With the age of phone apps and Internet dieting, having tools at your fingertips to make healthy choices is getting simpler by the day.  In fact, the clearer and simpler the tool, the easier it is for people to make good choices.  I think that’s what the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had in mind when they unveiled a new and “innovative” tool to help people eat healthier.

A dinner plate.

Yes, that’s right, a dinner plate.  And while I am kicking myself for not thinking of it first, I take my hat off to the USDA for coming up with such a simple way to help people make healthy choices for themselves and their families.  Since we eat a majority of our meals off plates and we’re constantly hearing what not to put on them, this concept makes perfect sense.

The new plate will replace the MyPyramid image which has been widely criticized for being difficult to read.  This will be an easy-to-understand visual to help people adopt healthy eating habits consistent with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  In fact, many health and nutrition experts familiar with the new plate are anticipating an “ah-ha” moment from consumers when the USDA rolls out education around the icon in the coming months.

So now that we have this super easy tool to help us all make better choices, how do you marry the things that are good FOR you with those that are good TO you?  Well, I maintain a nutrition philosophy, both personally and professionally, that I like to call “80/20.”

It’s simple.  Eighty percent of the time you should choose healthy foods, make sure you’re eating the right portion sizes of those foods and stay active four to five days a week.  The other 20 percent of the time you should live guilt-free.  For instance, some of you might be worried because the new plate doesn’t include your favorite dessert or doesn’t seem to allow for the occasional indulgence.  But don’t worry, the new guidance is meant to help you balance your diet and doesn’t mean that a trip to the ice cream stand, a slice of your favorite pizza or a can of soda is off-limits. 

For example, Friday is pizza night in my family and that means I’ll have a cup of Coke Zero and pizza without feeling guilty because I’ve disciplined myself to balance. (Full disclosure: My husband works at Coca-Cola, but Coke Zero has always been my “20 percent”).  Once you start applying simple rules like this, it’s easier to make healthy choices and make use of tools like the USDA’s new plate.

Beyond the plate, you also need to get active.  I have to hand it to First Lady Michelle Obama because she not only started the “Let’s Move!” campaign but she also kept it moving by playing an important role in starting the dialogue responsible for bringing this new food icon to light.  From field day obstacle courses and “doin’ the Dougie” to motivate kids to move their bodies to playing a role in the unveiling of the new plate icon, she has been on the move to get America healthy. 

And the new plate couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect time than summer, when healthy habits tend to take a vacation and parents are struggling to keep boredom at bay.   Here are a few simple tips for families to keep fit this summer:

1. Play games. Most kids look forward to the last week of school when it’s usually all fun and games.  Gather up a few neighbors and host your own field day complete with all the fun activities kids like three-legged races, potato sack contests and relays. 
2. Hit the pool. What kid doesn’t like splashing around in the water, especially on a hot day?  And parents can sneak in a major calorie-burning workout by simply walking around the pool.
3. Take a walk. The simplest way to squeeze in fitness is walking. On a warm breezy summer night, a family walk can be quite adventurous.

One plate at a time, with simple healthy choice prompts, we can still enjoy the foods we love to eat – it’s just a matter of learning HOW to enjoy those foods in moderation.  The USDA can count on me to get this common-sense user-friendly tool into the hands of everyone I know.  I think it will not only teach us to make better choices, it might also change our relationship with food. 

Now that you’ve got your plate, let’s eat!

Amia Freeman is a parent, fitness expert, and a consultant to The Coca-Cola Company