This year marks a turning point for nutrition, and how it will be etched in the minds of and guide appetites for millions of Americans, from preschoolers to college graduates to grandparents.
Last month, First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled the new ‘MyPlate’ food icon, stating, “This is a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we’re eating. When mom or dad comes home from a long day of work, we’re already asked to be a chef, a referee, a cleaning crew. So it’s tough to be a nutritionist, too.
“But we do have time to take a look at our kids’ plates,” she continued. “As long as they’re half full of fruits and vegetables, and paired with lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, we’re golden. That’s how easy it is.”
The colorful ‘MyPlate’ graphic serves as a visual cue to help Americans easily identify the best foods to build a healthy meal. The icon shows one-half of the plate with fruits and vegetables and the other half split between grains and protein. A circle outside the plate represents a serving of dairy.
The new ‘MyPlate’ icon replaces two decades of the Food Pyramid first released in 1992. Revolutionized in 2005, the government implemented ‘MyPyramid,’ an online interactive tool to help Americans personalize the Food Pyramid’s multiple principles. Although the ‘MyPyramid’ term and graphic are familiar to Americans, it has been criticized as being too complex, with too many elements represented in the pyramid-shaped visual.
“What we have learned over the years is that consumers are bombarded by so many nutrition messages that it makes it difficult to focus on changes that are necessary to improve their diet,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
‘MyPlate,’ built on the premises of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, promises a much simpler way to help Americans eat more healthfully. The USDA states that it will be working with public and private partners to promote ‘MyPlate’ as well as supporting nutrition messages and resources found at ChooseMyPlate.gov. Several actionable messages, such as “Make half your plate fruits and vegetables,” will be promoted through a multi-year effort to raise awareness and educate consumers of all ages to live healthy, active lives. “This new campaign calendar will help unify the public and private sectors to coordinate efforts and highlight one desired change for consumers at a time,” states Vilsack.
How restaurants can use the ‘MyPlate’ principles:
“Make half the plate fruits and vegetables.” This will soon be a well-recognized, easy-to-remember American slogan. Please your guests with bright colors by serving colorful salads and a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Allocate about one-quarter of the plate for lean proteins. That translates to a 4-6 ounce portion of seafood and shellfish, skinless poultry (breast meat is leanest), and/or very lean cuts of red meat or pork. Also, between one-half and one cup of beans, legumes, edamame, egg whites and tofu and/or one ounce of nuts or cheese contribute as protein sources. Low-fat and non-fat dairy also contain protein.
Whole grains. Be creative by providing a choice of whole grain bread, cereal, pasta, pizza crust, tortillas and/or brown rice. Whole grains offer disease-fighting phytochemicals and antioxidants, as well as key nutrients such as the B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, iron and fiber.
Dairy. Low-fat and non-fat dairy are power-packed sources of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, riboflavin and magnesium. Although the ‘MyPlate’ icon implies a glass of milk, other dairy sources, such as yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese, also provide the same nutrients.
Reduce sodium whenever possible. This important message is communicated in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and will be weaved through the ‘MyPlate’ messaging.
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