The Balanced Plate

Protein rich foods are support muscle and bone health, and many of these foods are also a source of vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Dietitian Tips:

• Include plant based proteins such as beans, legumes, and tofu. Plant proteins are higher in fibre and lower in saturated fat than many animal based proteins.
• Get more Omega 3 by choosing fatty fish like salmon or trout.  
• Chose smaller portions of red meat. Did you know you can mix red meat with beans or lentils to extend the number of servings? Try making your next pasta sauce with ½ beans and ½ lean ground beef- check out this recipe from lentils.org!

These foods provide carbohydrates and fibre. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel for our body, and our brain. Fibre helps keep us full longer, and supports digestion.

Dietitian Tips:

• Chose whole grain bread more often than white or refined breads.
• Try ancient grains such as bulgur, kamut, quinoa or barley for variety
• Looking for a gluten free option? Rice, quinoa, or gluten free oats are all good choices! Learn more about gluten free choices here.

These foods are nutrient-dense, which means they provide a lot of the vitamins and minerals we need for optimal health. Learn more about getting enough fruits and vegetables here.

Dietitian Tips:

• Each fruit or vegetable has a different vitamin and mineral profile, so aim for lots of variety and colour.
• If you are choosing frozen or canned, look for options with no added sodium, sugar, sauces or syrups.
• Try cooking or preparing fruits and vegetables in new ways. Did you know raw asparagus with hummus is a great snack? Or that cucumbers can be baked in the oven?

While fat is not represented by its own category on the balanced plate, it is still an important part of our diet. Fats can be integrated in different parts of our plate and meal choices. Some fats are naturally found in the foods we eat, while others are added during cooking or served on the side. Examples of foods that contain fat include nut butters, avocado, oils, mayonnaise or dressings, and butter or margarines. A little healthy fat in our diet not only helps make food taste delicious, but can help support heart health, skin integrity and brain function. 

Dietitian Tips:

• • Chose more unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, when cooking. Learn more about different types of fats here.
  • Try using herbs, spices, vinegar and citrus fruits to season dishes in place of excess fat.
  • Include natural sources of fat more often, such as natural peanut, almond, or seed butters. Learn more about different kinds of nut and seed butters here and here.

Many of the foods we eat are ‘mixed dishes’. A mixed dish is a food or item that includes more than one food group, for example pizza. You can still follow the balanced plate guide when you have mixed dishes at mealtime.

How?

Simply look at the item, or recipe if you made it at home, and think about the main ingredients that went into it. Estimate how much of each ingredient is on your plate.

For pizza, you may see that a slice has some crust (grain or starch), cheese (protein) and some toppings like sauce, mushrooms, peppers (a little vegetables). There is probably also a little oil used in the pizza making process, and you may have chosen some dip on the side; both of these contribute fat to the meal. 

Based on the balanced plate, what is missing is a serving or two of fruits and vegetables. If you pair your slice of pizza with a side salad or some carrot and celery sticks, you can easily make it a balanced meal!

Learn more about making balanced mixed dishes here.

The balanced plate is a guideline, which means that while most of the time it does a pretty good job at helping us build healthy meals, there are always some exceptions. With all the different food and meal choices available, it would be impossible to always have a perfectly balanced plate. The key to balance is aiming for a variety of foods, and appropriate portion sizes.

For example, on pasta night you may have a plate that include ½ grains and starches (spaghetti), ¼ protein (sauce with meat or lentils), ¼ vegetables (a side salad), and a little fat (salad dressing). This is still a healthy and balanced choice because all food groups are represented and the portions are appropriate for the kind of meal being served. While there is a little more grains and starches and a little less vegetables than our typical plate what is most important to focus on variety and inclusion of all food groups.

As easy way to categorize foods is to focus on the type of macronutrient most present in that food. This is how foods are categorized in our balanced plate.

While we group together similar foods to help create balance at meals, it is important to recognize that very few foods contain only one macronutrient.  Most foods provide a little of all three macronutrients-- protein, carbohydrates and fat. For example, a slice of wholegrain bread is a grain and starch serving because it is high in fibre and carbohydrates, but that same slice of bread also has a little protein and fat, along with vitamins and minerals.