A plate format helps you plan your meal by visualizing
how much space each food should occupy on a plate. This can help you eat a
balanced meal. It also can prevent you from eating too much of any food group. You can use your hand to judge portion sizes.
Use a plate that measures 9 inches across. Draw an imaginary line through the center of your plate, and then divide one of the halves into quarters. Follow these guidelines:
- Half the plate is non-starchy vegetables. This is about the size of your closed fist, although you can go back for seconds on these foods. Examples are broccoli, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, cauliflower, spinach, peppers, and salad greens.
- One fourth of the plate is a bread, starch, or grain. This is about the size of half a closed fist. Examples are bread, rolls, rice, crackers, cooked grains, cereal, tortillas, and starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn, winter squash, beans, peas, and lentils.
- One fourth is lean protein. This is about the size of the palm of your hand. Examples are beef, chicken, turkey, pork, fish, tofu, and eggs. (For the plate format, beans should be counted as a starch, not as a protein.)
- Add a small piece of fruit. A small piece of fresh fruit is about the size of a tennis ball. Or choose ½ cup of frozen, cooked, or canned fruit. You could also have a small handful of dried fruit or ½ cup (4 ounces) of 100% fruit juice.
- Enjoy a cup (8 ounces) of low-fat or fat-free milk. If you don't drink milk, you could substitute with 6 ounces of no-sugar-added yogurt, another serving of fruit, or a small dinner roll.
For breakfast, the concept is similar. One-fourth of the plate is a bread, starch, or grain. One-fourth of the plate is protein. The breakfast plate also includes a cup (8 ounces) of low-fat or fat-free milk and one small piece of fruit.
A plate
format is easy to learn. It also can be used
along with other methods, such as carbohydrate counting for people who have diabetes.
Test Your Knowledge
For lunch or dinner, a plate format
recommends:
- Half a plate of grain and half a plate of meat, fish,
or poultry.
This answer is incorrect.For lunch or dinner, a plate format recommends half a plate of vegetables; a quarter-plate of meat,
fish, or poultry; and a quarter-plate of grain.
- Half a plate of grain; a quarter plate of meat, fish,
or poultry; and a quarter-plate of vegetables.
This answer is incorrect.For lunch or dinner, a plate format recommends half a plate of
vegetables; a quarter-plate of meat, fish, or poultry; and a quarter-plate of
grain.
- Half a plate of vegetables; a quarter-plate of meat,
fish, or poultry; and a quarter-plate of grain.
This answer is correct.For lunch or dinner, a plate format recommends
half a plate of vegetables; a quarter-plate of meat, fish, or poultry; and a
quarter-plate of grain.
Which of these vegetables are included in the
bread/starch/grain group (starchy vegetables): broccoli, potatoes, lettuce,
carrots, winter squash, green beans, corn?
- Potatoes, winter squash, and corn
This answer is correct.Starchy vegetables include potatoes, winter
squash, and corn. Non-starchy vegetables include broccoli, lettuce, carrots, and
green beans.
- Broccoli, lettuce, carrots, and green
beans
This answer is incorrect.Broccoli, lettuce, carrots, and green beans aren't starchy vegetables. Starchy vegetables include potatoes, winter squash, and
corn.
Continue to Why?