Meal planning: how to create a weekly menu?

Proper meal planning is based on simple and clear principles, with the healthy plate rule holding a key place. Visually divide your standard plate into three unequal parts, which will help maintain the right balance of macronutrients in every meal. Half of this volume should consist of fresh vegetables, herbs, or fruits, which provide the body with essential vitamins and dietary fiber.

The remaining half of the plate should be divided in half again to obtain quality proteins and complex carbohydrates. A quarter of the plate is allocated for protein products such as fish, poultry, eggs, or legumes, and another quarter for complex carbohydrates in the form of grains, whole grain bread, or durum wheat pasta. An additional element of this system is healthy fats, such as vegetable oils or nuts, which harmoniously complement the overall base of the diet.