Food Storage

Getting Started - Vegetables

Step Two: Determine how much vegetables to store.

MyPyramid gives a daily recommendation for total vegetables and a weekly recommendation for each subgroup of vegetables. For our purposes we are going to use a simplified version of the weekly recommendations to ensure a well-balanced supply.

Weekly Recommendation for Vegetable Subgroups*
(measured in cups/ week)

*Please note this is simplified chart. Recommendations for girls 9-13 and women 51+ are slightly less (0.5-1 cup less). Males 51+ also require less starchy (3 cups) and other vegetables (6.5 cups.)

According to the gender and age of your family members, add your family's ideal total minimum one year supply of vegetables in cups per each vegetable subgroup. Note that these are weekly recommendations so each subgroup's total should be multiplied by 52.

What counts as 1 cup?   In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, 2 cups of raw leafy greens, 1 cup cooked whole or mashed dry beans and peas, or 1 cup (about 8oz.) tofu, can be considered as 1 cup from the vegetable group. Please note that a cup equivalent is not always equal to the serving size on a food package label. The food package label is often less (usually 1/2 cup.)