VCH Healthy Plate

Shift the food proportions on your nine inch (23 cm)  plate to ½ vegetables, ¼ whole grains, ¼ meat & alternatives. Add a piece of fruit and a serving of milk or milk alternatives, such as fortified soy beverage, to complete your meal!

Download healthy plate and healthy bowl resources on PHEM.

• Healthy plate handout
• Healthy bowl handout 
• Healthy bowl handout (Chinese Traditional 繁體中文)

Watch healthy eating videos on YouTube.

Healthy Plate provides information on general healthy eating for adults and youth. Those with specific health concerns or medical conditions requiring individualized nutrition advice should contact a dietitian or call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1.

The Healthy Plate is not intended for:

Acutely ill adults who have different nutritional needs than healthy adults

Infants and toddlers who have different nutritional needs than youth and adults

• Vegetables reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease
• Vegetables are very high in nutrients and low in calories
• Clinical trials show that using the Healthy Plate is successful for menu planning and increasing vegetable intake

The Healthy Plate is a great tool to help parents plan meals.

Reminder for parents

• Parents and caregivers should decide what, when, and where food is offered
• The child decides whether to eat and how much food to eat from what is offered
• Set a routine for regular meals and snacks

The Healthy Plate is a great guide to help you eat healthier, but there are other tips you can keep in mind. Watch the healthy eating tips video.

• Add a piece of fruit and a serving of milk or milk alternatives
• Eat when you are hungry
• Eat slowly and enjoy your food
• Have regular meals to avoid overeating later on
• Satisfy your thirst with water
• Choose healthy oils such as olive, canola and peanut oil
• Include fish, lean meats, cheeses, eggs or vegetarian protein choices as part of your meal

To avoid over-filling your plate, here’s a handy portion guide. You can also watch the Healthy Plate portion guide video.

• Whole grains: choose an amount the size of your fist
• Vegetables: choose as much as you can hold in both hands
• Meat & alternatives: choose an amount up to the size of the palm of your hand and the thickness of your little finger

For more healthy eating tips, recipes and resources, visit Canada’s Food Guide.