You’d like to eat right, but where do you start? Here’s a chart to help you and your family make smart food choices. Post it on your refrigerator or take it to the store when you shop. Remember, serving sizes also are important.

Food Group	GO Eat almost anytime	SLOW Eat sometimes, at most several times a week	WHOA Eat only once in a while of for special treats
Vegetables	Almost all fresh, frozen and canned vegetables without added fat and sauces	All vegetables with added fat and sauces; oven-baked french fries; avocado	Fried potatoes, like french fries or hash browns; other deep-fried vegetables
Fruits	All fresh, frozen and canned fruits (in juice)	100 percent fruit juice; fruits canned in light syrup; dried fruits	Fruits canned in heavy syrup
Breads and Cereals	Whole-grain bread, pita bread, tortillas and pasta; brown rice; hot and cold unsweetened whole-grain breakfast cereals	White, refined flour bread, rice, and pasta; taco shells; cornbread; biscuits; granola; french toast, waffles and pancakes	Croissants; muffins; doughnuts; sweet rolls; crackers made with trans-fats; sweetened breakfast cereals
Milk and Milk Products	Fat-free or 1 percent reduced-fat milk; fat-free or low-fat yogurt; part skim, reduced fat and fat-free cheese; low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese	2 percent low-fat milk; processed cheese spreads	Whole milk; full-fat American, cheddar, Colby, Swiss, and cream cheeses; whole-milk yogurt
Meats, Poultry, Fish, Eggs, Beans and Nuts	Trimmed beef and pork; extra-lean ground beef; chicken and turkey without skin; tuna canned in water; baked, broiled, steamed and grilled fish and shellfish; beans, split peas, lentils and tofu; egg whites and egg substitutes	Lean ground beef; broiled hamburgers; ham; Canadian bacon; chicken and turkey with skin; low-fat hotdogs; tuna canned in oil; peanut butter; nuts; whole eggs cooked without added fat	Untrimmed beef and pork; regular ground beef; fried hamburgers; ribs; bacon; fried chicken, chicken nuggets; hot dogs; lunch meats; pepperoni; sausage; fried fish and shellfish; whole eggs cooked with fat
Sweets and Snacks*	Ice milk bars; frozen fruit juice bars; low-fat frozen yogurt and ice cream; fig bars, gingersnaps, baked chips; low-fat microwave popcorn; pretzels	None	Cookies and cakes; pies; cheesecake; ice cream; chocolate; candy; chips; buttered microwave popcorn
Fats	Vinegar; ketchup; mustard; fat-free creamy salad dressing; fat-free mayonnaise; fat-free sour cream; vegetable oil, olive oil and oil-based salad dressing**	Low-fat creamy salad dressing; low-fat mayonnaise; low-fat sour cream	Butter, margarine; lard; salt pork; gravy; regular creamy salad dressing; mayonnaise; tartar sauce; sour cream; cheese sauces; cream sauces; cream cheese dips
Beverages	Water; fat-free milk or 1 percent reduced-fat milk; diet soda; diet iced tea and lemonade	2 percent low-fat milk; 100 percent fruit juice; sports drinks	Whole milk; regular soda; sweetened iced tea and lemonade; fruit drinks with less than 100 percent fruit juice
*Though some of these foods are lower in fat and calories, you should limit all sweets and snacks so you don’t exceed your daily calorie requirements. **Vegetable and olive oils contain no saturated or trans-fats. You can consume them daily, but in limited portions, to meet daily calorie needs. Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Adapted from CATCH: Coordinated Approach to Child Health, 4th Grade Curriculum, University of California and Flaghouse, Inc. 2002