Balanced Diet - What you should Eat

Select the correct type and amount of food to ensure that you are having a balanced diet.

Source: http://www.hpb.gov.sg/HOPPortal/health-article/2638

Planning a simple menu

Planning a simple menu isn't difficult. As long as each meal or snack has some fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates and a little bit of fat. Here is an example of how to plan a menu for a day, which consists of breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Breakfast is important, as it will help you kick-start your day with plenty of energy. Therefore, do not ruin your breakfast with high-fat and high-calorie foods! Choose some protein and fiber for your breakfast, and it's a good time to have some fresh fruit.

• One serving of oatmeal
• One-half cup of strawberries
• One or two tablespoon of chopped nuts (preferably walnuts or macadamia nuts)
• A glass of orange juice

A mid-morning snack is totally optional. If you eat a larger breakfast, you may not feel hungry until lunchtime. However, if you are feeling a little bit hungry and lunch is still 2 to 3 hours away, a light mid-morning snack will tide you over without adding a lot of calories.

• One serving of plain yogurt mixed with one-half cup of blueberries and a little touch of honey
• Water (or diet soda)

Lunch is often something you eat at work or school, so here is an idea for a portable lunch you can pack and take with you.

A sandwich made with:

• Two slices of 100-percent wholegrain bread
• Two or three ounces of lean turkey breast
• A little mayonnaise (or mustard)
• A tomato slice
• Lettuce
• One-half to one cup of raw baby carrots
• One can (or bottle) of sparkling water

A mid-afternoon snack is also optional. Keep it low in calories and eat just enough to keep you from feeling too hungry (dinner is just a couple of hours away).

• An apple
• A handful of walnuts
• A glass of milk

Dinner is a time when it is easy to over-eat, especially if you haven't eaten much during the day, therefore you should watch your portion sizes. Mentally divide your plate into four quarters. One quarter is for your meat or protein source, one quarter is for starch and the last two quarters are for green and colourful vegetables and/or a green salad.

• One serving of baked or roasted chicken breast
• One small baked potato with salsa or low fat sour cream
• Large portion of steamed asparagus
• One small 100-percent wholegrain roll
• Small glass of white wine which is optional (or regular wine)

A light complex carbohydrate-rich evening snack may help you sleep, but you should avoid heavy and greasy foods or foods high in refined sugars

• Six wholegrain crackers
• Two ounces of sliced cheese
• One piece of fresh fruit

Here are some simple tips:

• Drink water or non-fat milk instead of sugary sodas
• Choose 100-percent wholegrain breads and cereals (At least half of your servings of breads and cereals should be wholegrain)
• Avoid highly processed lunch meats and sausages, which are high in saturated fat and calories
• Cut back on fatty red meats (Choose more fish and seafood or vegetarian protein sources like dry beans and soy
• Increase your intake of brightly-coloured and dark green vegetables
• Serve fresh fruits and berries for dessert

Source: http://nutrition.about.com/od/diets/ht/samplemenu1.htm