How can you make sure you’re getting enough dairy and other essential nutrients?
MyPlate is a healthy eating pattern aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans encouraging small practical changes that can improve your diet and add up to a healthy future.
To build out an individualized MyPlate plan based on your unique health needs, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov/ Resources/MyPlatePlan.
Here are some tips to build up a healthy lifestyle with MyPlate:
1. Focus on variety, amount and nutrition
• Variety is key to making sure you are getting all the essential vitamins, minerals and healthy fats your body needs. Want to spice things up? Explore new recipes featuring different ingredients.
•Try adding as much color to your plate as possible – including leafy greens, vibrant fruits and earthtoned legumes.
•To meet daily recommendations, strive to eat an item from each food group during every meal and pick one or more foods (e.g., nuts, fruit cup or a cheese stick) as a snack.
2. Make half your plate fruits and veggies
•Fresh, frozen and canned are all healthy options to get fruits and vegetables in your diet. If using canned vegetables, choose lowsodium options or rinse them in a colander before cooking to cut down on sodium.
• Satisfy your sweet tooth with natural sugars from fruits.
3. Vary your protein
• To reduce saturatedfats, choose lean cuts of meat, such as ones labeled loin (pork loin, sirloin, etc.), round steak and roast.
Lean ground beef should be 92% lean / 8% fat.
•Include at least 8 ounces of cooked fish or seafood weekly. Aim for ones that are high in omega-3 fatty acids – like salmon, trout or tuna
• Try healthier cooking methods, like grilling or baking, over frying. How you cook your meat is just as important as whatyou choose.
• Incorporate plantbased sources of protein as well – such as beans, lentils and peas.
4. Don’t forget the dairy
• Aim for three servings of low-fat dairy every day – such as milk, yogurt or cheese.
• Lactose intolerance doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy real dairy. Try lactose-free milks for cooking or sipping. Also try yogurts and hard cheeses, as these do not have as much lactose as other dairy foods.
5. Choose unsweetened beverages
• Many people focus on their plate when trying to eat healthier, but your cup can be a source of nonnutritive calories, too. Choose drinks like water, low-fat milk or unsweetened tea to quench your thirst.
• Learn to read food labels and know what you are pouring into your glass. Sodas, energy drinks and juices from concentrate tend to be high in sugar with little to no nutrient value.
6. Stay balanced
• Make small changes – they add up.
• Get regular sleep and physical activity.
• Limit salt and alcohol.