What is a balanced meal?

More treats and nutrients with a balanced meal!

Eating healthy to stay in excellent health is good, but the true definition of a well-balanced meal is still to be known. Diet is based not only on variety and moderation, but also on conviviality and the pleasure of eating. Here’s how to meet everyone’s nutritional needs, appetite and tastes.

A well-balanced meal in the truest sense of the word

A balanced meal is a meal made up of different families of foods. Of course, it is a question of eating everything, but in very appropriate quantities. Foods that are beneficial to health should be preferred (vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, starchy foods, etc.), while salty, sweet and fatty products should be limited. It is important to know that a balanced diet is not built up over a single meal or even a day, but over the week. One reason why there is no forbidden food, and even less a miracle food. Rather, the essentials are choice and quantity. That said, a festive meal can be balanced with light, balanced meals afterwards. A perfectly adapted diet contributes greatly to limiting weight gain when combined with regular physical exercise. It also helps prevent certain health problems such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, excess cholesterol or osteoporosis.

The composition of the different meals

Breakfast

A well-balanced and complete breakfast must be composed:

Grain products: bread or cereals. Note that croissants and other pastries contain far too much sugar and fat.
From a dairy product: a glass of hot or cold milk, yoghurt or cottage cheese.
A fruit: banana, peach, orange, kiwi, apple… depending on the season, a squeezed fruit juice, a compote without added sugar.
A drink: tea, coffee, hot chocolate, water.

As a snack

It is sometimes not recommended to snack between meals. In fact, avoid sweet snacks and other industrial products. A good snack such as yoghurt, fruit and cereals is good for your health. If you’re really tired, it’s better to opt for a handful of nuts than a chocolate bar to replenish your energy. Especially since nuts are excellent for your health and skin.

At lunch and dinner

A well-balanced plate must be composed :

Cooked or raw vegetables: it is recommended to eat 80 to 100 g of vegetables.
A source of animal protein.
A starchy food: especially vary between bread, rice, pasta and potato.
A dairy product: a portion of cheese, about 30 g, or a yoghurt.
A cooked or fresh fruit.

Vary the menus

There’s no better way to establish good eating habits than by creating a wide variety of menus. Portions of each dish may differ depending on the age, appetite and physical activity of each member of the family. Knowing that one meal is more than enough when it doesn’t leave you feeling hungry.