Is Your Plate in Shape?

By: Rachel Coury

Today not only marks the beginning of March but also the start of National Nutrition Month! In honor of our new healthy eating icon, MyPlate, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics decided to make this year's theme "Get Your Plate in Shape." So just how can you make sure your plate is up to par? The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion has released several great tip sheets on how to make your plate a MyPlate. The hospital where I am currently interning has decided to have a table in their cafeteria devoted to proper portion sizes. We are using household items to help visualize serving sizes as it can often be difficult to eyeball them. Here are some of my favorite representations:

• Baseball (~1 cup): 1 serving of vegetables
• Golfball (~2 tbsp): 1 serving of peanut butter
• Small Postage Stamp (~1 tsp): 1 serving of butter/oil
• Computer Mouse (~0.5 cup): 1 serving of fresh fruit, 1 serving of frozen yogurt
• Nine Volt Batter (~1 oz): 1 serving of cheese

National Nutrition Month is a great time for all of us to reflect on our current dietary habits and learn new tips on how to become healthier. For more ideas on how to get your plate in shape make sure to visit: ChooseMyPlate.gov.