For many parents, nutrition is NOT a fun topic. That’s why I wrote a book called Make Nutrition Fun. I share stories from my own personal life as a mom, wife, and certified nutritional counselor as a backdrop for studying nutrition lessons and providing balanced, science-based advice.
(And I hear from my readers that I make them laugh, often. And some appreciate that the recipes in the book include some sweet treats. We are not perfect. It is all about moderation).
And even though I’ve been studying nutrition for decades, I still keep my eye out for new ideas and fun ways to engage kiddos.
I just heard that My Plate (developed under the leadership of one of my heroes, Michelle Obama) has a newly updated fun resource. So I wanted to share it with you.
It’s the MyPlateQuiz.
The MyPlate Quiz and supporting materials are now available in Spanish (gracias!), and the MyPlate levels have been added to the results page.
Take the MyPlate Quiz to find your starting point and discover which MyPlate level you are.
There are a total of six levels, ranging from ‘MyPlate Beginner’ to ‘MyPlate Hall of Famer.’
In addition to receiving MyPlate recommendations and personalized resources, you can now save and download a PDF of your results and retake the quiz to view your progress over time. MyPlate is here to help you with your eating habits as you work towards the next MyPlate level.
What is MyPlate
It’s the nutritional icon that replaced the food pyramid of the 1990s. At Nurture, we were THRILLED to ditch the pyramid and have more fun with plates. You can access some of Nurture’s resources that we teach from here.
As a reminder, here are some of the important take-aways from MyPlate:
- Make half of your plate fruits and veggies. Be sure to emphasize the veggies!
- Eat lean protein at each meal. Include a protein source in every snack and meal throughout the day.
- Make your grains of choice whole grains. While MyPlate asks for only half your grains to be whole, avoiding processed grains whenever possible is the best choice.
- Choose your beverage wisely. Cut out the soda and sugary drinks. Kids should limit fruit juice to one cup per day. Harvard’s Healthy Plate highlights water, not dairy, as the beverage of choice.
The site has a bunch of additional resources, too:
- 20 Ways to Enjoy More Fruits and Vegetables
- 25 Healthy Snacks for Kids
- Color Your Plate with Salad
- Eating Right for a Healthy Weight
- Eating Right on a Budget
- Healthy Eating on the Run
- Power Up with Breakfast
- Eating Right Tips for Older Adults
- Eating Right with Less Salt
- Kids Eat Right
The key is to NOT get overwhelmed by trying to consume all the content at once. (Yes, I think we have “portion distortion” issues not only with food but also with the amount of information that we tend to consume).
Thank you Michelle Obama! 🙂
