Meal guide for healthy eating

22 January, 2024
Produced by:

Optum Medical Care, P.C.

Clinically reviewed by: Optum National Clinical Review Team

Meal guide for healthy eating

Making good food choices can help lower your cholesterol, blood sugar and weight.

Make your plate look like this:

½ plate non-starchy vegetables and/or salad
¼ plate carbohydrates
¼ plate protein

Breakfast ideas

1 to 2 slices whole-wheat bread with natural peanut butter ½ cup berries	2 egg whites omelet with veggies 1 to 2 slices whole-wheat bread light margarine or light butter
½ cup cooked, unflavored oatmeal ½ cup blueberries ½ cup nonfat milk or nonfat Greek yogurt 10–15 almonds or walnuts optional: add flaxseed & cinnamon	1 corn tortilla ½ cup beans Eggbeaters® 1 slice low-fat cheese
2 small pancakes with diet syrup 2 turkey or soy sausages Eggbeaters®	1 to 2 corn tortillas 2 slices low-fat cheese salsa

Lunch or dinner ideas

grilled salmon 1 cup whole-wheat pasta green beans water or sugar-free drink	turkey burger on whole-grain bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles and light mayo green salad with light dressing water or sugar-free drink
Lean Cuisine® or Healthy Choice® frozen meal steamed vegetables or green salad with light dressing water or sugar-free drink	6-inch turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread green salad with light dressing water or sugar-free drink
stir-fry veggies and tofu ½ cup brown rice water or sugar-free drink	2 chicken tacos on corn tortillas ½ cup beans green salad with light dressing water or sugar-free drink

Choose more foods from this section

Vegetables: 2 or more cups a day	Fruits: 2 to 3 servings a day
broccoli cauliflower cucumbers green beans tomatoes zucchini	1 small apple 1 cup berries ½ cup mixed fruit

Legumes and soy: 4 to 5 servings a week	Fish: 3 servings a week
beans lentils peas soy beans tofu	salmon sardines shrimp mahi-mahi mackerel tuna: limit 1x week canned salmon

Healthy fats (Small portions)	Unsalted nuts and seeds (Small portions)
canola oil olive oil soft-tub margarine avocados flaxseed meal	almonds peanuts pecans walnuts pumpkin chia cashews

Carbohydrates	Poultry and dairy
whole-wheat bread whole-wheat pasta whole-wheat tortilla corn tortilla farro bulgur brown rice steel-cut oats quinoa plain yams and potatoes corn	skinless chicken turkey breast low-fat cheese egg whites 1% milk fat-free milk light or greek yogurt

Drinks
water unsweetened tea unsweetened coffee unsweetened almond milk unsweetened soy milk

Stay away from food in this section

Foods high in saturated fats
whole milk and 2% milk coconut milk ice cream sour cream cheese (like cheddar) chips sausage, bacon ground beef chicken with skin ham, bologna salami, pastrami	liver, tongue, heart menudo, ribs butter, stick, margarine, shortening, lard coconut, palm oil prime beef pork and beef franks creamy dressings pork rinds egg yolks (No more than 3 times a week)

Foods and drinks high in sugar
sherbet smoothies frozen yogurt sugar, agave, honey, jelly, syrup pies candy Jell-O® donuts sweet breads	cake cookies chocolate regular sodas juices, punch, Snapple® sports drinks energy drinks

Limit starches
bagels croissants white bread white rice pastas boxed cereals	beer non-alcoholic beer mixed drinks regular sodas wine and whiskey gin tequila rum vodka brandy

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