How to build a balanced meal

I’m sure most of you have a good idea of what a balanced meal should look like.  It should have vegetables and whole grains, it should add some dairy products and some wheat.  Now wait, dairy?  Is that right?  And was it vegetables or fruit and vegetables?  Plus what the heck is a vegetable?  I mean, french fries are vegetables, right?  Yah, that’s right.  We think we have a good idea of what a balanced meal is, but really, it’s hard to translate that knowledge into an actual meal.  So here’s a quick and easy guide to constructing a balanced meal.

Non Starchy Vegetables

Yep, these are the basic building block of all healthy meals.  About half your plate should be filled up with these.  Non starchy means no potatoes, corn or beans or grains.  These are simple veggies like leafy greens, carrots, egg plant, asparagus and such.  Fruit can also work for this portion so if you want to pile your plate high with honey dew melon or grapes, go wild.  Try to keep this portion as unprocessed as possible.  That means stay away from stuff canned in syrup, heavy sauces or fried preparation methods for example.  Keep it fresh and simple.  This is the part of the meal that will fill you up with out filling you out.

Starchy Vegetables

This is your quick energy source.  These are grains, corn, beans and such.  Again, try to keep things as unprocessed as possible.  Fried beans are not healthy, neither are processed pastas.  However, whole grain pastas, fresh green beans, fresh corn, non bleached rice and others are perfect.  Again, stay away from unhealthy sauces or preparation method.  Fresh corn is not that healthy once you douse it in butter, and rice is not good if you’re going to fry it.  Fresh and light sauces like tomato based salsas and such are great.  This portion of the meal should fill up about a quarter of your plate.

Protein

Which leaves the last quarter of the plate for protein.  This should come in the form of lean meats like turkey, chicken, fish or venison.  Some lean cuts of beef might be ok but don’t overdo it.  For vegetarians like myself, this portion could include soy, eggs, beans, tofu, nuts or dairy.  Again, taking something healthy and then deep frying it does not make for a healthy meal.  So stay away from fat heavy preparation methods or sauces.  Instead, try to liven things up with a variety of spices.  They’re usually healthier for you.

Summary

There you have it, a quick guide to a balanced meal.