A problem that most people face on a daily basis is what to put on their plates that the whole family can enjoy and also constitutes as “healthy”.
A lot of people have their own ideas behind the food and combinations that they serve for a healthy dinner – there are vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, and people who are gluten intolerant. Experts from different parts of the world have divided foods into five basic categories:
- proteins
- vegetables
- fruits
- grains
- dairy / dairy alternatives
These categories are not official but a combination of at least three different kinds on your typical dinner plate is what you should aim for and is recommended.
As it is known through studies and personal experience, proteins when combined with grains in a meal tend to leave you satisfied for longer periods. But everyone can plan his or her meal based on his or her own choices, provided they select items from these basic food groups.
The purpose of this article is to provide you with an anatomy of a dinner that is healthy and nutritious. Out of the five basic food categories, it is vital to include at least three of them in a single meal to have an appropriate proportion of a healthy diet.
Proteins
To begin with, the main item: proteins in any form should be a part of your daily dinner. As a rule of thumb, protein that weighs around 4 ounces is sufficient enough as a single serving for an adult. It contains approximately 150 to 200 calories. The protein choices that one has to select from include meat (chicken, turkey, lamb, and beef), seafood (fish, prawns, and shellfish), beans, nuts, and tofu or garden burgers.
Grains
Once the protein is decided, it is time to think about grains, which comprise of the starchy foods. One important point to keep in mind here is to select the ingredient with high fiber. This will lead to the best quality of calorie consumption. The choices in this category include whole wheat bread or pasta, potatoes, yams, brown rice, corn, or lentils.
Vegetables
This leaves you with the final selection for a healthy dinner. What’s better than munching on a few vegetables at the dinner table? Here, quite simply, it is suggested to eat what you want. Anything that suits your taste buds can complete the vegetable portion of your meal. A word of advice, however: it’s always a good idea to “eat the rainbow” and add a variety of colorful vegetables to your health dinner.
Note that this combination is what is considered to be a standard anatomy of a healthy dinner but it can always change with respect to the right proportion and weight of each food category. It is therefore always suggested to weigh ingredients to keep everything in balance once you have started your mission to eat healthy.
Don’t forget to review our anatomy of a healthy breakfast and anatomy of a healthy lunch. Eating nutritiously is simple – all you have to do is get started.
