As I was standing in front of the refrigerator trying to pack my lunch this morning, I realized that my options were not the best. I only had 10 minutes to spare without being late for work, so making something on the fly was definitely not an option! A banana, applesauce, carrots and celery, pretzels and peanut butter and a bagel was what I found! Bon appétit I guess!
I am not exactly sure how well my lunch fits in with the new USDA food plate but let’s digress! The food pyramid (that has been edited numerous times over 19 years) has been completely revamped in the form of a plate! A colorful four-part plate, with a side dish of dairy is the image of the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Check it out by clicking here: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ The new image, called "My Plate," is split into four sections -- red for fruits, green for vegetables, orange for grains, and purple for protein -- with a separate blue section for dairy on the side. The plate is an easy-to-understand layout of what comprises a healthy meal.
The icon represents more than the currently recommended diet. It's part of a drastic change. The old plan (food pyramid) was to provide information. The new plan (food plate) is to actively change American eating behavior, using all the tools of modern persuasion.
Additional Tips:
- Balance calories by enjoying food but eating less, and by avoiding oversize portions.
- Eat more good stuff: Make half the plate fruit and vegetables, switch to nonfat or low-fat (1%) milk.
- Eat less bad junk food: Look for lower-sodium soups, breads, and frozen meals; drink water instead of sugary drinks.
- Make at least half your grains whole grains.
Basically, my lunch and snacks consisting of a banana, applesauce, a bagel, celery and carrots, and pretzels and peanut butter was not ideal, but not a bad start! The 2 servings of fruits and 2 servings of vegetables were healthy and made up about half of my plate. The bagel and pretzels would fall into the grain category and the peanut butter counts as protein. The one food group I was missing was a dairy selection. I could have brought yogurt, milk or cheese and my plate would have been complete! Do you like the new food plate image the USDA is using?
Do you think you will use the visual when you are cooking, packing lunches, or grocery shopping?
Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20110602/plate-replaces-pyramid-as-diet-guideline-icon
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/index.html