What Is the Daily Recommended Serving Size of Fruits & Vegetables?
The daily recommended servings of vegetables and fruits, similar to the other main food groups in the food pyramid, change with age and development. Adults need five servings of fruits and vegetables while toddlers require only one serving. Five servings may sound like a lot, but one serving equals 1/2 cup of fruit or cooked (or raw) vegetables, 1/4 cup of dried fruit, 3/4 cup of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice, or 1 cup of leafy vegetables.
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Adults
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Women ages 19 to 50 years should have 2.5 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit on a daily basis, while women older than 50 require only 2 cups of vegetables and 1.5 cups of fruit per day. The recommended daily vegetable serving for men ages 19 to 50 is 3 cups, while the recommended fruit intake is 2 cups per day. Men over 50 need only 2.5 cups of vegetables but still require the same 2 cups of fruits per day as recommended for men 19 to 50.
Teens and Young Adults
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The recommended daily vegetable and fruit intake for teenage girls 14 to 18 is 2 cups of vegetables and 1.5 cups of fruit, while the recommended intake for their male counterparts is 2.5 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit.
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Children 9 to 13
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For kids 9 to 13 the recommended daily vegetable intake is three servings or 2 cups (girls) and 2.5 cups (boys), while the recommended amount of daily fruit intake is two serving or 1.5 cups (girls) and 2 cups (boys).
Children 2-6
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The recommended daily fruit intake for children ages 2 to 6 is two servings or 1 to 1.5 cups. Three servings or 1.5 cups of vegetables are recommended for this age group.
Toddlers
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A 2-year-old who engages in 30 minutes to 1 hour of physical activity per day should have 1 cup each of both vegetables and fruits to meet recommended fruit and vegetable servings.
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