Your Daily Nutrition Checklist: A Framework for Balanced Eating

If you have ever felt overwhelmed by nutrition advice, confused by conflicting information, or unsure of what "balanced eating" actually looks like on your plate, you are not alone. As a holistic dietitian, one of the most common things I hear is, "I just want something simple I can follow."

This guide is exactly that. It is a gentle, realistic starting point to help you nourish your body with confidence. There is no calorie counting, strict rules, and no "good" or "bad" foods. Instead, you will find friendly daily targets that make it easier to build meals that support your energy, mood, digestion, immunity, and long-term health. Take what feels helpful, leave what doesn't.

How to Use This Guide

Think of this guide as a simple starting point for making sure you are giving your body the nutrition it needs each day. The amounts listed are general adult guidelines and provide a reasonable daily minimum for many adults. Your needs may be higher or lower depending on your age, body size, activity level, health, and goals. Children and teens have different nutrition needs.

You do not have to follow this perfectly or eat every food listed. Use it as a helpful guide to build balanced meals and get a variety of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals throughout the day and week.

🍗 Protein: Aim for at least 3 servings per day

Try to include a protein source at each main meal.

1 serving can be:

• 3 to 4 oz cooked chicken, turkey, fish, or lean meat

• 2 eggs

• ¾ to 1 cup Greek yogurt

• ¾ cup cottage cheese

• ½ to 1 cup beans or lentils

• 3 to 4 oz tofu or tempeh

• 1 oz nuts or seeds plus another protein source

Prioritize more often: fish, poultry, beans, lentils, soy foods, eggs, and lower-fat dairy.

Why: Protein supports muscle, fullness, immune function, and tissue repair.

🥦 Vegetables: Aim for at least 3 servings per day

1 serving can be:

• 1 cup raw vegetables or leafy greens

• ½ cup cooked vegetables

• 1 cup vegetable-based soup

Choose a variety of colors throughout the week.

Why: Vegetables provide fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, and many other beneficial plant compounds.

🍎 Fruits: Aim for at least 2 servings per day

1 serving can be:

• 1 medium apple, orange, pear, or banana

• 1 cup berries, melon, or chopped fruit

• ½ cup dried fruit

Choose whole fruit most often. Juice can fit, but whole fruit provides more fiber.

Why: Fruit provides fiber, potassium, vitamin C, folate, and other beneficial plant compounds.

🥑 Healthy Fats: Aim for at least 2 to 3 servings per day

Examples (1 serving):

PRIORITIZE THESE (unsaturated fats):

• 1 tsp olive, avocado, or canola oil

• 1 tbsp nuts or seeds (almonds, walnuts, chia, flax)

• ¼ avocado

• 3 oz fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel)

LIMIT (saturated fats to less than 10% of daily calories):

• Butter, coconut oil, palm oil

• Full-fat dairy products

• Red and processed meats

Why: Unsaturated fats support heart and brain health, reduce inflammation, and help your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

🍞 High-Fiber Carbohydrates: Aim for at least 2 to 3 servings per day

1 serving can be:

• ½ cup cooked oats, brown rice, quinoa, or another whole grain

• 1 slice whole-grain bread

• 1 small whole-grain tortilla

• ½ cup beans or lentils

• 1 small potato or sweet potato

• 1 cup high-fiber, minimally sweetened cereal

Why: Carbohydrates provide energy, while higher-fiber choices support digestion, blood sugar regulation, heart health, and fullness.

🥛 Calcium: Aim for at least 2 to 3 servings per day

1 serving can be:

• 1 cup milk or fortified soy milk

• ¾ to 1 cup yogurt

• 1½ oz cheese

• 1 cup calcium-fortified plant milk

• Calcium-set tofu

• Sardines or canned salmon with edible bones

Adults generally need 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium per day depending on age and sex.

Why: Calcium supports bones, teeth, muscle function, nerves, and other normal body functions.

☀️ Vitamin D: Aim for 600 IU (15 mcg) per day for most adults; 800 IU (20 mcg) after age 70

Vitamin D is difficult to get from food alone. Ways to support your levels include:

• 15 to 30 minutes of midday sun exposure on bare skin several times per week (when possible and safe for your skin type)

• Including fatty fish (wild-caught salmon, mackerel, rainbow trout) 2 to 3 times per week

• Considering a vitamin D supplement, especially in the winter months or if you have limited sun exposure

Food sources include:

• Salmon, trout, tuna, and other fatty fish

• Fortified milk

• Fortified plant milks

• Fortified cereals

• Egg yolks

Your individual needs may depend on your diet, sun exposure, risk factors, and blood levels. If your vitamin D levels are low, your doctor may prescribe more than the standard amount to help boost your levels, and then scale down to a maintenance dose long-term.

Why: Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and supports bone, muscle, and immune function.

Note on Vitamin D foods

1. Wild vs. Farmed: Wild-caught salmon contains more vitamin D than farmed (sometimes 2 to 3 times more).

2. Canned: Canned sardines, salmon, and mackerel retain their vitamin D and are often more affordable than fresh.

3. Bones: When eating canned fish with edible bones (sardines, salmon), you also get a nice dose of calcium.

4. Mercury: Smaller fish (sardines, herring, mackerel) are lower in mercury than larger fish (tuna, swordfish).

💧 Fluids: A simple starting point: 6 to 8 cups of fluid per day

• Water should make up most of your fluid intake.

Your individual needs may be higher or lower depending on body size, activity, climate, medications, and health conditions.

Why: Fluids support hydration, digestion, temperature regulation, circulation, and normal body function.

🌿 Variety of Plant Foods

Aim to include a variety of plant foods throughout the week

Use herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables regularly.

Examples:

• Garlic

• Ginger

• Turmeric

• Cinnamon

• Basil

• Oregano

• Cilantro

• Parsley

• Chia

• Flax

• Walnuts

• Beans and lentils

Why: Different plant foods provide different fibers, vitamins, minerals, and protective plant compounds. Variety matters more than eating any one particular "superfood."

Try eating 30 different fruits, vegetables, herbs, and more in a week! The 2018 American Gut Project study found that individuals who consume 30 or more different types of plant-based foods per week have significantly higher gut microbe diversity, and a healthier, more resilient immune system, than those eating fewer than 10. The ultimate goal is to diversify your "gut garden" to reduce inflammation and improve overall health. Click here to read more about the study →

✅ Write This Down Somewhere and Check Off Each One Daily

• Protein: 3 servings

• Vegetables: 3+ servings

• Fruit: 2 servings

• High-fiber carbohydrates: 2 to 3 servings

• Healthy fats: 2 to 3 servings

• Calcium-rich foods: 2 to 3 servings

• Vitamin D-rich or fortified foods

• Fluids: 6 to 8 cups

• Variety: Did I eat different foods today?

Nourishing your body is about showing up for yourself, one meal and one choice at a time. Some days you will hit every target on this guide, and other days you will not, and that is completely okay. What matters most is the overall pattern of your eating over weeks and months, not any single meal or day.

If you are ever unsure how to apply this to your own life, whether you have a specific health condition, food allergies, dietary preferences, or simply want more personalized support, please reach out. Working with a dietitian can help you tailor these guidelines to fit you, your body, your lifestyle, your goals, and your unique story.

You deserve to feel good in your body. I hope this guide is a helpful step in that direction.

May all be well,

Shanon