Kids Nutrition Plate: Maximize Your Use!

A User’s Guide for best using the MyPlate children’s nutrition plate! Download my FREE MyPlate Lesson Plan for Elementary Age kids here.

Kids Nutrition Plate

The MyPlate Nutrition Plate is a health-focussed tool designed to help you build nutrient-dense meals. It provides sectioned off areas to aid in the creation of portion controlled eating that aligns with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate model.

This page offers additional information that can help you best utilize your portion control plate and follow the MyPlate method of eating.

Examples of Easy Meals to Make

Here are some examples of meals that can be made following the nutrition plate’s guidance of 25% vegetables, 25% fruits, 25% grains, and 25% protein. Each meal example is simple and utilizes whole foods.

myplate egg breakfast — apple, strawberry chunks, toast, roasted sweet potato, and scrambled eggs

kids plate for dinnere (Custom) — apple, strawberry chunks, toast, roasted sweet potato, and scrambled eggs

strawberries, brown rice, corn salad, and pork — Blueberries, a bagel, BBQ chicken breast, and sweet potato noodles

Blueberries, a bagel, BBQ chicken breast, and sweet potato noodles

Portion control plate for dinner — orange slices, croissant, peas, and bbq chicken

Portion control plate for kids — orange slices, croissant, peas, and bbq chicken

Myplate Breakfast with pumpkin bread — blueberries and bananas, pumpkin bread, egg omelete, and potatoes

choose myplate breakfast — blueberries and bananas, pumpkin bread, egg omelete, and potatoes

choose myplate breakfast mug cake — blueberries, bread, egg whites, and hashbrown

portion control plate breakfast — grapefruit, oats, scrambled egg whites, and mushrooms

myplate minfulness meal — grapefruit, oats, scrambled egg whites, and mushrooms

blackberries, mac and cheese, chicken, and broccoli

plate and portion control — blackberries, mac and cheese, chicken, and broccoli

Make Your Own Meal Combinations

Use the chart below to create interesting and balance meals on your nutrition plate.

Protein Options	Grain Options	Vegetable Options	Fruit Options
Grilled Chicken	White Rice	Roasted Bell Pepper	Strawberries
Crockpot Chicken	Brown Rice	Broccoli	Banana
Shrimp	Quinoa	Cucumber	Raspberries
Tuna	Popcorn	Green Salad	Blackberries
Salmon	Pretzels	Green Beans	Blueberries
Lean Ground Beef	Noodles	Peas	Apples
Ground Turkey	Toast	Zucchini & Yellow Squash	Grapes
Ground Chicken	Tortilla	Asparagus	Oranges
Lean Sausage	Bagel	Mushrooms	Mangoes
Eggs/ Egg Whites	Bread Roll/Croissant	Cauliflower Rice	Peaches
Tofu	Crackers	Avocado	Watermelon
White Fish	Cereal	Carrots	Cantaloupe
Tempeh	Bread	Corn	Cherries
Legumes (lentils, beans, chickpeas, peanuts, etc.)	Oatmeal/Oats	Kale, Lettuce, Spinach, Romaine, Cabbage, etc.	Kiwi
Ham	Couscous	Brussel Sprouts	Pineapple
Cooked Turkey	Chips	Celery	Pomegranates
Deli Meat	Tostadas	Eggplant	Plums
Greek Yogurt	Whole Wheat Pasta	Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes	Apricots
Cottage Cheese	Muffins	Tomatoes	Pears
Seafood (scallops, crab, crawfish, etc.)	Waffles	Onion	Coconut
Protein Bar/Shake	Pancakes	Root vegetables (beets, turnips, parsnips, radishes, etc.)	Grapefruit

Frequently Asked Questions

Click on the question to view the expanded answer.

The MyPlate method is a USDA-established approach to healthy eating that advocates for getting adequate amounts of all 5 food groups: Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Proteins, and Dairy. It uses a plate with colorful sectioned off areas to demonstrate healthy portion sizes for each of the food groups.

Using the Product: The MyPlate Portion Control Plate is a product modeled after the MyPlate method. It is divided into 4 sections, with slightly smaller fruit and protein sections combined with slightly larger vegetable and grain areas. Though the plate itself doesn’t feature a dairy section, users are encouraged to add dairy to their diet either in a separate bowl, cup, or topping somewhere on the plate. This helps users create balanced meals that comply with their dietary restrictions.

A great way to spice up your kids’ meals is to mix and match the veggies, grains, fruit, and protein sources. Additionally, it can help to incorporate low calorie flavor add-ins such as:

fresh herbs
spices
mustard
sour cream
pesto
marinara
low cal bbq sauce
hot sauce
maple syrup
citrus juice
honey
sriracha
and more!!

Yes! The MyPlate Portion Control Plate is made from safe, sturdy plastic that’s dishwasher-safe, microwave-safe, and free from BPA, pthalates, and melamine.

The MyPlate Portion Control Plate is designed to support you and your kids in making real diet changes. It helps users learn…

To make half their plates fruits and vegetables.
To aim for balance.
To prepare food at home.
That eating healthy food doesn’t have to be complicated.
That success is possible!

It truly is a simple solution that offers visual reminders that encourage the user to eat a healthy portion of all the food groups.

Find more health-related resources for children on my blog, Healthbeet.org. A few articles you might enjoy include:

Kids Nutrition Plate

Examples of Easy Meals to Make

Make Your Own Meal Combinations

Frequently Asked Questions

Low Calorie Dinner: Asian Lettuce Wraps

12 Healthy French Toast Recipes

Low Calorie Menu Items at Chick-fil-a

Mind-blowing Low Calorie Appetizers

Low Calorie Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe

Watermelon Salad Recipes