by: Jillayne Samatas
When I first started working at Common Threads I was not very knowledgeable about nutrition or what our plate should look like when I ate meals. I grew up in a very healthy household where chicken and vegetables were the typical meals; no chips, cookies or sugary cereals. Some of those “no” foods have come back to haunt me in my adult life; “moderation is key” I try to tell myself.
Although my meals were pretty healthy growing up I didn’t really know why they were good for me or why we ate a protein, grain and lots of vegetables at the dinner table. It wasn’t until I learned a healthy way to construct my plate that I really understood the benefits of balancing foods and thinking about the things I eat. Each week in Common Threads’ classes children have a large role in making the final product they sit down and eat at the end of each class. A beautiful display of colors and textures end up being on their plates which typically ends up being ½ of their plates filled with vegetables, ¼ with protein and ¼ with grains. It’s so simple, yet easy to remember. It can make meals fun to think about when it is broken down in that way; I have found myself cooking some random things in my kitchen, but keeping in mind this simple plate format for my meals.
When I first started working at Common Threads I was not very knowledgeable about nutrition or what our plate should look like when I ate meals. I grew up in a very healthy household where chicken and vegetables were the typical meals; no chips, cookies or sugary cereals. Some of those “no” foods have come back to haunt me in my adult life; “moderation is key” I try to tell myself.
Although my meals were pretty healthy growing up I didn’t really know why they were good for me or why we ate a protein, grain and lots of vegetables at the dinner table. It wasn’t until I learned a healthy way to construct my plate that I really understood the benefits of balancing foods and thinking about the things I eat. Each week in Common Threads’ classes children have a large role in making the final product they sit down and eat at the end of each class. A beautiful display of colors and textures end up being on their plates which typically ends up being ½ of their plates filled with vegetables, ¼ with protein and ¼ with grains. It’s so simple, yet easy to remember. It can make meals fun to think about when it is broken down in that way; I have found myself cooking some random things in my kitchen, but keeping in mind this simple plate format for my meals.
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