Easy Balanced Diet

It's easy to create a balanced diet. Healthy adults--omnivores or vegetarians--can construct a nutritious diet by consulting free online tools provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid.gov. Consult your doctor before making changes to your dietary program if you suffer from health issues.

Basic Food Groups

You can use the food groups provided by MyPyramid.gov to create an easy balanced diet for healthy adults or healthy children older than 2. The guidelines recommend a diet emphasizing the five basic food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and calcium-rich foods. Make smart choices within the food groups. For example, buy products with whole grain flour in the list of ingredients rather than refined white flour.

Vegetables and Minerals

Add mineral-rich servings of vegetables to achieve a balanced diet. Minerals are essential for your body to perform properly; they assist with building strong bones and making hormones. The brighter and deeper the color of the fruits and vegetables you consume, the greater the vitamin content. For instance, green vegetables--such as broccoli, kale and Chinese cabbage--add calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and zinc to your diet, according to HelpGuide.org.

Lean Protein

Consume lean proteins low in saturated fats to help reduce your risk of heart disease. Certain animal products and vegetables work well as lean protein sources; they can provide a sufficient amount of protein during any life stage, according to MedlinePlus. For example, include skinless chicken, lentils, beans and low-fat dairy products in your balanced diet.

Calculate Servings

If you're a healthy adult, you can easily calculate the number of servings of each food group you should eat. Use MyPyramid.gov's MyPyramid Plan, which asks for easy-to-provide information. Enter your age, gender, weight, height and amount of physical activity to create a personalized daily and weekly plan for a balanced diet.

Sample

Here's an easy-to-follow sample of a daily meal plan for a balanced diet as provided by MyPyramid Plan. A 2,000-calorie diet for a 40-year-old woman who stands 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighs 135 lbs. and exercises for 30 to 60 minutes a day includes 6 oz. grains, 2 1/2 cups vegetables, 2 cups fruit, 3 cups milk and 5.5 oz. of meat or beans.