1. Using USDA’s ChooseMyPlate as a Guide to Healthful Eating
Making Sense of MyPlate
Using USDA’s ChooseMyPlate as a Guide to Healthful Eating
Review Date 6/11 G-1522

2. Why Use MyPlate?
MyPlate is an easy-to-use, visual food guide that helps put the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans into practice
The dietary guidelines and MyPlate work together to help Americans make healthy food choices

3. Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Dietary recommendations for health promotion and chronic disease prevention
Based on Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report and public comments
For policy makers and health professionals
Available at:

4. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (cont’d)
Provides general health information based on scientific research
Does not provide specific food intake guidelines
Refers readers to specific food guides, such as MyPlate, for information on food groups and serving sizes

5. History of USDA’s Food Guidance System
1916
1970s
1992
Food for Children
2011
1940s
2005
1950s-1960s

6. Why Change From a Pyramid to a Plate?
Simplifies the way Americans should eat
Provides a clear visual cue
Gives consumers a fast, easy-to-grasp reminder of the basics of a healthy diet

7. Message to Consumers: Eat Healthfully
2010 Dietary Guidelines:
Designed to help Americans make better food choices by balancing calories and increasing consumption of healthy foods
MyPlate graphic:
Illustrates the five food groups in an easy-to-understand plate

8. MyPlate Illustrates the Five Food Groups

9. Benefits of MyPlate
The familiar plate is a simple reminder for Americans to make better choices
The easy-to-remember visual cue provides a way to control portion sizes

10. MyPlate: Key Messages for Consumers
Balancing calories
Enjoy your food, but eat less
Avoid oversized portions
Foods to increase
Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables
Choose at least half of your grains as whole grains
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk
Foods to reduce
Compare sodium in foods, such as soups, breads, and frozen meals, choosing the foods with lower numbers
Drink water instead of sugary drinks

11. Grains Group
The amount of grains that you need depends on your age, sex, and level of physical activity
Generally, men and women need between 6–8 ounces (oz) of grains every day
1 oz is about one slide of bread, 1 cup (C) of breakfast cereal, or ½ C of cooked rice, cereal, or pasta
Key message: Make at least half of your grains whole grains

12. Vegetables Group
Eat more dark-green vegetables—broccoli, spinach, and other dark-leafy greens
Consume more orange vegetables—carrots and sweet potatoes
Include more dry beans and peas—pinto beans, kidney beans, and lentils
Generally, men and women should consume 2½ C every day
Key message: Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables

13. Fruits Group Eat a variety of fruit
Choose fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit
Go easy on fruit juices
Try to consume 2 C every day
Key message: Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables

14. Dairy Group
Includes all fluid milk products and many foods made from milk
Choose low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, and other milk products
If you do not or cannot consume milk, choose lactose-free products or other calcium sources, such as fortified foods and beverages
Depending on age, consume 2½–3 C every day
Key message: Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk

15. Protein Group
Includes all foods made from meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and seeds
Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry
Bake it, broil it, or grill it
Vary your protein routine—choose more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds
Generally, men and women need 5½–6 oz every day

16. Know the Limits on Fats, Sugar, and Sodium
Get most of your fat sources from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils
Limit solid fats (butter, stick margarine, shortening, and lard) and fried foods that contain these
Check Nutrition Facts labels to keep saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium low
Choose foods/beverages low in added sugars—they contribute calories with few, if any, nutrients

17. Balance Between Food and Physical Exercise
Stay within your daily calorie needs
Keep physically active for 30 minutes most days of the week
Know that you may need about 60 minutes a day of physical activity to prevent weight gain
Understand that you may need 60–90 minutes of physical activity to sustain weight loss
Help children and teens get 60 minutes of physical activity every day or most days

18. Visit www. ChooseMyPlate
Visit to get the portions of the different food groups specific to your age, gender, and activity level.

19. When to Use MyPlate To learn about the food groups
To find out how much of different foods you should eat
To help track your food intake online
As a simple reminder of how your plate should look at mealtimes