In last week’s blog, Justine shared all about protein, including why we need it, how to determine how much we need, and what foods contain protein. Today I’m sharing a sample one-day meal plan for a 15-year-old male, a 40-year-old female, and a 65-year-old female who all get 30-60 minutes a day of physical activity. This meal plan is an outline of the protein and some of the other food groups people may need in a day.
The MyPlate Plan at https://www.myplate.gov/myplate-plan was used to estimate the amount of food each person needs in a day. Since the 15-year-old male has higher calorie and nutrient needs, he will need larger amounts of certain foods than someone with lower needs. Depending on what you like, you might add toppings to your oatmeal, sandwich, or salad. These all have a place in an eating plan that is satisfying and meets the nutrient needs of your body.
| Meals | 15-year-old male, 3000 calories | 40-year-old female, 2000 calories | 65-year-old female, 1800 calories |
| Breakfast | |||
| Oatmeal | 1 cup | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup |
| Milk | 1 cup | 1 cup | 1 cup |
| Banana | 1 medium | 1/2 medium | 1/2 medium |
| Slivered Almonds | 1/2 ounce | 1/2 ounce | 1/2 ounce |
| Lunch | |||
| Slices whole wheat bread | 2 slices | 2 slices | 2 slices |
| Turkey | 2 ounces | 2 ounces | 1 1/2 ounces |
| Cheese | 1 slice | 1 slice | 1 slice |
| Lettuce | 1 lettuce leaf | 1 lettuce leaf | 1 lettuce leaf |
| Tomato | 2 slices | 2 slices | 2 slices |
| Baby carrots | 1 cup | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup |
| Ranch | 2 tablespoons | 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon |
| Canned pineapple | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup | |
| Brownie | 1 small | 1 small | 1 small |
| Snack | |||
| Apple | 1 medium | 1 medium | 1 medium |
| Peanut butter | 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon |
| Supper | |||
| Pasta | 2 cups | 1 cup | 1 cup |
| Ground Beef | 3 ounces | 1 1/2 ounces | 1 1/2 ounces |
| Spaghetti Sauce | 1 cup | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup |
| Garlic Bread | 1 slice | ||
| Green Beans | 1 cup | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup |
| Lettuce | 2 cups | 2 cups | 2 cups |
| Tomatoes, chopped | 1/2 cup | 1/4 cup | 1/4 cup |
| Cucumber, chopped | 1/2 cup | 1/4 cup | 1/4 cup |
| Milk | 1 cup | 1 cup | 1 cup |
Italicized foods contribute to meeting protein needs.
As the meal plan shows, it’s important to include protein in meals and snacks and spread it throughout the day. All three people were able to meet their protein needs without the needs of specialty foods or supplements.
