Final answer:
The food combination that serves as a good example of complementary proteins to meet essential amino acid needs is rice and beans. This is because grains like rice and legumes like beans offer different essential amino acids that, when consumed together, provide a complete set of these nutrients.
Step-by-step explanation:
To meet essential amino acid needs through complementary proteins, it is important to combine foods that provide the amino acids that the other lacks. Among the options given, rice and beans is the best example of such a combination. This pairing is ideal because rice is a grain that is low in certain amino acids like lysine, while beans are a legume that lacks other amino acids such as methionine. When eaten together, they provide a full array of essential amino acids.
Other combinations of complementary proteins include pea soup and rye bread, beans and pasta, baked beans and brown bread, and peanut butter on whole wheat bread. While adding a small amount of animal protein like pasta and cheese or vegetable stir-fry with small pieces of chicken can also supply missing amino acids, the pairing of rice and beans is a particularly significant example of complementary plant proteins that together offer complete protein nutrition. It is not necessary to consume these foods at the same meal, as long as the essential amino acids are met daily.