tuscan steak pasta plated with a pear on the side

Breaking Down MyPlate and Tips for a Healthy Meal

June 2, 2022

Let’s talk about MyPlate and different tips to make a healthy meal. We also have ideas for simple and delicious meals that meet MyPlate recommendations and can be made in 30 minutes or less!

First off, what is MyPlate? MyPlate is a nutrition guide based on the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It was developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and replaced the MyPyramid guide in 2011. MyPlate is made up of a plate and glass divided into five food groups: Grains, Protein, Vegetables, Fruits and Dairy.

One important thing to note is that MyPlate is not a diet plan. It is a tool that aims to help Americans build their personalized healthy eating pattern and maintain it for a lifetime. MyPlate also gives us tips so that we may build our own healthy meals made up of foods from all five food groups. By including all food groups and following these MyPlate tips, we can better provide our bodies with the right balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats as well as needed vitamins, minerals and fiber. We list some of the MyPlate tips for healthier meals here. You can click on this link to learn more about these, and other tips. The key messages are:

Enjoy your food but avoid oversized portions
Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk
Make half of your grains whole grains
Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and salt

Recipes

ONIE has tons of recipes based on these MyPlate recommendations. Visit our website to add more recipes to your family’s favorite meals. Here are just a few of our favorites:

Tuscan Steak Pasta is a filling and healthy recipe that your whole family will love. You can substitute kale for other greens such as spinach or broccoli! Serve this pasta with a side of your favorite fruit for a complete and balanced meal.