Fruits/Vegetables

Not sure if you’re getting enough fruits and vegetables? Make sure they take up half your plate at every meal.
Scratching your head over how many cups of spinach or broccoli equal a serving size? Forget the food scales and measuring cups. The new USDA healthy-eating icon MyPlate is making it easier than ever to figure out how to create a healthful and balanced diet.
According to the new directive, 50 percent of the food you eat should be a fruit or vegetable. Think of produce as your main dish and meat as the accompaniment (25 percent). Fill the remaining quarter of your plate with whole grains or starchy vegetables, like brown rice, quinoa or sweet potatoes.
For breakfast, choose a bowl of fruit with a dollop of plain, low-fat yogurt and a sprinkle of low-fat whole-grain granola. For lunch, think grilled chicken (without the skin), veggies and hummus on a 100 percent whole-wheat pita, along with a side salad. Dinner could be grilled fish with roasted red potatoes, corn on the cob and a cucumber and tomato salad.