What to Eat?

I looked up the food pyramid today... wanted to see just how much too much grains I probably eat. Funny thing is, turns out grains aren't my biggest problem - it's meat!

I entered in my age, gender, height, and weight and the government site told me I should be eating 6 oz. of grains (half of which should be whole grains), 2.5 cups of vegetables, 1.5 cups of fruit, 3 cups of dairy, and 5 oz. of meat & beans.

Breakfast the last couple of months has consisted of 1/4 cup plain greek-style yogurt topped with some kind of fruit (blueberries, peach, nectarine, etc.) and 1/4 cup of granola, and a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. I don't eat much fruit the rest of the day, so I'm probably getting about the right amount of fruit. And I'm pretty sure the granola counts as whole grains because of the oats.

I'm sure I eat too many refined grains and not enough whole grains, but my total isn't too bad. Maybe I'll try using brown rice instead of white rice. As much as I like vegetables, I'm sure I'm not eating 2.5 cups a day. Isn't that kind of a lot?

But meat/nuts/beans! 5 oz.? A hamburger is like 3 or 4 oz. alone! If I make they patties, maybe more. One can of tuna is 6 oz. So if I have meat with lunch and dinner - I'm sure that pushes me past at least 6 oz., maybe more! Black beans on my taco? Of course! And then there is the Monster Mix. Mmm... Monster Mix. My trail mix. I have a 2 lb. tub of it at my desk for the occasional mid-morning or afternoon snack. I eat a handful at least every other day. And by a handful I mean a healthy scoop with my hand. I'm probably pushing 9 oz. of protein a day.

If I start including less meat at dinner, Bobby will look at me cross-eyed. He has this idea that he's a carnivore, and not an omnivore. It's already a little bit of a battle to mix in poultry.

I'd rather eat my meat at lunch and not dinner. Bobby will be going back to school soon, so I'll be home alone for dinner 4 nights a week. Maybe I'll start making soups and salads for dinner those nights.