The Plate Model 2025 – A Modern Guide
The plate model has long been a simple tool for understanding how to build a balanced meal. It shows proportions, not exact amounts. In 2025, the model has been updated to better reflect today’s knowledge of health, sustainability, and the environment.
1. Half the plate – Vegetables, root vegetables, legumes, and fruit
- Focus on variety in color and type: leafy greens, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, beets, onions, cabbage, peppers, etc.
- Legumes (lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas) now play an even greater role, both for health and climate reasons.
- This part provides fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that strengthen the body and reduce the risk of disease.
2. One quarter – Carbohydrate-rich foods
- Potatoes, whole grain rice, bulgur, quinoa, couscous, or whole grain pasta.
- Emphasis on whole grains and slow carbs for more stable blood sugar, better satiety, and lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Less focus on white bread, white rice, and refined pasta, which spike blood sugar quickly.
3. One quarter – Protein-rich foods
- Includes both animal proteins (fish, chicken, eggs, lean meat) and plant-based proteins (tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils, soy products).
- The 2025 recommendations highlight that most protein should preferably come from plants and fish.
- Red meat and processed meat are recommended only in limited amounts, for both health and environmental reasons.
What’s New in 2025
- Sustainability: The model now supports both healthy and eco-friendly choices.
- Less meat – more plants: Plant-based protein is the first choice.
- Fiber and whole grains: Strongly emphasized as essential parts of every meal.
- Less ultra-processed food: Fresh, natural, and simple foods are in focus.
The Plate Model 2025 – Text-based “Visual”
🍅🥦🥕 Half the plate:
Vegetables, root vegetables, legumes, fruit.
Colorful, fiber-rich, full of vitamins.
🥔🍚 1/4 of the plate:
Carbohydrates – whole grains, potatoes, quinoa, bulgur, pasta.
Provides energy and long-lasting fullness.
🐟🌱 1/4 of the plate:
Protein – fish, chicken, eggs, or plant-based options
like tofu, beans, and lentils.
Builds muscles and nourishes the body.
