Invite all food groups to your ‘MyPlate’ party

Let’s talk about MyPlate, the food group guide to making a healthy and balanced plate.

We need representation from every party, like fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy. Everyone’s invited. Most of the time our protein is the main dish, but we still have to incorporate other food groups. This is where side dishes come in to complete the rest of the meal. We can create tasty and nutritious sides using fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy, too, if we decide not to enjoy a glass of milk with our meal. 

Incorporating the rest of the food groups in our side dishes helps us make sure we are getting all the nutrients we need to live a healthy life. Families with kids especially should prioritize providing them with the nutrients they need to grow and thrive. Most of our side dishes will contain fruits and vegetables packed with necessary vitamins and minerals: vitamins A and C and calcium, to name a few. These help with tissue development, boosting immune systems and building strong bones – all of which a growing child needs.