After 19 years of the MyPyramid icon, the USDA has replaced the pyramid with a plate in a effort to present a simple, realistic approach to healthy eating. The hope is that along with the Let’s Move! campaign organized by Michelle Obama, the MyPlate food icon will guide Americans toward making healthier food choices as well as being active. And, as of February 2013, MyRecipes is working with Let's Move, the Partnership for Healthier America, (PHA), and USDA's MyPlate for give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates.Along with a coaltion of media partners, we'll be pinning healthy recipes to the MyPlate boards on Pinterest so you can see how easy it is to build a healthy meal.
Interpreting the Plate
MyPlate is a quick and easy guide for busy American families to know which foods they need and just how much they should have of each at a single meal. Broken into 4 sections (protein, grains, fruits, and vegetables) with a side of dairy, the key consumer messages from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines are easily represented.
Balancing Calories
- Enjoy your food, but eat less.
- Avoid oversized portions.
Foods to Increase
- Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
- Make at least half your grains whole grains.
- Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
- Choose a variety of protein foods( seafood, lean meat, poultry, eggs, beans, soy products, unsalted nuts and seeds)
Foods to Reduce
- Reduce foods high in salt and sodium
- Limit foods high in solid fats and added sugars
Let's Eat!
Adapting the MyPlate icon to make it look like your actual plate at the dinner table may be easier than you think. When you are armed with healthy recipes and ideas, you can see how to make better choices for your family. Here are some of our favorite recipes that create a well-balanced plate.
Breakfast:
- Crustless Broccoli and Cheese Quiche with whole wheat toast and sliced strawberries
- Banana-Nut Oatmeal with glass of fat-free milk (or prepare oatmeal with milk instead of water)
Lunch
- Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa Verde sprinkled with low-fat queso fresco
- Edamame Salad with Crisp Steak Bits paired with low-fat Greek yogurt and berries
Dinner
- Veggie Grilled Pizza with side green salad and sliced watermelon
- Rosemary and Walnut Oven-Fried Chicken over greens, served with grapes and a glass of fat-free milk or yogurt cup
Snack
- Pistachio Granola with low-fat Greek yogurt (fill in the missing veggie serving at a later meal or snack)
- Spiced Black Bean Hummus with Marinated Peaches (fill in the missing dairy serving at a later meal or snack)
For an interactive guide, tips, and more information, check out choosemyplate.gov.
Chicken Cacciatore
