Food calculator: what to eat and how much

The food calculator can help you work out what you (and your family) need to eat healthily. Enjoying a variety of food from the five food groups helps support overall health.

How to use the calculator

  1. Enter a gender and age range to find out the recommended minimum serves from each of the five food groups. 
  2. Find healthy recipes for the whole family to enjoy (using ingredients from the five food groups).

 
Grain (cereal) foods

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Grain (cereal) foods

Breads and breakfast cereals form this group. Wholegrain breads are the best choice, but why not try naan and rye breads too. Pasta and grains such as barley, polenta and quinoa are also included in this food group.

 
 
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds

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LEAN Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds

Lean meats include beef, lamb and poultry. Try seafood like fish and canned salmon for a good source of omega-3. If you don't eat meat, try eggs, tofu and nuts, and mix beans and legumes such as lentils into your daily meal.

 
 
Vegetables and legumes/beans

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Vegetables and legumes/beans

Green, leafy vegetables like broccoli and cabbage and root vegetables such as carrot and sweet potato are readily available for everyday meals. Think outside the box and include kale, mushrooms and celery in your next salad.

 
Fresh fruits

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Fresh fruits

Enjoy a mix of apples and citrus fruits including mandarins. Tropical fruits like pineapple and mangoes are great for something different. Stone fruits, including apricots and nectarines as well as berries and grapes, are also delicious.

 
Milk, yoghurt, cheese

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Milk, yoghurt, cheese

Stick to reduced fat foods, including light dairy milk and low fat yoghurt. Cheese also falls into this group, but can be high in saturated fat, so try limit eating it to three times a week. Opt for naturally lower fat cheese like ricotta.

What about foods not in the five food groups?

Healthy oils and spreads

You can add small amounts of healthy oils and spreads to these foods for extra flavour and enjoyment. For example, polyunsaturated or monounsaturated spreads on your bread or toast, olive and canola oils for cooking, plus nut oils and pastes.


Choose from a variety of vegetable and seed oils when you are preparing food. Healthier choices include canola, sunflower, soybean, olive, sesame and peanut oils.


"Sometimes" foods 

Other types of food – like take-away meals, biscuits, soft drinks and alcohol – can be high in salt, saturated fat and sugar and should be eaten only sometimes (not every day) and in small portions. An example of a small portion would be just a couple of sweet biscuits, not a packet, or a can of soft drink, not a large bottle.

What is a standard serve?


Here are some examples of standard serves of common foods from the five food groups.


  • Vegetables and legumes

    ½ cup cooked broccoli, pumpkin or carrot 
    ½ cup beans, peas or lentils
    1 cup of salad
    ½ cup eggplant
    ½ cup of choy

  • Fruits

    1 medium apple, banana or orange
    2 small apricots, kiwifruits or plums
    2 medium (80g) figs

  • Grains

    1 slice bread or ½ medium bread roll
    ½ cup cooked rice, pasta, noodles or quinoa
    ¼ (40g) flatbread

  • Lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans

    65g cooked lean red meats such as beef, lamb, or pork
    80g cooked lean poultry such as chicken or turkey
    100g cooked fish fillet or one small can of fish
    170g tofu
    1 handful (30g) nuts


  • Dairy

    1 cup fresh milk
    ¾ cup yoghurt
    ½ cup ricotta cheese

Getting help to eat well

If you would like help and support to live a healthier lifestyle, the Get Healthy Service is a free coaching and information service providing phone-based health coaching for adults who want to make lifestyle changes. 

To find support for children, check out our free, fun programs for kids. Or speak to your GP for more advice on healthy eating and nutrition.