Recipes

Side dishes

The glue that holds your meal together, include some color and carbohydrate to balance out your main dish.

Sides quick tips

Building a balanced meal with sides

If your meal is comprised of a 'main dish' ideally you should be pairing it with 1-2 side dishes. Opt for a minimally processed vegetable and a whole grain that's high in fiber (>3g fiber per serving).

What is the serving size for a side dish?

Generally speaking any grain side dish is between 1/4-1/2 c per serving. Read the nutrition labels of your grain to see what its specific serving size is. A vegetable serving size can vary between 1/2-1 c per serving.

A general rule of thumb is to craft your meal using the 'plate method' of 1/4 of your plate being a protein, 1/4 of your plate being a whole grain carbohydrate, and 1/2 your plate being a non-starchy vegetable.