Brown Bag Makeover: Healthy School Lunch Ideas
What Makes a Healthy Meal?
Let's rewind to the basics. Exactly what comprises a healthy meal?
Over the past few generations, many Americans have forgotten that protein, carbohydrates and healthy fat are all important pieces to the nutrition puzzle—in the right portions, of course. In response, the U.S. government came out with MyPlate, a diagram to help remind us what a balanced diet looks like. According to MyPlate, a well-proportioned meal fills half the plate with non-starchy vegetables and fruit, one-quarter with protein, and one-quarter with whole grains or starchy veggies.
Quick tip: Use a MyPlate plate or placemat at home to help your kids learn what a balanced meal looks like. Then get them to help plan their own healthy plate.
Reviewed by Elaine Brown, MD on August 30, 2013
Sources
Keith Kantor, MD, author of the book What Matters and member of the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award Committee
Amy Johnson, a registered dietitian in northern Virginia
https://www.drkeithkantor.com/
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/
https://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/governance/legislation/nutritionstandards.htm
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-01-26/pdf/2012-1010.pdf
https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/breakfastforlearning.pdf
https://www.benthamscience.com/cnf/sample/cnf3-1/D0002NF.pdf
https://www.benthamscience.com/cnf/sample/cnf3-1/D0002NF.pdf
https://ase.tufts.edu/psychology/spacelab/pubs/MahoneyEtAl.pdf
https://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/q_a/breakfast_question.html
https://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/healthy_eating/snacking.html
https://kidshealth.org/teen/diabetes_center/treatment/blood_sugar_low.html
https://www.human.cornell.edu/pam/outreach/parenting/research/upload/Family-Mealtimes-2.pdf