In an effort to encourage healthy eating habits among Americans, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a new icon, MyPlate, that officially replaces MyPyramid as the government’s primary food group symbol. The new diagram still adheres to the principles outlined in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (below) and is simply a re-design of its predecessor.
“We all know that what we eat matters – MyPlate offers a visual reminder to make healthy food choices when you choose your next meal. MyPlate can help prioritize food choices by reminding us to make half of our plate fruits and vegetables and shows us the other important food groups for a well-balanced meal: whole grains, lean proteins, and low fat dairy,” writes USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announcing the new icon.
As part of the launch, USDA is encouraging citizens to take pictures of their meals and post them to Twitter with the hashtag #MyPlate. There is also a What is on MyPlate? Flickr Group.
Watch the video announcement and visit ChooseMyPlate.gov to learn more.
