What is a Serving of Vegetables? (2024)

Healthy Eating
How to Eat Healthy

What makes up a serving of vegetables, and how many servings do you need in a day?

Carrie Myers, M.S.

Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a freelance writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic.

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Updated on June 21, 2023

Reviewed by Dietitian

Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia

Reviewed by DietitianMaria Laura Haddad-Garcia

Maria Laura is EatingWell's senior nutrition & news editor. As part of the nutrition team, she edits and assigns nutrition-related content and provides nutrition reviews for articles. Maria Laura is a trained dietitian, almond butter lover and food enthusiast with over seven years of experience in nutrition counseling.

EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 10% of Americans eat the recommended daily servings of vegetables. This means many of us are missing out on the nutrients that vegetables deliver, especially potassium and fiber.

Serving Sizes of Common Vegetables

Here are a few examples of vegetables you're likely to eat on a regular basis. All serving sizes are per the USDA's MyPlate recommendations.

Salad Greens and Lettuce

One serving is 2 cups mesclun greens (about 10 calories), 2 cups raw spinach (about 14 calories) or 1 cup cooked greens (about 40 calories), per the USDA.

Carrots

One serving is 1 cup baby carrots, 1 cup sliced or chopped carrots (fresh, cooked or frozen) or 2 medium carrots, and is about 50 calories, per the USDA.

Green Beans

One serving is 1 cup of green beans and is about 44 calories, per the USDA.

Bell Peppers

One serving of bell peppers is 1 cup chopped, raw or cooked fresh or frozen bell peppers or 1 large bell pepper, and is about 30 calories, per the USDA.

Potatoes (Sweet and White)

One serving is 1 large baked sweet potato (162 calories) or 1 cup of cooked sliced or mashed sweet potato (180 calories). One serving of potato is 1 medium boiled or baked white potato (145 calories) or 1 cup diced or mashed potato (136 calories).

Tomatoes

One serving is 1 cup chopped or sliced, fresh, canned or cooked tomato (about 43 calories) or 1 large or 2 small fresh whole tomatoes (about 33 calories) or 1 cup grape tomatoes (about 47 calories), per the USDA.

Broccoli

One serving is 1 cup of cooked, fresh or frozen broccoli (about 30 calories).

Mixed Vegetables

One serving is 1 cup of mixed vegetables (118 calories), per the USDA.

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