Jul 28, 20232 min
Building a balanced meal will help you consume proper nutrients throughout the day, as well as help you feel fuller for longer. Now, I'm not saying it's not okay to have a snack or meal that is primarily one macronutrient, but it is important to aim for balanced meals most of the time.
When building a balanced meal, you'll want to consider having a source of protein, vegetables, carbohydrate, and fat. The "perfect" or "optimal" ratio of each category varies depending on the person, their goals, meal frequency, and personal preferences.
As a general rule of thumb, aim for the following at each meal:
1 serving or 1 palm-sized serving of protein
2 servings or 2 fist-sized servings of vegetables
1 serving or 1 cupped-hand-sized serving of carbohydrates
1-2 servings or 1-2 thumb-sized servings of fat
Here are several examples of foods that fall into each category:
Protein
Chicken
Turkey
Lean Beef
Steak
Pork
Salmon
Tuna
Tilapia
Cod
Shrimp
Eggs
Greek Yogurt
Cottage Cheese
Tempeh
Tofu
Protein Powder
Vegetables
Spinach
Cauliflower
Romaine
Broccoli
Kale
Carrots
Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Peppers
Cucumbers
Onions
Brussels Sprouts
Celery
Leeks
Beets
Zucchini
Cabbage
Carbohydrates
Sweet Potato
Potato
Rice
Quinoa
Oats
Whole-Grain Bread
Chickpeas
Lentils
Pasta
Beans
Berries
Apple
Banana
Orange
Mango
Peach
Pineapple
Melons
Fats
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cashews
Almonds
Peanuts
Walnuts
Avocado
Flaxseeds
Chia Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Olives
It's important to note that just because a food is listed in a specific category here doesn't mean that it is only a source protein, carbohydrates, or fats. It likely has other macronutrients, but how the foods are categorized is based on where most of the foods' calories are coming from. For example, peanuts have protein, but it is primarily a fat source. Beans have protein, but it is primarily a carb source. Greek yogurt has carbohydrates, but it is primarily a protein source. It's also important to note that fruits and vegetables are both carbohydrate sources.