Maudene Nelson, RD, CDE has been a nutrition educator at the Columbia University Institute of Human Nutrition for the past thirty years. She is also a diabetes educator at the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center. She tells us about "The Plate Method" and how it can help us eat healthier.

Q: What is a good way for people to start eating healthier?

A: My favorite tip for starting to change or improve your diet is to use "The Plate Method" for at least one meal a day.

First, picture your plate as a circle. Half of the space on the plate should be filled with vegetables.  Think of all your favorite vegetables - whether your list has two or twenty veggies - those vegetables should take up half of the space on their plate.  Giving vegetables such a huge role is a push for many people.  To make it more appealing you can serve the vegetables any way you like them.  Keep it as simple as possible.  For example, buy them fresh, frozen, canned, or from salad bars or cafeterias.  Have them steamed, sautéed, grated raw, baked, microwaved, right out of the can, or reheated from a previous meal.  Remember to chose colorful vegetables and try to vary them from day to day.  Here are some ideas: cabbage, string beans, yellow squash, carrots, peppers, eggplant, snow peas, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, beets, mustard greens, turnips, okra, tomatoes, and zucchini.  Try them one at a time or mix them up.

A quarter of the space on your plate should be a starch-hopefully a lot of beans would take up that space.  Corn and potatoes also count as starches-not as vegetables.  Other starches include pasta (hot or cold), bread, plantain, sweet potatoes, green peas, stuffing, and everybody's favorite: rice.

And the last quarter of the space should be a protein food.  Back before restaurants started supersizing everything; people probably ate a piece of meat (including turkey, chicken, beef, pork, and lamb) or fish that was the size of the palm of your hand.  That's more than enough meat for one meal.  Proteins can also be cheese, eggs, tofu, nuts, peanut butter or beans.

Wondering where the fruit is? It's on the side.  And, just like the vegetables, chose colorful fruits and vary them from day to day.

If you are interested in working with Maudene Nelson and bringing nutrition into your community, please e-mail her at mln2@columbia.edu.