1. The Food Pyramid Basics
In 2011 the “food pyramid” became a plate called MyPlate to provide a fast and easy reminder of a healthy diet.
The plate has several purposes:
Show portion size
Show variety and each food group
Show that fruits/vegetables make up half the plate

2. Food Groups Food Groups shown on MyPlate: Fruits, Grains,
Vegetables, Dairy, and
Protein.
Why is balanced diet important?:
Controlling weight
Staying healthy/preventing disease

3. Reasons for Healthy Eating
A well balanced diet provides energy and nutrition for optimal growth and development. Failure to do so can cause muscle irritation, skin irregularities, growth and development problems, anemia, suppressed brain function and nervous system and other serious health concerns
You should eat 3 ounces of grain per day, 3 cups of dairy, 2.5 cups of fruits and 2 cups of vegetables.
21-38 grams of fiber is recommended per day, most people eat less than 15 grams.

4. What should you eat?
Fruits: apples, bananas, grapes oranges, avocados, raisins, 100% fruit juice.
Vegetables: broccoli, carrots, green beans, lettuce, tomatoes, 100% vegetable juice.
Grains: whole-grain bread, cereal, pasta, so on
Protein: beef, pork, chicken, eggs, peanuts, beans
Dairy: milk, cheese, yogurt

5. Tips for Healthy Eating
The choose MyPlate website offers many “10 Tips” pages which are easy to follow tips in a printable format.

6. Tips for Healthy Eating
10 Tips includes essential skills for healthy eating including:
Eating more fruits/vegetables
Eating only Whole grains
Getting your daily dose of dairy
Cutting back on sweets
Limiting salt

7. References http://www.choosemyplate.gov/tipsresources/tentips.html