USDA has just released a new food icon. Instead of MyPyramid, we now have MyPlate as a tool to help us choose healthier food.
This really is a simple tool to use because it is so easy to remember—1/2 your plate should be filled with fruits and veggies. About ¼ of the plate is for grains like bread, rice, and pasta. Notice the protein section-meat, chicken, fish, and beans. It covers about ¼ of the plate. One more food group—that’s the blue circle—and it represents dairy including low fat milk, cheese, and yogurt.
The big message of MyPlate is that fruits and vegetables are really important for a healthy diet. They should cover ½ your plate! How hard do you think it might be to eat all of those fruits and veggies? Does it sound like a lot?
It’s really not as hard as you may think! Here’s an example of a dinner meal--pork chops, applesauce, a salad and rice. The apples could come from a farmers’ market so they are fresh, delicious and not expensive when in season. A green salad with tomatoes, some sliced green peppers, and green onions would taste great. Serve it with low fat dressing. Add rice and low fat milk and you have made a really great (and very healthy) meal.
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