A Fast, Simple Tool For Balancing Your Diet

These veggies taste so good, you'll forget they're good for you!

From the LifeMinute Team

Cleaning up your diet is not an easy feat, especially considering the average family's hectic schedule and the proliferation of fast-food restaurants at every intersection. It's no wonder we as a country meet the USDA's recommended dietary guidelines a measly seven days a year, according to registered dietitian and cookbook author Liz Weiss.

Balance Your Plate

Never fear. Now there's a new tool to help you succeed, just in time for the holidays. Nestle has introduced an educational program called Balance Your Plate that's designed to give consumers meal plans and inspiring ideas for getting more vegetables onto the dinner table.

"Let's say you're having frozen lasagna for dinner. You need to think about how you can balance out that dinner. What are you going to serve on the side? I've got some broccoli crunch salad here as some inspiration for you," says White.

Recipe: Broccoli Crunch Salad

Steam broccoli, put it in the fridge and let it cool down. When the broccoli is cool, toss it with a simple dressing of low fat mayonnaise and low fat Greek yogurt. Add a little maple syrup and some apple cider vinegar, then toss. Add some extra fun by sprinkling dried cranberries and slivered almonds on top.

Delicious Meals (For One)

Eating alone? You can easily prepare a nutritious feast, even if you're just defrosting dinner. Says White: "There are some excellent and tasty choices available like the Lean Cuisine Frozen Dinners Mac and Cheese and Sweet and Spicy Korean Style Beef. What are you going to serve on the side with that dinner? Well, Balance Your Plate is going to give you a lot of great ideas."

Recipe: Glazed Carrots

Looking for a super quick side dish that will Balance Your Plate and make your family ask for seconds? You could, simply, take a bag of regular, baby, or rainbow carrots and pair it with a dip. Or, toss the carrots with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, a little bit of honey, cumin, thyme, your choice, then place in the oven. "Stir it every ten or so minutes, and those vegetables will get sweet and tender. You'll have a beautiful side dish for you and your family. This will last all week long, and it's an amazing way to balance your plate," explains White.

Little Changes, Major Results

The USDA recommends:

Adding:

-Fruits and vegetables

-Whole grains

-Fat-free and low-fat dairy products

-Seafood

Reducing:

-Sodium

-Saturated fats

-Trans fats

-Cholesterol

-Added sugars

-Refined grains

For more resources, meal plan ideas, perfect pairings and inspiration for getting more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat dairy onto your table, check out nestleusa.com, including all of the Balance Your Plate resources.

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