Healthy plate
What makes up your plate?
To get the right balance of food, divide your plate into four sections.
Fill half your plate with vegetables
- try to include two different types of vegetables at every meal
- aim to eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day
Fill one quarter of your plate with meat and alternatives
- when choosing meat, choose lean cuts without skin
- healthier meat and alternatives to consider are fish, chicken, pork, beans and lentils
- prepare meat or alternatives with little or no added fat or salt
Fill one quarter of your plate with whole grain products
- eat a variety of whole grains such as barley, brown rice, oats, quinoa, whole-grain breads, or whole wheat pasta
Add a milk and alternative and a piece of fruit to balance your meal
Examples include:
- 1 cup (250 mL) milk or fortified soy beverage
- 3/4 cup (175mL) yogurt
- 1 medium sized apple
It is important to remember that healthy eating is not just about what you eat, but also how much you eat.
Canada’s Food Guide (Health Canada) offers advice on the amount of food to eat based on your age and gender. Measuring your food just once will give you a good sense of what a healthy portion looks like.
Compare the amount of food you put on your plate to a Food Guide serving (Health Canada). Use this to figure out, what makes up your plate?
This item was last modified on June 2, 2022