It’s easy to fall into the trap of fast and convenient food in our busy lifestyles. Often times, those options aren’t the healthiest for us. The Perfect Plate chart is a great resource to help guide you in making healthier food choices for a healthier you.

Here are some other great tips:

• Use a smaller plate for mealtimes to help stick to smaller portions.

• Plan and prep ahead to eliminate last minute roadblocks or time crunches that would prevent you from sticking to The Perfect Plate plan.

• Keep your pantry stocked with the good staples just in case you do have to deviate from your intended plan.

• When choosing vegetables and fruit, eat the rainbow for a variety of flavors as well as nutrients.

• Fuel up each meal with nutrient-dense, healthy choices.

• Choose healthy snacks to maintain energy levels, curb hunger and prevent possible overeating during scheduled mealtimes.