I am a member of the Balance Your Plate team and helping spread the word about CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN® oven-ready pizzas. As a team member, I receive product and incentives in exchange for participating in brand-related activities. #MyCPKPizza
It’s not too early for me to start preparing for this years school year. Buying clothes, school supplies, getting the schedule in order and figuring out meals for easy preparation when we get busy are all important parts of our preparations. This year though we are going to be a bit more organized with our menus and we are finding ways to keep in line with the Balance Your Plate initiative that CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN® (Nestlé) is part of. Earlier this week I learned that most Americans only meet the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for proper nutrition an estimated 7 days out of the year. Think about that. Let it absorb. Seven days. 7. Seven out of 365 days our kids are getting the proper nutrition according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. That is a shame. It’s sad.
What does a balanced plate look like? Think about pairing your meats with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy. Balance Your Plate with Nestlé helps consumers find unique ways to integrate more nutrition throughout the day, while managing portions and calorie intake. It really just boils down to finding the right foods, in the right amount to pair together.
Here is what an 1800 calorie daily meal plan looks like for a person over the age of 18:
- 6 oz. of grains
- 2 1/2 cups of vegetables
- 3 cups of dairy
- 2 cups of fruit
- 5 1/2 oz. of protein
How does a frozen pizza fit into the balanced plate? First let me start by sharing that freezing is “Nature’s Pause Button” and it saves all the freshness for when you are ready to eat it! Freezing locks in all the nutrition and CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN® prides themselves on using the freshest, nutritious ingredients such as vine ripened tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, and fontina cheese to name a few. Think about it, a slice of pizza normally has grains, dairy, protein, and veggies. Served with a side salad or bowl of fruit and you are well on your way to “Balance Your Plate“.
So what might a sample menu look like if you were to decide to join me? Here is a sample 1900 calorie diet meal plan examples for different meals throughout the day. For more detailed plan check out the Balance Your Plate website.
Breakfast
- 3 oz whole grain bagel with 2 Tbsp peanut butter
- 1 cup melon cubes
- 1 cup low-fat milk
Lunch
- Chicken salad sandwich made with
- 2 slices multigrain bread
- 2 oz canned chicken, drained
- 2 tsp mayonnaise
- 2 slices tomato & lettuce leaf
- 1 medium pear
- 1 cup low-fat milk
Dinner
- A high quality frozen pizza (like CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN®) paired with a side salad
Snack
- 1 oz honey-roasted almonds
- ¼ cup dried apricots
- ½ cup grape juice
Going back to school this year is going to be a lot easier now that I’m planning ahead. Not only is it going to be easier, but with the information I found on the Balance Your Plate website it is going to be a lot healthier too and that something we all need.
