According to MyPlate and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, school-age youth need about 5 to 8 ounces of grains a day; adults need 6 to 8 ounces.
In accordance with the new guidelines, the USDA and the American Dietetic Association suggest that you eat at least three servings of whole-grain foods daily.
Experts recommend eating six servings of grain per day, at least three of which are whole grain. A serving* of grain is any of the following: one slice of bread; a half cup of cooked oatmeal, pasta or rice; an ounce of crackers; or a cup of dry cold cereal.
Adults. Women under the age of 50 need 6 ounces of grains each day, and at least 3 of them should be whole. After age 50, women should eat 5 ounces of grains a day, and 2 1/2 ounces should be whole grains. Men under the age of 30 need 8 ounces a day, at least 4 ounces being whole.
3 to 5 servingsThe most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released in January 2020, recommend that all adults eat at least half their grains as whole grains – that's at least 3 to 5 servings of whole grains. Even children need 2 to 3 servings or more. Recommendations in Canada's Food Guide are almost exactly the same.
If thinking of protein in serving sizes makes the most sense to you, the USDA suggests that women ages 19 to 30 eat 5.5 ounces per day and women over 31 eat 5 ounces per day. Men from 19 to 30 should aim for 6.5 ounces, men 31 to 50 need about 6 ounces and men over 51 need 5.5 ounces.
Eating PlanFood GroupDaily AmountGrains (1 ounce = 1 slice bread; ¼ bagel; ½ cup cooked pasta or rice; 5 whole wheat crackers)Female 12 to 18 years old: 6 ounces Male 12 years old: 7 ounces 15 years old: 9 ounces 18 years old: 10 ounces5 more rows