What is a balanced eating plan?

<span>Sarah Alligood is a registered dietitian specializing in nutrition communications. She has always loved food and cooking and operated by the principle that food is just as much a pleasure as a necessity.  Sarah recently moved from North Carolina to Washington, DC where she works at the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation <font><span>(<a>www.ific.org</a>). </span></font>IFIC is a nonprofit organization that communicates science-based information on food safety and nutrition to the media, health professionals, and others that come into contact with consumers.  At IFIC, Sarah monitors the ever-evolving nutrition communications environment and analyzes how this environment influences the decisions that people make when it comes to food and health.  She has also authored several articles on nutrition topics and delivered presentations to a variety of audiences ranging from preschoolers to college students to professionals.  Sarah is an active member of the American Dietetic Association and the Society for Nutrition Education.  She earned her Master of Public Health in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has diverse experience in the food and nutrition arena from the Stanford University Dining Services in Palo Alto, CA, to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, NC, and Piedmont Health Services WIC clinic in Prospect Hill, NC.  Sarah also performed with a modern dance company in college and has recently dusted off her dancing shoes. </span>