What’s on your Plate?

Choosing to eat healthily is sometimes easier said than done. Maintaining a balanced diet requires us to ensure variety in the dishes prepared, and more importantly, to fit all these meals within a fixed budget.

With so many considerations and options, it's easy to feel overwhelmed when deciding what to prepare for the family. That's where our easy list of essential food tips comes in handy!

Let’s transform lunches, dinners, and snacks into delightful and nourishing experiences every day, starting with understanding the fundamentals that go into a healthy plate. 

Dish out Healthy Dishes

The first thing we must do when it comes to creating a healthy meal is to make sure we have the right ingredients that are right for the body.

A good place to start is the Pinggang Pinoy, a visual food guide developed by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute to make it easy for everyone to follow the recommended portion of each food group in every meal. The Pinggang Pinoy recommends that you have Go, Grow, and Glow foods on your plate to have a healthy meal. 

“Go” foods provide you with energy, as they are rich in carbohydrates. The best choices include whole grains like brown rice, corn, whole-wheat bread, and oatmeal, which all contain more fiber and nutrients. These account for one-fourth of your plate. 

“Grow” foods are important for the growth, maintenance, and repair of your body’s tissues. These are foods rich in protein, essential fatty acids, and calcium. You have a wide range of options including fish, shellfish, lean meat, eggs, beans, nuts, and milk. These must make up another one-fourth of your plate. 

“Glow” foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber to keep your body functioning well. These include fruits and vegetables, and these must be half of your plate. 

Healthy Plate Staples

There are so many healthy food options that guarantee a complete and nutritious meal—and they are affordable too! What you must keep in mind, though, is that for meals to be truly healthy, they must have the following: 

No matter the color—green, yellow, orange, or red—vegetables contain nutrients and     vitamins you need. A healthy serving of garden salad in every meal or a substantial     portion of stir fry chop suey should easily fill up half your plate. The more colorful the     food, the better! 

We’re talking whole grains—the natural and organic ones. Wheat, barley, oats, quinoa,     and yes, even brown rice and corn, bring several benefits to your body. Whole grains are generally high in fiber and can help in your digestion. 

There are many sources of proteins, whether from land or sea, including chicken, fish,     beans, and nuts. You can also cook your proteins in a variety of ways—grill them, roast them, steam them, stir-fry them, or even mix them in soups. 

Olive oil, canola, soy, corn, and sunflower oil are your best bets in cooking your food.     These oils also go well with salads, functioning as a source of healthy fats. Always be mindful that you’re using the right amount of oil that should go with the ingredient you're about to cook. 

Just like vegetables, fruits guarantee a good amount of vitamins for your daily life. Remember the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? There’s wisdom in it as fruits are packed with so many nutrients to keep you healthy. 

Other than what’s on the plate, we need to be mindful of what’s in our glasses. Water is still the best drink for you! Beyond keeping you hydrated, water also helps dissolve minerals and nutrients for your body to absorb.

Now that you have all the information you need to create a healthy meal, you can start making meal plans and grocery shopping plans. It also helps to research different flavors and tasty preparations, even healthy food items you may not usually eat—after all, healthy meals can be something that the whole family can look forward to! And most importantly, consider the recommended proportions in nourishing yourself—recognize your hunger and fill it with food that’s good for you. Happy healthy eating!

 
More references: 
Healthy diet. World Health Organization, 2020. 
A List of 50 Super Healthy Foods. Healthline, 2023