Getting your eating on track (or fine-tuning your current meal plan) is a cinch if you use this visual guide to meals that offer the right mix of nutrients (including carbohydrate, protein, and fat) for better control of glucose and weight.

1. Start with a 9-inch plate

Portion control is easier when your plate is no more than 9 inches wide. If the actual plate size of your dinnerware is more than 9 inches, fill just inside the rim. A shallow rimmed bowl (like a pasta bowl) is also a good option, as long as it measures 9 inches wide. Along with a right-size plate, use a 1-cup glass for milk, a ½-cup dish for fruit or dessert, and a 1-cup bowl for cereal or soup.

2. Partition your plate

Mentally divide your plate into sections and fill it as follows:

	¼ protein: Choose a lean meat, such as poultry, lean beef or pork, fish, tofu, eggs, cheese, or nuts.
	¼ starch or grain: Choose a serving of bread, tortilla, pasta, rice, beans, or starchy vegetable, such as potatoes, corn, or peas. (Men may need two servings of starch.) Choose whole grains and beans to give meals a fiber boost.
	½ nonstarchy vegetables: Choose from asparagus, broccoli, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, cucumbers, peppers, salad greens, tomatoes, zucchini, and many others. For variety, pick two nonstarchy vegetables per meal.

3. Plate extras

For at least one meal each day, and as your calorie allowance permits, enjoy a cup of low-fat milk or light yogurt and a small piece of fresh fruit or ½ cup cut-up fruit. When you pick low-fat options, a meal with these side items and each of the three plate components totals less than 50 grams of carbohydrate and less than 500 calories.

4. Measure the height

Don’t fall into the trap of piling food too high on your plate to make up for the plate’s smaller size. Foods should be no more than ½ inch high.

5. Apportion combinations

You can use the plate method with mixed dishes such as casseroles, pizza, tacos, and sandwiches, too. Just think of the ingredients separately. A salad with grilled chicken and croutons could cover every section of the plate: greens, carrots, and tomatoes for the nonstarchy vegetables; chicken for the protein; and croutons for the starch or grain. Assemble casseroles in layers so you can see how much meat versus vegetables you’re getting. When in doubt, put the serving for a casserole with pasta, rice, or beans in the starch section of the plate.

6. Go easy on extras

When using items like salad dressings, sauces, and spreads, choose low-fat versions and keep the servings as skimpy as you can. When dining out, ask for dressing on the side and ask for substitutions.

7. Make fair trades

When you are calculating your servings (or exchanges) of fruit, milk, and starch, trade one for another to keep your carbs in check. For example, if you want two pieces of bread for a sandwich, skip the milk or fruit for that meal. The fruit, milk, or starch serving can also be traded for a cup of broth-base soup or even ½ cup low-fat ice cream.

8. Divide the breakfast plate

You can use the plate method for breakfast, too. Omit the nonstarchy vegetable and protein servings; just use the starch, fruit, and milk servings. Or pair a hunger-satisfying protein such as scrambled egg whites or lean pork cutlets with a small whole grain pancake.