"My Plate Runneth Over..."

With the debut of “My Plate”, USDA officials have created a model to replace the confusing and outdated “My Pyramid” The pyramid was overly complex and tried to communicate too many different nutrition facts at once. Robert C. Post, the USDA's deputy director of the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion believes Americans are looking for simple and clear directions about what to eat. "There is a need to provide a simpler approach to empower consumers in knowing about healthier choices," he said.

"My Plate" — a simple circle divided into quadrants that contain fruits, vegetables, protein and grains, gives diners an idea of what should be on their plates when they sit down at the dinner table and comes with an accompanying website.

The hope is that "MyPlate" will help navigate consumers through a maze of confusing nutritional dos and don'ts. Instead of trying to decipher food labels, busy shoppers can stick to the basics by dedicating half the plate to produce, 1/4 to protein, including meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, soy, and beans and 1/4 to grains such as rice, bread and cereal. Today’s parents don't have the time to measure out exactly three to five ounces of chicken or look up how much rice or brocoli is in a serving. But they do have time to look at their kids' plates. And as long as they're eating proper portions, with half of their meal fruits and vegetables along their lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, then they’re good.

In The Huffington Post, Dr. Andrew Weil says, “The new, simple, plate-shaped graphic is split into four sections: red for fruits, green for vegetables, purple for protein and orange for grains. A separate blue section, shaped like a drinking glass, represents dairy foods. I like the fact that the green section is largest, providing a visual reminder of the most fundamental nutrition truth: Vegetables, the foundation of a healthy diet, should fill most of a plate at every meal.
Marion Nestle, nutrition professor at New York University and consumer advocate, says the plate "is a huge step forward. I love it that the messages begin with 'enjoy your food!"

So,how does that translate to your table? Well, first of all, you need to spend a little time educating yourself as to what constitutes lean protein, whole grains, even veggies and fruit. (No, French fries are not a vegetable and gummy bears are not fruit). The “My Plate” website allows you to click on a section of the plate for a complete list of foods that fit the bill. Each category has a printable list that you can use to menu plan and grocery shop.



Figure out which foods in each category you actually like eating, and then buy and prepare the food in appropriate portions.

For your proteins, (Lean beef, pork, boneless, skinless chicken, fish, tofu, eggs) have the butcher cut and trim chicken breasts into 4-5 ounce pieces and buy only enough lean, ground beef for the servings you need. Cut the fish into 4-6 ounce portions before you cook it and serve only that portion on the plate. No family style or buffet.

With whole grains, again, look through the list, pick few you enjoy eating, and prepare only enough for your meal. Choose smaller potatoes and measure whole grain pasta carefully.

Veggies are your bonus and you can have more of your favorites. (and your kids’ favorites), like broccoli, green beans, asparagus, red peppers, cauliflower, carrots, beets, brussel sprouts, and squash. Steaming is effective and roasting really brings out the flavor of most vegetables. Fill a spary bottle with olive oil and lightly coat the greens rather than covering them with heavy sauces. Salads fill the role too, but serve a measured out portion of dressing on the side.

Same with fruits. Cut up melons or add berries, apples and pears to the plate. Choose ripe, fresh fruit that tastes delicious on its own without the need for added sugar or fruit dip.
Pick the veggies and fruits in colors with the most nutritional benefits. Many options can be found at:

Dairy is found at the side of the plate with the suggestion that low-fat dairy products provide the most benefit.

Once you have an idea of the suggested foods, list each category and write down the foods you and your family will actually want to eat: 4-5 different whole grains, 6-8 kinds of veggies, 3-5 types of protein, and 4-5 seasonal fruits and dairy. Use the list to shop for food and then mix and match for each meal!

Most of us are going to fluctuate a bit on the actual divisions on our plate, but it never hurts to have a visual reminder of what you should be eating!