When you decide to eat out, MyPlate offers a guide for selecting healthier options from the five food groups and helps you be mindful of portion sizes to stay within your calorie needs. However, many of us like to enjoy these treats occasionally.

Some menu options can be high in salt and include extra calories from saturated fat and added sugars. MyPlate makes healthy eating easier and with a little creative thinking, you can apply this way of eating when you’ve got an urge for fast food.

Lactose-free dairy and fortified soy versions of milk and yogurt are also options. Dairy: Include a serving of fat-free or low-fat dairy, like milk, yogurt or cheese, with every meal.Vegetables: The last quarter is for vegetables such as spinach, broccoli or carrots.Fruits: Fill another quarter of your plate with fruit such as blueberries, tangerine slices or strawberries.Vegetarian sources of protein count, too – like beans, lentils and tofu. Protein Foods: Make one-quarter of your plate a protein food, such as an egg, fish, chicken or a lean source of meat.Grains: Fill one-quarter of your plate with grains - and aim to make at least half of your grains each day a whole grain, such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta or whole grain bread.

One easy step to follow is to divide a plate into four sections when you eat, and add a serving of low-fat or fat-free dairy with each meal: MyPlate provides an easy tool for helping you to include servings from each of the five food groups.

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