MSU Extension Nutrition

Make every meal a balanced meal 

A balanced plate encourages eating a variety of healthy foods at every meal. Choose foods that you enjoy and aim to eat from each of the five food groups. These include fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. Follow these tips to build a healthy, balanced plate: 

1. Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables. 
2. Choose whole grains for at least half of your grain intake. 
3. Include a variety of protein sources. 
4. Select dairy options that meet your nutritional needs and preferences. 
5. Focus on minimally processed, whole foods as an important part of a healthy eating pattern. 

Focus on small, realistic steps you can take to make your plate more balanced. Home cooking can give you more control over ingredients, as well as improve nutrition and save you money. Using frozen, canned, or pre‑cut foods without added ingredients can make cooking whole foods easier. Learn more here about the types of processed foods and tips for choosing healthier food options. These lessons will provide more ideas on how to cook and eat a balanced diet in ways that work for you – but it’s just a taste of what you need to eat healthy. If this information inspires you to learn more about a topic, make sure the content is from a credible source.  

Having reliable nutrition information helps people make informed, healthy choices and feel confident while avoiding misinformation—especially in the digital age! To recognize signs of less-than-credible nutrition information, look for: 

• Statements that seem too good to be true. 

• Using extreme or absolute language. 

• Providing recommendations not based on credible research. 

Learn more here on discerning evidence-based nutrition facts from nutrition misinformation.  

Most importantly, what food do YOU like to eat?  

MSU Extension offers many nutrition tips and examples of meals that are balanced and tasty by incorporating a variety of foods. The MSU Extension Recipes website contains dozens of dietitian-approved recipes, along with videos and guides on food safety, preparation, budgeting and basic cooking skills. These six lessons are inspired by our programs, and these recipes and tips can fit everyday life.  

Now, let’s start with the importance of hydration. Cheers! 

Maintaining proper hydration is key to having a healthy body. Drinking water does amazing things for our bodies, such as: 

• Flushing toxins out  

• Regulating body temperature 

• Lubricating joints 

• Supporting proper digestion 

Fluid needs vary based on your age, sex, activity level, and overall health. On average, women need about 9 cups of fluids per day (with higher needs during pregnancy or breastfeeding), and men need about 13 cups. These amounts already include the water we get from food, which makes up about 20% of our daily intake. It’s also important to increase your fluid intake during physical activity to restore the water lost through sweating and respiration. For more tips on staying hydrated, click here. 

Not a fan of plain water? Try infusing it with sliced fruit, herbs, or berries. 

Movement Break 

Each week, we will feature a physical activity break mid-lesson. Physical activity plays an important role in overall health! Did you know that dancing counts as physical activity? Try the electric slide!  

For more movement ideas, visit the MSU Extension Physical Activity website. 

Bonus: Did you know that walking for just 15 minutes after a meal can be beneficial? Learn more here! 

Let’s get cooking 

Each week before you get started in the kitchen, we'll review a food and kitchen skill. This week, we are focusing on safe knife handling. Read more here about the different parts of a knife and how to keep your knives properly sharpened. See this video explaining safe knife use in the kitchen:  

Featured recipe  

This lesson’s featured recipe: Pulled salmon BBQ! Enjoy!

For more budget-friendly, healthy recipe ideas, check out the MSU Extension Recipes Page! 

Thank you for participating in this lesson. See you at the next one!