2.2 Balanced Eating and MyPlate
Notes
A balanced eating pattern includes a variety of foods from all food groups. No single food provides everything.
- MyPlate food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods and dairy (or fortified alternatives).
- Fill about half your plate with fruits and vegetables, and make at least half of your grains whole grains.
- Whole grains (oats, brown rice, whole wheat) keep the fiber that refined grains lose.
- Eat a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables because they provide different vitamins and minerals.
- Nutrient-dense foods give many nutrients for their size. Foods like cookies and soda are fine sometimes but do not provide much nutrition.
- Eating regular meals, including breakfast, helps many students focus.
- Example: a balanced lunch is a whole wheat sandwich with turkey and lettuce, carrot sticks, an apple and milk.
Practice
According to MyPlate, about how much of your plate should be fruits and vegetables?
MyPlate suggests filling about half your plate with fruits and vegetables.
Which is a whole grain food?
Oats keep the whole grain, including the fiber.
A student eats only crackers and juice most days. What would best improve the balance of their eating?
Variety from all food groups provides a wider range of nutrients.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 2 test.