Sample Plate Format

A standard lunch or dinner in a plate format includes:

• One-half of a 9-inch plate filled with non-starchy vegetables: foods like broccoli, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, cauliflower, spinach, peppers, and salad greens. You can go back for seconds on these foods.
• One-fourth of the plate with fish, poultry, or lean meat: for example, baked or grilled fish or skinless chicken. This will be about the size of the palm of your hand.
• The last one-fourth of your plate has the bread, rice, or pasta—the starchy foods like beans, potatoes, biscuits, squash, cereals, crackers, and tortillas. This will be about the size of half of a closed fist—about a half cup.
• An 8-oz glass of fat-free or low-fat milk.
• Add a small serving of fresh fruit or ½ cup of canned fruit. Or you can add a roll or slice of bread.

For breakfast, the concept is similar.

• One-fourth of the plate is a bread, starch, or grain.
• One-fourth of the plate is a protein.
• Include an 8-oz glass of fat-free or low-fat milk.
• Add a small serving of fresh fruit or ½ cup of canned fruit.