calories a day. These are the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for your daily recommended amount of each food group.

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Your healthcare provider advises that you need about 1,000 calories a day. Below are the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for your daily recommended amount of each food group.

MyPlate graphic showing healthy balance of foods.

Vegetables (1 cup)

Fruits (1 cup)

Grains (3 ounces)

Dairy (2 cups)

Protein (2 ounces)

Eat a variety of vegetables each day.

Aim for these amounts each week:

  • ½ cup dark green vegetables

  • 2½ cups red or orange-colored vegetables

  • 2½ cups dry beans and peas

  • 2 cups starchy vegetables

  • 1½ cups other vegetables

Eat a variety of fruits each day.

Go easy on fruit juices.

Good choices of fruits include:

  • Berries

  • Bananas

  • Apples

  • Melon

  • Dried fruit

  • Frozen fruit

  • Canned fruit (not in syrup)

Choose whole grains whenever you can.

Aim to eat at least 1½ ounces of whole grains each day:

  • Bread

  • Cereal

  • Rice

  • Pasta

  • Potatoes

  • Tortillas

Choose low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, or cheese each day.

Good choices include:

  • Low-fat or fat-free milk or chocolate milk

  • Low-fat or fat-free yogurt

  • Low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese or other reduced-fat cheeses

  • Calcium-fortified milk alternatives

Choose low-fat or lean meats, poultry, fish and seafood each day.

Vary your protein. Choose more:

  • Fish and other seafood

  • Lean low-fat meat and poultry

  • Eggs

  • Beans, peas

  • Tofu

  • Unsalted nuts and seeds

Choose less high-fat and red meat.

Source: USDA MyPlate, www.myplate.gov

Know your limits on saturated fats, salt, and added sugars

  • Limit saturated fats to no more than 11 grams per day.

  • Limit added sugars to less than 25 grams a day.

  • Cut back on salt (sodium). Stay under 1,200 mg sodium a day.

Get moving and be active!

Aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise a week. That’s about 22 minutes a day. Even better, try to get 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.

MyPlate Servings Worksheet: 1,000 calories

This worksheet tells you how many servings you should get each day from each food group. And it tells you how much food makes a serving. Use this as a guide as you plan your meals throughout the day. Track your progress daily by writing in what you actually ate.

Food group 

Daily MyPlate goal 

What you ate today 

Vegetables

2 half-cups or 2 servings

1 serving is:

  • ½ cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables

  • 1 cup raw, leafy vegetables

  • ½ baked sweet potato

  • ½ cup vegetable juice

Note: At meals, fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit and eat them first.

Fruits

2 half-cups or 2 servings

1 serving is:

  • ½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit

  • 1 medium piece of fruit

  • 1 cup of berries or melon

  • ½ cup dried fruit

  • ½ cup 100% fruit juice

Note: Make most choices fruit instead of juice.

Grains

3 servings or 3 ounces

1 serving is:

  • 1 slice bread

  • 1 cup dry cereal

  • ½ cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal

  • 1 5-inch tortilla

Note: Choose whole grains for at least half of your servings each day.

Dairy

2 servings or 2 cups

1 serving is:

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1½ ounces reduced-fat hard cheese

  • 2 ounces processed cheese

  • 1 cup low-fat yogurt

  • 1/3 cup shredded cheese

Note: Choose low-fat or fat-free most often.

Protein

2 servings or 2 ounces

1 serving is:

  • 1 ounce cooked lean beef, pork, lamb, or ham

  • 1 ounce cooked chicken or turkey (no skin)

  • 1 ounce cooked fish or shellfish (not fried)

  • 1 egg

  • ¼ cup egg substitute

  • ½ ounce nuts or seeds

  • 1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter

  • ¼ cup cooked dry beans or peas

  • ½ cup tofu

  • 2 tablespoons hummus