Session 4
Ways to Eat Healthy
Session 4-3
A Healthy Meal
A Healthy Meal
Using the MyPlate recommendations in mind, here’s WHAT to choose and WHAT to limit in designing a healthy meal to suit your taste
You’ll want to make:
Half of your plate non-starchy veggies (broccoli, lettuce, peppers).
A quarter of your plate grains and starchy foods (brown rice, potatoes, oatmeal).
Another quarter of your plate low fat protein foods (chicken, lean meat, fish).
You can also have:
A small amount of low fat dairy (1 cup skim milk).
A small amount of fruit (one apple, half a banana, 1⁄2 cup berries).
A drink that has low or no calories (water, sparkling water, coffee without sugar)
Key points to remember:
Choose items that are:
Low in calories, fat, sugar and sodium.
High in fiber and water.
High in vitamins, minerals, and protein.
Limit items that are:
High in calories, fat, and sugar.
Low in fiber and water.
Low in vitamins, minerals, and protein.
Foods to Choose
Non-starchy veggies:
Grains and starchy foods:
Dairy foods:
Protein foods:
Drinks:
Fruit:
Foods to Limit
Sweet foods:
Fatty foods:
Packaged & Processed foods:
Food Substitutions to Consider
Here are some choices you could make instead of high-fat, high-calorie foods:
Pick low-fat foods:
Choose fresh fruit and vegetables for snacks.
Serve vegetarian dinners several times a week.
Eat fruit for dessert.
Use low-fat versions of food:
Use low-fat or fat-free margarine, mayonnaise, cheese, cream cheese, salad dressing, frozen
yogurt, sour cream.
Use skim or 1% milk.
Use low-fat flavorings instead:
| Food | Low-fat flavorings you can consider |
|---|---|
| Vegetables, potatos | - Herbs, spices, lemon juice, low-fat dressing make veggies taste better - Low-fat margarine (small amount), nonfat sour cream, Low-fat or fat-free plain yogurt - Salsa, mustard, and fat free broth |
| Bread | Nonfat cream cheese, low-fat margarine (small amount), all-fruit jams |
| Salads | Nonfat or low-fat salad dressing, lemon juice, vinegar |
| Pasta | Spaghetti sauce with low-fat protein, chopped vegetables, white sauce made with skim or 1% milk |
| Meats | BBQ sauce, hot sauce, catsup, lemon juice, or Worcestershire sauce. |
Find ways to lower the fat you eat
Remember even small amounts of high-fat foods are high in calories. Healthy eating means eating less fat and fewer calories.
Chose low fat meats:
Buy lean cuts (round, loin, sirloin).
Trim all the fat you can see.
Remove the skin from chicken and turkey.
Choose white meat poultry.
Cook in healthier ways: