Planning a 2,000-calorie diet does not have to be complicated. Stick to whole, unprocessed foods with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and grains, while keeping fats and meats to a minimum.
Grains
A 2,000-calorie diet should include at least six ounces of grains per day. A minimum of half of these servings, three ounces, should come from whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, 100 percent whole wheat bread and pasta and barley. Experiment with alternative grains, such as quinoa, millet and amaranth, which also count as whole grains. For example, your six servings per day could consist of a whole wheat English muffin at breakfast, five woven wheat crackers at snack time, half of a cup rice at lunch and one cup of whole wheat pasta at dinner.
Vegetables and Fruits
A 2,000-calorie diet calls for a minimum of two and one-half cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit daily. Aim for variety when you choose vegetables. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Guide Pyramid plan recommends at least three cups of dark green veggies, two cups of orange, three cups of legumes and peas and three cups of starchy vegetables per week, along with six and one-half cups of other types of vegetables such as radishes, summer squash and cauliflower. Getting your two and one-half cups daily is not as hard as it may seem. Have a half-cup of tomato and bell peppers in a breakfast omelet, eat one cup of carrot and celery sticks at lunch and include a green salad made with two cups of baby spinach at dinner. Consider having bean soup once or twice per week and using sweet potatoes as a starch at dinner as other ways to fit in your vegetables. A piece of fruit at snack time, a one-cup serving of berries on top of yogurt and a glass of orange juice at breakfast fulfills your fruit requirement.
Dairy
Consuming three cups of dairy daily can help you obtain adequate calcium, essential to bone health. Whole milk and full-fat cheese are high in saturated fat, too much of which can increase your risk of developing heart disease. Choose low-fat milk, cheese, yogurt and kefir to fulfill your needs on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Meat and Beans
The meat and beans category consists of protein foods such as beef, chicken, fish, lentils, black beans, nuts and seeds. A 2,000-calorie diet only requires 5.5 ounces of meat or beans daily. One egg, 1 ounce of meat, fish or poultry, a one-quarter cup of beans or half-ounce of nuts all count as one serving each. If you eat animal products, fish and poultry are the healthiest choices, notes the Harvard School of Public Health.
Oils
A 2,000-calorie diet includes up to six teaspoons of oils daily. Oils are preferred over solid fats, such as animal fat or butter, because most tend to be high in unsaturated fats. Eating unsaturated fats in lieu of saturated or man-made trans varieties can help you manage your cholesterol levels. Olive, canola, safflower and corn oil are examples of heart-healthy oils to include.
Discretionary Calories
Discretionary calories are extras, such as saturated fat, sugar and alcohol. Cookies, candy, butter, syrup, wine and beer all fall into this category. A 2,000-calorie diet leaves room for about 265 calories from these discretionary foods. Additional servings from the main food groups also count as discretionary calories.
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