Years ago my friend Christina, a nutrition science major, told me that half your plate should be fruits and vegetables. That stuck with me. And while I don’t always adhere to that rule, I try to.
Loving salads helps.
Pictured is a typical dinner plate for me:
- a large portion of salad, covering about half the plate, here is Tossed Salad with Peperoncinis and Feta
- a serving of some kind of starch, in this case Loaded Potato Salad
- a serving of protein, grilled chicken – that’s actually half a chicken breast, cut horizontally
This is perfectly satisfying for me, especially since both salads are loaded with some flavorful fats, like the Feta cheese, greek yogurt, bacon, and cheddar cheese.
Sometimes I also serve a side dish of bread, but not always.
Welcome to What’s On Your Plate?!
What’s on Your Plate? is designed to be a conversation amongst good eaters.
Tell us about a recent meal. Did it meet with rave reviews? Or did it bomb? What side dishes did you pair with the star of the show? Did you try a new ingredient? Find the groceries at great prices?
What’s on YOUR Plate?
Share with us a recent meal you prepared. Either link it up below or tell us about it in the comments. Please make sure that you link to www.goodcheapeats.com in your post so others know where the dinner party is.
And don’t forget to visit the other good eaters participating today. I’m sure you will be inspired to make all sorts of Good Cheap Eats at your house.
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Good rule of thumb, I know I need more veggies!
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I end up putting my salad in a separate bowl, some starch, protein, then a ton of veggies. I purposely go overboard on cooking veggies so I get extra in. Just a little fresh cracked pepper and they are ready to go.
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That’s a great looking plate! I usually smaller plates more frequently so my meals rarely look as well-rounded as yours.
This week I’m linking up a BLT Flatbread Pizza!! I’m addicted to these pizzas.
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Thanks for hosting Jess! What a great rule to have!
~Liz
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I agree that a little fat is absolutely necessary. I don’t feel satisfied without a little in the meal, and then I just end up snacking all evening!
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Thanks for hosting! Great tip on the veggie and fruit rule!
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The heat is on here, like 10 degrees above normal, so to beat the heat I turn to the crock pot. Makes dinner sooo easy for me, and I get to enjoy more time with the kids
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This past week I had a few successes in the kitchen, as well as a big NEAR Failure! The picture on my post is pretty funny of my disaster. But, I’m going to try again. Any advise would be appreciated! http://www.fitmomsfitkidsclub.com/2011/06/my-successes-and-near-failure-meal-plan-monday/
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I forgot to mention that you are so right with the 1/2 fruits and veggie thing.. the food pyramid was just changed to reflect that recently. There’s a cool kids plate that portions the plate out that way called the Healthy Habits Plate.. it’s so cute! I keep thinking they need to make one for adults! LOL. I know I need the reminder. Thanks for hosting.
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Jessica Reply:
June 10th, 2011 at 7:44 am
@Annett, Target has plates like that — big adult size and kid size! Just saw them yesterday. They are in the summer section, sold in packs of four.
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Not only do we need the fats for flavour and satiation, but for binding to all the vitamins in the vegetables so our bodies can use them instead of flushing them out!
The half plate rule is a good visual reminder, as Annett says. Those little nover-forget tips are invaluable, aren’t they? A side salad boosts the veg intake for my husband and I, but I find that crudites are the way to go for little fingers – carrot sticks, cucumber wheels, cherry tomato halves etc. Just having it on the table encourages nibbling and the next thing you know it’s all gone!
Yesterday we had bacon-wrapped chicken breast strips on wilted spinach with tomato, leek and balsamic reduction (and a salad). It’s amazing how much spinach a person eats at a serving – or conversely, how little cooked spinach you get out of a grocery bag FULL of leaves.
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I agree with your friend Christina’s recommendation. The government’s new “MyPlate” is bogus.
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Jessica Reply:
June 10th, 2011 at 7:44 am
@KS, I was just reviewing the MyPlate information. What part do you think is bogus? They actually say make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
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KS Reply:
June 10th, 2011 at 8:03 am
The name (like MySpace), the $2 million cost … : ) What about the circle of “Dairy” on the right? Is that supposed to represent a portion size? Is dairy really a requirement? I could go on, but I should be working. It was just my two cents. Maybe MyPlate is helpful or an improvement over the food pyramid or the four basic food groups as far as others are concerned.
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