When looking at the three plates, one similarity that I noticed was the proportions of the four major food groups i.e. fruits, vegetables, protein, and grains. The proportions across all three plates were relatively the same. A similarity that I was surprised to see between the three plates was related to the amount of fruit one should eat. I thought it would be recommended to eat more fruit, but across all three plates fruit had the lowest portion. A final similarity between the plates is the emphasis on whole grains rather than processed grains such as white rice or white bread. I agree with this opinion because whole grains provide more fiber for the diet, and I think more people should be encouraged to eat whole grains.
As for the differences between these plates, the one difference that stood out the most was related to the drink recommended with each plate. For the USDA, it was suggested to drink dairy as the only option whereas Harvard and the U of M stress drinking only water while limiting the consumption of dairy. I found this interesting because the federal government has been known to subsidize the dairy industry, and recommend dairy in daily diets to promote dairy sales. Another difference that I found was from the U of M where starchy vegetables were included with the whole grains, and this recommendation was not made by either the USDA or Harvard. A final difference that I noticed was that the USDA does not emphasize a variety of vegetables and grains whereas both the U of M and Harvard recommend variety. I believe the USDA should also be doing this as well because people are more likely look at USDA resources on the internet, and a variety of vegetables helps to brighten dishes while also providing key nutrients.
Personally, I found the U of M plate the most helpful because it provided the greatest amount of detail in terms of which ingredients apply to each category. Additionally, I would be able to directly purchase the items that are on the plate and try to incorporate those ingredients into my diet.
For this week, I tried to follow the food plate from the University of Minnesota, and I decided to prepare chicken tacos. For this meal, I prepared chicken within my slow cooker on top of a bed of red onions and bell peppers. I marinated the chicken in olive oil and a Mexican spice blend before putting the chicken in the slow cooker. I then made a guacamole from avocados, red onion, cilantro, lime, and salt (guacamole is not pictured). To prepare the tacos themselves, I added the guacamole, chicken, slow cooked vegetables, fresh tomatoes, and cilantro.
My go-to-meal fits mostly fits the U of M plate since it does incorporate a variety of vegetables and protein. However, I was missing my fruit portion for the day and I also did not have a sufficient source of grains. I did use corn tortillas rather than flour tortillas to avoid the more processed flour tortillas. To modify this recipe to include fruit, I think I would make a fruit salad to be put on the side. I would also think about switching the corn tortillas for brown rice. Then I could make brown rice burrito bowls to get my portion of whole grains for the day.
I chose to follow the U of M plate guideline because it provides the greatest amount of detail in terms of what kinds of food I should purchase for each category. I also liked how it encourages to use spices and emphasizes a broad variety of both vegetables and grains. I still have leftover guacamole and chicken, so I still have the opportunity to purchase brown rice to make burrito bowls.
As for the differences between these plates, the one difference that stood out the most was related to the drink recommended with each plate. For the USDA, it was suggested to drink dairy as the only option whereas Harvard and the U of M stress drinking only water while limiting the consumption of dairy. I found this interesting because the federal government has been known to subsidize the dairy industry, and recommend dairy in daily diets to promote dairy sales. Another difference that I found was from the U of M where starchy vegetables were included with the whole grains, and this recommendation was not made by either the USDA or Harvard. A final difference that I noticed was that the USDA does not emphasize a variety of vegetables and grains whereas both the U of M and Harvard recommend variety. I believe the USDA should also be doing this as well because people are more likely look at USDA resources on the internet, and a variety of vegetables helps to brighten dishes while also providing key nutrients.
Personally, I found the U of M plate the most helpful because it provided the greatest amount of detail in terms of which ingredients apply to each category. Additionally, I would be able to directly purchase the items that are on the plate and try to incorporate those ingredients into my diet.
For this week, I tried to follow the food plate from the University of Minnesota, and I decided to prepare chicken tacos. For this meal, I prepared chicken within my slow cooker on top of a bed of red onions and bell peppers. I marinated the chicken in olive oil and a Mexican spice blend before putting the chicken in the slow cooker. I then made a guacamole from avocados, red onion, cilantro, lime, and salt (guacamole is not pictured). To prepare the tacos themselves, I added the guacamole, chicken, slow cooked vegetables, fresh tomatoes, and cilantro.
My go-to-meal fits mostly fits the U of M plate since it does incorporate a variety of vegetables and protein. However, I was missing my fruit portion for the day and I also did not have a sufficient source of grains. I did use corn tortillas rather than flour tortillas to avoid the more processed flour tortillas. To modify this recipe to include fruit, I think I would make a fruit salad to be put on the side. I would also think about switching the corn tortillas for brown rice. Then I could make brown rice burrito bowls to get my portion of whole grains for the day.
I chose to follow the U of M plate guideline because it provides the greatest amount of detail in terms of what kinds of food I should purchase for each category. I also liked how it encourages to use spices and emphasizes a broad variety of both vegetables and grains. I still have leftover guacamole and chicken, so I still have the opportunity to purchase brown rice to make burrito bowls.
Comments
Post a Comment