The document provides an overview of Canada's Food Guide. It explains that the Guide outlines the four major food groups and recommends the number of daily servings from each group based on age and gender. It also defines what constitutes a single serving size from each food group to help people follow the Guide's recommendations. The overall goal of the Guide is to promote healthy eating habits to prevent diseases and maintain overall wellness.

1. EVERYTHING YOU NEED
TO KNOW ABOUT
CANADA’S FOOD GUIDE
By: MacKenzie Wagner &
Savannah McCarthy

2. CANADA’S FOOD GUIDE
 The Canada Food Guide is a very important tool because it
helps you know and understand how much food you need
everyday.
 There are four food groups in the Canada Food Guide;
(grains, veggies & fruit, milk & alternatives and meat &
alternatives)
 Depending on your age and gender, you will have a specific
set amount of food servings everyday that you should follow.
 For example, a nine year old boy will need a different amount
of food servings in each food group, then a 22 year old girl.
 If a person is more active, they will most likely need more
food servings then someone who isn’t very active.

3. A LOOK INSIDE THE GUIDE

4. WHAT IS A FOOD GUIDE
SERVING?
 A food guide serving is a reference amount, it basically tells
you how much food you should consume from each food group
everyday. You could consume exactly the right amount from
the food guide or a little more then recommend.
 Examples of ONE food guide serving:
 Veggies & Fruits – ½ cup (125mL) of canned, frozen or fresh
vegetables or fruit or 100% juice. 250mL (1 cup) leafy raw
vegetables or salad and 1 piece of fruit.
 Grain Products – 1 slice (35g) of bread or ½ (45g) of a bagel.
½ pita (35g) or ½ (35g) tortilla. 125mL (½ cup) cooked rice or
pasta. 30g cold cereal or 175mL (¾ cup) hot cereal.
 Milk & Alternatives – 250mL (1 cup) milk or fortified soy
beverage. 175g (¾ cup) yogurt. 50g (1½ oz.) of cheese.
 Meat & Alternatives – 75g (2½ oz.)/125 mL (½ cup) cooked
fish, shellfish, poultry or lean meat. 175mL (¾ cup) cooked
beans. 2 eggs. 30mL (2 tbsp) of peanut butter.

5. VEGGIES & FRUITS
 Examples of some veggies & fruits to help
make up your serving:
 Veggies -
 Asparagus (½ cup)
 Green Beans (½ cup)
 Broccoli (½ cup)
 Carrots (½ cup)
 Fruits –
 Apple (Medium sized)
 Orange (Medium sized)
 Kiwi (Large sized)
 Banana (Medium sized)

6. GRAIN PRODUCTS
 Examples of some grain products to help make
up your serving:
 Whole Grain –
 Whole Grain bagel (½ of bagel)
 Whole Grain muffin (½ of muffin)
 Whole Grain pasta (½ cup)
 Whole Grain cold cereal (30g)
 Non Whole Grain –
 1 small pancake (35g)
 Non Whole Grain bread (1 slice)
 Non Whole Grain pasta (½ cup)
 Non Whole Grain english muffin (½ of english
muffin)

7. MILK & ALTERNATIVES
 Examples of some milk & alternatives to help
make up your serving:
 Milk Products –
 Milk (skim, 1%, 2%) (1 cup)
 Chocolate Milk (1 cup)
 Canned Milk (½ cup)
 Whole Milk (1 cup)
 Alternatives –
 Cheese (various kinds) (50g)
 Yogurt (¾ cup)
 Pudding/Custard (½ cup)
 Yogurt Drinks (200mL)

8. MEAT & ALTERNATIVES
 Examples of some meat & alternatives to help make up
your serving:
 Meat Products –
 Chicken (½ cup)
 Beef (½ cup)
 Fish (½ cup)
 Shellfish (½ cup)
 Ham (½ cup)
 Pork (½ cup)
 Turkey (½ cup)
 Alternatives –
 2 Eggs
 Shelled Seeds (¼ cup)
 Peanut Butter (2 tbsp)
 Tofu ( ¾ cup)

9. HISTORY OF CANADA’S FOOD
GUIDE
 Canada’s first food guide was brought to the
public in 1942.
 Since 1942, the food guide has changed a lot.
 It has accepted new names, changed it’s look,
and has given new messages but it has always
been a guide for food serving and nutritional
health.
 It helped wartime food rationing. It helped to
stay away from nutritional deficiencies and to
better the health of Canadians.

10. FACTS ABOUT CANADA’S FOOD
GUIDE
 If you follow the food guide and you take the
right amount and type of food you need and
also stay active regularly then it will help with
these following things:
 It will give you all the minerals, vitamins and
all other nutrients you need to be healthy.
 Reduce your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes,
heart disease, certain types of cancer and
osteoporosis.
 Contributes to your overall health, you will
feel and look better, you will have more
energy, a healthy body weight, stronger
muscles and bones.

11. FATS & OILS
 You should include a small amount of fat and
oils in your everyday intake.
 30-40mL (2-3 tbsp) of unsaturated fat
everyday.
 Fat that you eat everyday are found in the oil
you use to cook, the salad dressing you put on
your salad, butter and mayo.

12. WHAT A 14-18 YEAR OLD
FEMALE NEEDS EVERYDAY
 A female aged 14-18 years old needs:
 7 servings of veggies and fruits each and
every day.
 6 servings of grain products each and every
day.
 3-4 servings of milk & alternatives each and
every day.
 2 servings of meat & alternatives each and
every day.

13. WHAT A 14-18 YEAR OLD
MALE NEEDS EVERYDAY
 A male aged 14-18 years old needs:
 8 servings of veggies and fruits each and
every day.
 7 servings of grain products each and every
day.
 3-4 servings of milk & alternatives each and
every day.
 3 servings of meat & alternatives each and
every day.

14. COMBINING CANADA’S FOOD
GUIDE WITH PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY
 Eating healthy and taking part in regular physical activity
work together to make sure that you become a healthier
person.
 If you eat the recommended amount and the foods you are
suppose to everyday and limit your sugar, fat, salt and
calorie intake and if you are active everyday (adults – 2½
hours each week) and children/youth (minimum of 60 min each
day).
 You will be on the right path to a healthy and happier you.

15. OTHER INFORMATION
 Eat at least one dark green and orange vegetable each day.
 Choose vegetables or fruits with little or no added sugar, fat
or salt.
 Have veggies and fruits more often then juice.
 Make at least half of your grain products whole grain every
day.
 Drink milk each day.
 Have meat alternatives often.
 Eat at least two food servings of fish every week.
 Limit foods and beverages high in calories, fat sugar or salt.
 Drink lots of water.
 Woman of childbearing age need extra folic acid and pregnant
women need extra iron.
 Younger kids have smaller appetites therefore they need
calories for development.
 Males and females over 50 years of age are highly
encouraged to take a Vitamin D supplement.

16. WEBSITE
 http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/
index-eng.php