To eat healthy, one need to get a variety of nutrients from the five food groups:
- Milk and milk products
- Grains
- Protein
- Fruits
- Vegatables
Each food group offers a different main nutritional benefit, so you can get a variety of nutrients that support good health.
Examples of foods from each group are:
- Dairy: milk, cheese, yogurt, lactose-free milk, fortified soy milk Protein-rich foods: seafood, poultry, eggs, peas, beans, nuts, seeds, and soy products Grains: wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley Fruits: fresh, canned, frozen, or dried fruits and 100% fruit juice
- Vegetables (non starchy): fresh, canned, frozen, or dried vegetables (raw or cooked) and 100% vegetable juice.
It recommends:
- making at least half of your grains whole grain
- Rains varying your protein sources and vegetables
- choosing low fat or fat-free dairy products
- making at least half of your fruits whole fruits
How to fill your plate
To build a well-rounded plate, try pairing foods from at least two food groups to get a diversity of nutrients.
- Fill half of your plate with non starchy vegetables like spinach or collard greens.
- Then, fill one-fourth of your plate with protein-rich foods, such as chicken, fish, or navy beans, depending on your preferences.
- Lastly, fill the remaining one-fourth of your plate with grains like rice or quinoa.
Snacks
Pair a grain with a protein-, fat-, or fiber-rich food.
Your body digests mixed meals that include protein, healthy fats, and fiber more slowly than grains alone. This can make you feel full for longer, which can help support a healthy weight and blood sugar management.
Snack examples
How skipping meals can backfire
Skipping meals may cause you to overeat at your next meal or load up on unhealthy snacks. If you find this tends to happen to you, you might find it helpful to have pre planned food ready to grab and go when you’re in a rush.
Here’s how to eat healthy in five common scenarios when you’re on the go.
Scenario 1: Rushing out
If you find yourself constantly rushing out in the mornings without a plan for breakfast or even lunch, you are not alone.
Even if you’re not able to change your busy schedule, planning your meals will help you become more organized and inclination about having nutritious foods in the morning. It will also help you stop skipping meals without intention
Planning tips
- Prep the night before. Prepare your breakfast meal and morning snack the night before. For example, overnight oats and chia pudding are simple to prepare for a quick grab-and-go option. Pack a lunch bag with your meals and a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated.
- Smoothie bags. You can prep bags full of pre measured smoothie ingredients to make one serving of smoothie and put it in a reusable bottle to drink during your commute.
- Buy or make healthy bars. Protein or energy bars can be a quick bite on the way out the door or on the road until you can sit down and have a meal. Make sure to purchase bars with a lower content of sugar and a higher content of protein, fiber, and other nutrients.
