The purpose of this assignment is to research a healthy dietary pattern and plan a healthy diet for yourself. You will be applying the knowledge and skills from previous assignments to make personal dietary changes. Examples of healthy eating plans include: DASH Diet, Mediterranean Diet, Vegetarian or Vegan Diet, Flexitarian Diet, TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) Diet, MIND Diet, Volumetrics Diet, or Weight Watcher’s Diet. Complete the answers on this worksheet, convert the file to a PDF and submit to the D2L Assignment folder.

Part 1Select one healthy eating plan that you think you might like to try.

• List the name of the healthy eating plan you selected and explain why you chose that plan. (3 pts)
• Find two professional sources. Both sources can be peer reviewed professional journal articles, or you can use a combination of one peer reviewed journal article and one professional website (webmd.com, mayoclinic.com, or eatright.org) that evaluate the diet or some component of the diet’s effects on human health. It may be related to the specific diet or type of dietary pattern that is found in the diet. For example, you could find research on the health benefits of a Vegan diet or look for research on how a dietary pattern based on plant foods affects human health.
• Based on the research that you found, identify two or more health benefits or health outcomes that may result from following the healthy dietary pattern of the diet? (2 pts)
• What are the core recommendations of the healthy dietary plan that you selected? (Include food groups, type of foods suggested or any other element you think is relevant.) (3 pts)
• Are there any specific guidelines about meal preparation or grocery shopping that must be followed while on the diet? If so, give examples. (2 pts)

• Peer Reviewed Article #1 Summary (Provide APA Citation) (5 pts)
• Peer Reviewed Article #2 Summary or Professional Website Summary (Provide APA Citation) (5 pts)

Part II Create Your Menu

For the second part of the assignment, you will create a three-day menu plan for yourself based on the guidelines of the Healthy Eating Plan that you selected. It will be important for you to consider food groups, types of foods, cost of foods and time for meal preparation. The menu should be realistic and achievable based on your current situation.

• Submit a PDF file of your 3-day menu using the menu template that is found in the Assignment folder. (15 pts)
• What did you find the most challenging in creating your menu plan? (3 pts)

Part III Implement Your Healthy Eating Plan

For the final part of the assignment, select one of the three days in your menu to follow for one day. Answer the following question regarding your experience with your one-day menu.

• What did you find the most challenging in following your menu plan? (3 pts)
• What did you find the easiest in following your menu plan? (3 pts)

Overall Reflection: How do you see this type of research and menu planning as beneficial to your future eating choices? (3 pts)

You will have two PDF files to submit to the D2L Folder for this assignment.

• Complete the answers on this worksheet, convert the file to a PDF.
• Create your Three Day Menu and convert the file to a PDF.