A Day on a Plate

A day on a plate will look different for everyone, depending on our goals, physical activity, age, gender, food accessibility, beliefs and more. However, there are some basic foundations to aim for when creating our meals. The foundations involve a model called the healthy food plate model. This is a model that sections out our plate into protein, carbohydrates, colour/ fibre, and healthy fats. Using this model as a guide can help with meeting our nutrient requirements, feeling full and satisfied. It also assists in balancing our energy levels across the day, potentially preventing us from snacking on unwanted snacks.

What is The Healthy Food Plate Model?

Now this is just a guide!! We do not live in a perfect world, so we do not need to have every meal following this model.

• 1/2 Plate (2 cupped hands) colour/ fibre

  • Non-starchy vegetables: zucchini, broccoli, eggplant, capsicum, cauliflower, mushrooms, onion, garlic

  • Salad: leafy greens, tomato, celery, cucumber

• 1/4 Plate (palm size) lean protein

  • Red meat, chicken, fish, prawns

  • Eggs

  • Dairy: milk, natural yoghurt, hard cheese, cottage cheese

  • Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, baked beans

  • Soy products: tofu, edamame, tempeh

• 1/4 Plate (fist size) high fibre and/or low GI carbohydrate

  • Wholegrain bread, spelt or pulse pasta, basmati rice, quinoa, udon noodles

  • Starchy vegetables: potato, sweet potato, corn, peas, beans, legumes

• ~1Tbs (thumb size) healthy fats

  • Olive oil, olives

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Avocado

Putting it all Together!

Breakfast

Breakfast is challenging when following this model. The main aspects to consider is ensuring we have a protein, carbohydrate, and colour in your breakfast. Fats can be optional.

Sweet options:

• Natural yoghurt + muesli + fruit

• Milk + oats + fruit + chia seeds

• Soy milk + weetbix + fruit + nut butter

Savoury options:

• Eggs + wholegrain toast + tomato + spinach

• Cottage cheese + wholegrain muffin + cucumber + tomato

• Baked beans + hashbrown + mushrooms + capsicum

Lunch

Tip for time poor people: You can make a larger batch for dinner the night before so you can have leftovers for lunch. Below are some quick, throw together ideas if you have no leftovers or haven’t meal prepped.

• Canned fish + microwavable rice + kaleslaw

• Roasted chicken + wrap + coleslaw + avocado

• Falafels + edamame beans + canned corn + mixed leaves + hummus

Dinner

With cooked meals we generally cook in olive oil which is the healthy fat aspect. Therefore, there is no need to add additional fats.

• Steak + potatoes + non-starchy veggies

• Prawns + pasta + non-starchy veggies

• Tofu + noodles + non-starchy veggies

The Final Touch

The last and most important (in my opinion) aspect when creating our meals is the flavour. We are not going to be satisfied with our meal if we do not enjoy it. This is where the fun and creativity comes in. Create your own sauces, dressings, marinade combinations or even use store bought options. Whatever, taste yummy and adds flavour to our meal, is the goal.

The only consideration I would suggest in this section is to be mindful of the amount you add onto your meals. As sauces, dressings and marinades are generally energy-dense and if weight loss is a goal, then this is something to be mindful of. If weight loss is not a goal, then go for your life!

Copywrite: Lyndal Schnabel Dietitian 2024