Exchanges

Exchanges are a common tool used for meal planning. Exchanges are divided into the following categories:

• bread/starch
• fat
• fruit
• meat and meat substitute (with subcategories of very lean, lean, medium-fat, high-fat)
• milk (with subcategories of skim, low-fat, or whole)
• other carbohydrates
• vegetables
• fat

Foods in each exchange category have approximately the same amount of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and kilocalories (calories) per serving. Most foods have exchanges in one or more categories, for example:

1 slice of wheat bread = 1 starch exchange

8 ounces of skim milk = 1 skim milk exchange

½ cup of pinto beans = 1 starch exchange + 1 very lean meat exchange.

Foods with similar categories per serving can be exchanged for one another in a meal plan. The following guidelines apply to exchanges:

• Exchanges are calculated for all foods except formulas and other supplements, baby foods, raw meats (except some raw fish), inedible uncooked foods, and most ingredients.
• Exchanges are calculated based on either the macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein, and fat) breakdown of the food or based on calories in comparison to the calorie and macronutrient breakdown for each exchange category.
• The knowledge base lists default exchange categories for each food based on the assigned food classification when you add a food to the knowledge base using the Foods editor.
• Use the Foods editor to modify the exchange values for all foods.