The Plate Method

The plate method is a tool we can use to plan balanced meals. Let’s take a close look at the plate method and how to use it. I also show you examples of what balanced meals can look like. And of course I include a challenge for you!

What is the Plate Method?

The plate method is a tool that can help us plan balanced meals. It replaced the old food guide pyramid in 2011. If you are not familiar with the food guide pyramid, the Encyclopedia Britannica has an interesting article about the history of the pyramid you can read. I remember learning about the food guide pyramid back in elementary school and through high school. By the time I was in grad school and completing my internship, we were still using the food guide pyramid but it was a more updated version that focused on “steps to a healthier you.”

The plate method is more simple and it is easier to understand. In short it is more user friendly compared to the food guide pyramid.

How to Use the Plate Method

To use the plate method, you simply try to plan your meals so that you have one food from each food group. This means that you will have serving of protein, grain, fruit, vegetable and dairy (or a dairy alternative) at each meal.

This is important because each food group has different nutrition to offer us. Let’s take a quick look at what each food group provides when we include them in our diet.

Protein

Proteins provides protein, but many proteins are also a source of fat. Examples of protein sources include meats, dairy, eggs, beans, nuts, fish and soy. Protein is essential as it provides the building blocks of every cell in our bodies. They are also important for almost every cellular function and activity that happens in our bodies.

Grains

Grains provide carbohydrates, B vitamins, iron and other minerals. They are also an important source of fiber if we are choosing to eat whole grains instead of white, refined grains. The carbohydrates we receive from grains are important as they give us the energy we need to go about our daily activities. Grains include breads, pastas, tortillas, rice, cereals, oats and barley.

Fruit

Fruits are a source of carbohydrates, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. There are numerous fruits. Apples, bananas, berries, citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons, melons, dried fruits and even juice are examples of fruit.

Vegetables

Vegetables such as leafy greens, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, peppers, carrots, radish, etc. are also a source of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. If you choose to eat starchy vegetables such as corn, potatoes, starchy squash and peas, these will also provide carbohydrates.

Dairy

Dairy foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese provide calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus and are usually fortified with vitamin D. Dairy foods also offer protein and are a source of fat.

A Note on Dairy

There are many people who cannot consume dairy foods either due to intolerance or allergies. There are also many people who choose to not consume dairy due to preference. That is okay, there are many dairy alternatives available and there are other foods you can eat to receive the nutrients you would otherwise get from eating dairy foods.

Be Flexible

While the plate method is a good guide on eating balanced meals, do not feel that you have to hold fast to it at every single meal. In general, if you are eating most food groups at most meals, over time, you will eat a balanced diet. This is especially true for children. You many notice kids tend to eat one or two food groups at a meal. But over the course of a week or so, their intake will balance out.

Use Snacks to Balance out Your Diet

Remember that if you like to snack during the day, this can be a good time to eat food groups that you may have missed at an earlier meal. For example, if you do not typically eat vegetables with your breakfast, eating a serving during one of your snacks can be a great way to get your vegetable servings in.

I personally do not like eating fruit at most of my meals. So I try to be mindful of fitting a fruit serving in at my snacks. I may also miss a serving of dairy at some of my meals, but I will often have a serving of muesli I cook with milk, or I have string cheese with some whole grain crackers for a snack later in the day. There is always another opportunity to eat the foods you have not eaten at your meals earlier in the day.

Examples of Meals Based on the Plate Method

Below are examples of meals I’ve eaten and that are based off of the plate method.

You will notice that there is overlap with food groups; many foods will serve as more than one food group. For example, cheese or milk can be counted as both a protein and a dairy serving.

You will also see that I did not have fruit or dairy at every meal, but I did end up eating a serving of these food groups at my snacks. By the end of the day my food and nutrient intake is pretty well balanced.

Breakfast

My breakfast this morning was an omelet with whole grain toast. My protein came from the egg and cheese, and the cheese also served as my dairy. My vegetable came from the spinach and onion that I put in my omelet, and my grain was from the two slices of whole grain toast that I ate. I did not feel like eating fruit with this meal, so I had some fruit with my snacks later in the day.

Morning Snack

I had a bowl of muesli that I heated up with milk. The muesli provided a grain serving and the 1/2 cup of milk provided half of a dairy serving.

Lunch

I ate black bean tostadas and frozen mango (see photo below) with my lunch this day. The tostadas were my grain, the beans and cheese were my protein and the cheese also served as a dairy serving. The romaine and salsa were my vegetables, and the frozen mango was my fruit.

Afternoon Snack

I had some sliced apples for my snack this afternoon to provide a serving of fruit.

Dinner

For dinner this day I made baked salmon, orzo with parmesan cheese, and broccoli that I blanched for about 3-5 minutes. I also had a slice of whole grain bread with my dinner. The salmon was my protein, the orzo and slice of bread are both grains, and the broccoli was my serving of vegetable.

Snack

I also snacked on strawberries for another serving of fruit this day.

MyPlate.Gov

If you are interested in learning more about the plate method and nutrition in general, myplate.gov is a great resource!

You can click on each food group to learn more about them, including what they are, which foods are part of each food group and what a serving looks like for the different food groups.

You can also opt to create your own personalized plans from myplate.gov (see below). Just go to https://www.myplate.gov/myplate-plan and fill out your age, gender, height weight and physical activity level. When it calculates your calorie needs it also provides information on how much of each food group it is recommended you eat every day.

Just know that these recommendations are somewhat generalized; you will receive more accurate personalized recommendations when you work one on one with a dietitian.

You can also create an account to save your information, recommendations and favorite recipes.

Myplate.gov offers a lot more information and other resources too. Click and play around as you like.

My Challenge for You

I challenge you to compare your meals to the plate method. Try to see which food groups you may be missing out on. If you do find some holes in your diet, try to add some of these foods into your meals or snacks. Or if you find that you are eating more from one food group than you need, swap some of those servings out with food groups you are not getting enough of. Let me know if you try it out!

Check out my Video About the Plate Method

You can also watch my YouTube video about the plate method. I explain what it is and also show you all of the meals and snacks I ate to follow the plate method myself.