Unveiling the New Food Plate ChooseMyPlate.gov

The new dietary guidelines recommend the following seven tips split into three different areas to encourage everyone to eat healthier meals:

• Balancing Calories

1. Enjoy your food, but eat less.

2. Avoid oversized portions.

• Foods to increase

3. Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables.

4. Make at least half your grains whole grains.

5. Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

• Foods to Reduce

6. Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread and frozen meals  ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.

7. Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

ChooseMyPlate.gov
The official website for the new ChooseMyPlate.gov

Looking the the New MyPlate, their recommendations look close to those orignially developed by the American Diabetes Association. In this new method, the plate is divided into four not quite equal quadrants.

• Little less than 1/4 of the plate should be from fruits.
• Little more than 1/4 of the plate should be from vegetables.
• Little more than 1/4 of the plate should come from grains
• Little less than 1/4 of the plate should come from lean protein
• Include 1 serving of dairy e.g. milk, yogurt or other calcium source.

The original American Diabetes Association that go along with the traditional plate method are:

• 1/2 of the plate should be filled with non-starchy vegetables.
• 1/4 of the plate should be filled with carbohydrates - bread or cereal
• 1/4 of the plate should be filled with lean protein, including other protein sources like tofu, beans and nuts.
• 1 serving of Milk, yogurt or calcium
• 1 serving of fruit

On the new ChooseMyPyramid.gov website, the USDA has compiled the 10 Tips Nutrition Education Series. This series is designed to provide consumers and professionals with easy-to-follow tips in a convenient, printable format.

Teachers and Health educators can use the tip sheets to plan existing lessons. Health educators and consumers can use the tips by reading and incorporating one tip at at a time to make small changes toward healthier eating.

1. Choose MyPlate
2. Add More Vegetables to Your Day
3. Focus on Fruits
4. Make Half Your Grains Whole
5. Got Your Dairy Today?
6. With Protein Foods, Variety Is Key
7. Build a Healthy Meal
8. Healthy Eating for Vegetarians
9. Smart Shopping for Veggies and Fruits
10. Liven up Your Meals With Vegetables and Fruits
11. Kid-Friendly Veggies and Fruits
12. Be a Healthy Role Model for Children
13. Cut Back on Your Kid's Sweet Treats
14. Salt and Sodium

Visit the ChooseMyPlate.gov website for more information on each of these different tips.

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