Article Body
Munch Code
The Munch Code helps you and your family make smart food choices when eating. It uses a traffic light system to label foods as green, yellow, or red to quickly and easily see what food and drinks are a healthy or less healthy choice.
- Green foods/drinks are the healthiest option and can be enjoyed often. Think Go!
- Yellow foods/drinks may have added sugar and calories and should be eaten occasionally. Think Slow!
- Red foods/drinks are the highest in sodium, sugar, fat, and calories, and the least healthy. These foods should be eaten sparingly. The key is not to eliminate all the Red but keep everything in moderation. Think Stop!
Stop Lights Food Table
Food Group |
Green Light
|
Yellow Light
|
Red Light
|
|
Vegetables |
Almost all fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables without added fat and sauces |
All vegetables with added fat and sauces |
Fried potatoes, like French fries or hash browns |
|
Oven-baked French fries |
Other deep-fried vegetables | ||
|
Fruits |
All fresh, frozen, canned (in 100% juice), and dried fruit (without sugar added) |
100% fruit juice |
Fruits canned in heavy syrup |
|
Fruits canned in light syrup | |||
|
Dried fruits (with added sugar) | |||
|
Grains |
Whole-grain breads, pita bread |
White refined flour bread, rice, and pasta |
Croissants, muffins, doughnuts, sweet rolls |
|
Tortillas, pasta, & brown rice |
French toast, waffles, pancakes |
Crackers made with trans fat | |
|
Hot & cold unsweetened whole grain breakfast cereals |
Taco shells, cornbread, biscuits |
Sweetened breakfast cereals | |
|
Dairy (Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese) |
Fat-free or 1% reduced-fat milk |
2%, low-fat milk |
Whole milk (choose for children age 1-2 years) |
|
Fat-free or low-fat yogurt |
Full-fat cheese slices | ||
|
Part skim, reduced fat, and fat-free cheese |
Processed cheese spread |
Whole-milk yogurt | |
|
Low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese | |||
|
Protein (Meats, Poultry, Fish, Eggs, Beans, and Nuts) |
Trimmed beef and pork |
Ham, Canadian bacon |
Untrimmed beef and pork |
|
Extra lean ground beef |
Regular ground beef; fried hamburgers | ||
|
Chicken and turkey without skin |
Chicken and turkey with skin |
Ribs, bacon, fried chicken, chicken nuggets | |
|
Peanut butter, nuts and seeds |
Low-fat hot dogs |
Hot dogs, pepperoni, sausage | |
|
Tuna canned in water |
Tuna canned in oil |
Fried fish and shellfish | |
|
Eggs (cooked without added fat or salt) |
Lunch meats |
Whole eggs cooked with fat | |
|
Sweets & Snacks |
Frozen 100% fruit juice bars |
Pretzels |
Cookies, cakes, pies, cheese cake |
|
Ice cream, chocolate, candy, chips | |||
|
Low-fat microwave popcorn |
Buttered microwave popcorn | ||
|
Other Calories |
Vinegar, ketchup, mustard |
Creamy salad dressing |
Butter, margarine, lard, gravy |
|
Fat-free creamy salad dressing |
Low-fat mayonnaise |
Regular creamy salad dressing, mayonnaise | |
|
Fat-free mayonnaise, fat-free sour cream |
Low-fat sour cream |
Tartar sauce, sour cream, cheese sauce | |
|
Vegetable oil, olive oil and oil-based salad dressing |
Cream cheese dips | ||
|
Beverages |
Water |
2% low-fat milk |
Whole milk, regular soda |
|
Fat-free milk or 1% reduced-fat milk |
100% fruit juice |
Sweetened iced teas and lemonade | |
|
Sports drinks |
Fruit drinks with less than 100% fruit juice |
Food Groups
Read about each food group here: