Meal Planning Guide
COMBINATION FOODS
Combination foods contain items from more than one food list. While this prevents them from being a simple substitution with other
items listed here, with the help of the package label, online resources, smartphone apps, or a dietician, they can be incorporated into
your meal plan. The ratio of various components can become confusing when trying to match these foods to items on simple food
exchange lists. When in doubt, let calories be the deciding factor. But also note the food group exchanges listed. Each of these items
count as a serving of multiple groups, so you’ll probably get a smaller total amount of food to eat whenever you choose these foods.
Obviously, there are too many possibilities to list here, and calorie counts vary broadly by brand or recipe, but some representative
examples are given.
♦ Foods marked with ♦ contain 480 mg or more of sodium per serving. The less sodium you get, the better. Many pre-packaged
combination foods are high in sodium unless they are specifically marked “low sodium.”
SERVING CHOICES
Casseroles/Single-Dish Serving Size
Lasagna, frozen single-serving 1
♦ Count as 2 starch, 2 meat, 2 fat (340 cal)
Macaroni and cheese, boxed,
prepared with skim milk 1 cup
♦ Count as 3 starch, 1 milk (300 cal)
Tuna noodle casserole 1 cup
♦ Count as 2 starch, 2 meat, 1 fat (300 cal)
Soups Serving Size
Chicken noodle soup, canned 1 cup
♦ Count as 1 starch, 1 meat (120 cal)
Chili with beans, canned 1 cup
♦ Count as 2 starch, 1 meat, 1 fat (250 cal)
Tomato soup, canned 1 cup
♦ Count as 2 starch, 1 vegetable (180 cal)
Miscellaneous Serving Size
Burrito, frozen, beef and bean 1
♦ Count as 2 starch, 1 meat, 2 fat (290 cal)
Pizza, frozen, 12” 1/8 pizza
♦ Count as 2 starch, 1 meat, 1 fat (240 cal)
Taco, hard with cheese 1
♦ Count as 1 starch, 1 meat, 1 fat (170 cal)
SWEETS AND DESSERTS
Many sweets and desserts are also combination foods, containing items from more than one food list, but since people think of them
differently from entrees, it is helpful to list them separately. As with other combination foods, it is hard to directly swap them with
other items on these substitution lists, so you’ll need to turn to the package label, online resources, smartphone apps, or a dietician for
guidance. If you have difficulty matching nutritional components to the food lists above, let calories be your guide to determine how
they can fit into your daily meal plan. But also note the food group exchanges listed. Each of these items count as a serving of
multiple groups, so you’ll probably get a smaller total amount of food to eat whenever you choose these foods.
Obviously, there are too many possibilities to list here, and calorie counts vary broadly by brand or recipe, but some representative
examples are given.
SERVING CHOICES
Food Serving Size
Brownie, unfrosted 1.25” square (1 oz)
Count as 1 starch, 1 fat (110 cal)
Cake, frosted 2” square (1 oz)
Count as 2 starch, 1 fat (105 cal)
Cake, frosted 2” square (1 oz)
Count as 1 starch, 1 fat (75 cal)
Candy bar, chocolate/peanut
2 “fun size” (1 oz)
Count as 1.5 starch, 1.5 fat (160 cal)
Candy, hard 3 pieces
Count as 1 starch (70 cal)
Cookies, chocolate chip, 2.25” 2
Count as 1 starch, 2 fat (170 cal)
Cookies, vanilla wafer 5
Count as 1 starch, 1 fat (110 cal)
Doughnut, cake, plain 1 medium (1.5 oz)
Count as 1.5 starch, 2 fat (210 cal)
Flan (caramel custard) 1/2 cup
Count as 2 starch (160 cal)
Fruit juice bars, frozen 1 bar (3 oz)
Count as 1 starch (80 cal)
Gelatin, regular 1/2 cup
Count as 1 starch (80 cal)
Granola or snack bar 1 bar (1 oz)
Count as 1.5 starch (120 cal)
Hot cocoa mix, regular 1 envelope
Count as 1 starch, 1 fat (120 cal)
Ice cream, light no sugar added 1/2 cup
Count as 1 starch, 1 fat (110 cal)
Ice cream, regular 1/2 cup
Count as 1 starch, 2 fat (150 cal)
Jam or jelly, regular 1 Tbsp
Count as 1 starch (50 cal)
Muffin, blueberry (8-muffin mix) 1
Count as 2 starch, 2 fat (240 cal)
Pie, fruit, 2 crust 1/8 of 9” pie
Count as 3 starch, 2 fat (320 cal)
Pudding, regular 1/2 cup
(made with reduced-fat milk)
Count as 2 starch (150 cal)
Pudding, sugar and fat-free 1/2 cup
(made with fat-free milk)
Count as 1 starch (80 cal)
Sugar 1 Tbsp
Count as 1/2 starch (45 cal)
Syrup, regular pancake 1/4 cup
Count as 2.5 starch (210 cal)
Syrup, regular pancake 2 TBSP
Count as 1.5 starch (105 cal)
Syrup, light pancake 1/4 cup
Count as 1 starch (100 cal)
Syrup, light pancake 2 TBSP
Count as 1/2 starch (50 cal)
Yogurt, frozen, fat-free 1/2 cup
Count as 1 milk (90 cal)
ALCOHOL
If you choose to drink alcohol, do not exceed 1 drink per day for females or 2 drinks per day for males. In general, 1 serving of
alcohol is 100 calories, so you will need to reduce your daily food intake by this amount. This approximately 1 starch plus 1/2 fruit or
1 vegetable.
1 serving alcohol = 12 oz beer = 1.5 oz distilled spirits = 5 oz wine.
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