MyPlate

What is MyPlate: This is a graphic that aims to help anyone, especially younger children to build a meal that contains the proper amounts of certain foods.  The plate is meant to be a 9” in diameter plate.  This is important because if people are using plates that are too large, the ratio of foods can get skewed.

Components of MyPlate: MyPlate contains 5 different groups (ask the kids to give examples of something you could eat in each group)

Vegetables—The largest group. Make sure you are eating from the rainbow including a lot of colors (don’t forget white!)  The more colors that you eat, the more nutrients you will get.

Fruit- It may not seem like the easiest thing to eat at a meal like dinner, but fruit is naturally sweet and it can be delicious mixed into vegetables.

Whole Grains- Make sure starchy sides you have with dinner like pasta and rice are whole grain varieties.  Try grains you never have like quinoa, bulgur and couscous.

Lean Protein- This one is important because it is usually the one that people make too big.  We think that meat has to be the biggest part of our meal, but that actually is not the case.  Keep your meat serving the size of a deck of cards.

Low-fat dairy- Whether it is a glass of low-fat milk on the side of any meal, some low-fat yogurt with fruit as your after dinner dessert, or a piece of low-fat cheese in your sandwich, dairy gives you calcium which you need for strong bones.

Snack Attack!

Even though school is approaching an end, summer doesn’t always offer the most relaxing schedule.  Whether you find yourself on a summer sports league, working part time, attending several social events while still trying to fit in some relaxation time at the beach, your schedule can be just as busy during the summer as the school year.

When you are busy it can be a challenge to eat healthy.  You also might find yourself going long intervals in between work or practice and if you are rushing to leave in the morning, you might not have time to make a sandwich or a full lunch.  Enter snacking!  Snacking is a great way to keep yourself feeling full so you don’t overeat when the opportunity to sit down for a meal does arise.

Here are some great snack ideas that are quick to prepare and are nutritious too!

Greek yogurt+fruit—This balance of protein from the yogurt, carbohydrates, fiber and nutrients from the fruit and about 20% of your calcium needs, this combination is easy to grab from the fridge and start your day with if a full breakfast isn’t in the cards.

Nuts- There are so many varieties of nuts and a little goes a long way!  A quarter cup of almonds (about 15-20 depending on the size) can provide you with healthy fats, lean protein and filling fiber.  They are easy to stash in the glove compartment of your car or even make up your own trail mixes with some dried fruit and dark chocolate chips!  Remember to eat the right serving though because too many nuts will lead to an overdose of fat.

Hummus and vegetable sticks- It’s always fun to dip! Hummus is made from chic peas which are a good source of lean protein and because of it’s growing popularity comes in a variety of flavors.  Pick your favorite vegetables to dip for a super healthy snack.

Sandwich separates- Sometimes making a sandwich seems cumbersome and you don’t always have everything you need to make the perfect one.  Instead, take a low-fat cheese-stick and break it up into cubes.  Roll each cube in a piece of low sodium deli meats for a sandwich snack.   Though cheese can be an enemy to the health conscious, if it is consumed in moderation and in low fat varieties, they are actually a good source of protein and calcium.

Whole grain chips and salsa- Salsa is a great way to get in vegetables and it is very low in calories. Two tablespoons is only about 30 or so calories so you can scoop salsa to your hearts desire!  It’s a much better option to heavy cream dips and high calorie ranch.  Whole grain chips have filling fiber as well!

Use snacks this summer to keep you full and get in some key nutrients that you might miss if you are skipping meals.  Packing your own snacks is a way better option than hitting the concession stand or vending machines.  Happy summer snacking!