Which of the following is equal to 1 serving from the dairy food group?

A serving from the dairy food group is commonly defined by the USDA recommendations, which state that one serving of dairy is equivalent to 1 cup of milk, yogurt, or a similar portion of other dairy products that provide the same calcium and nutrient content.

In this question, 1 cup of low-fat milk meets this standard and is thus recognized as one serving. The other options do not conform to the same serving sizes as defined by nutritional guidelines.

For example, while 1 cup of vanilla yogurt may appear to be a serving, its sugar content can vary significantly, which is not the case with plain milk. Cottage cheese is often measured differently, and typically 1 cup contains more protein and fewer carbohydrates compared to milk, potentially classifying it as more than one serving depending on dietary guidelines. Cream cheese is usually considered a higher-fat, lower-calcium product that is measured in smaller portions – typically 1 ounce equates to a small fraction of a standard serving of cheese or dairy.

Thus, the most straightforward and universally accepted measure for one serving from the dairy group is indeed 1 cup of low-fat milk.