Eating the right mix of the food groups on the United States Department of Agriculture's brightly colored food pyramid can help you meet your nutritional needs, feed your family a balanced diet and assist you with weight management. Share your knowledge of how following the steps on the food pyramid can help your family and friends stay healthy.
History of the Pyramid
In 1984, the USDA and the American Red Cross worked together to present a Food Wheel, which represented healthy food intakes. Several years later, the USDA decided to change the graphic to a pyramid shape, which was easier for consumers to determine the quantities and types of foods to eat. The 1992 food pyramid stayed current for several years. In 2005, the current food pyramid with wide, ascending steps and almost vertical strips of color, replaced the previous pyramid's horizontal step design.
Using the Pyramid
The colors on the stripes from the top of the bottom of the food pyramid represent different food types, or groups. Orange is for grains such as breads, rice, cereal and pasta. Green represents vegetables such as broccoli, peppers, squash, cucumbers, okra and lettuces. Red stands for fruits of all types, from pineapple to grapes. Blue represents the milk group, which encompasses both liquid milk and products made from animal or soy milk such as cheese, yogurt, cream cheeses and sour cream. The purple stripe stands for protein foods, including fish, beef, chicken, beans and nuts. The smallest stripe is yellow, and represents fats and oils.
Expanding the Pyramid
Understanding the foods represented by the colors on the food pyramid allows you to expand the uses of the pyramid for your own needs. Although there is not a separate pyramid for vegetarians, you can still use the food pyramid as a basis for healthy eating by using soy products in place of milk if you are vegan, and beans or tofu in place of the meats. Children require smaller caloric intakes, but the same types of foods. Use the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in conjunction with the food pyramid to ensure your child understands how to incorporate more grains and less fats into her diet. The MyPyramid.gov website affords you the opportunity to input your age, weight and height and receive a free individualized eating plan based on the food pyramid.
Activities Using the Pyramid
If you have children, play food pyramid games and talk with your children to teach them the foods in each group and the proper balance of each. Use cut out magazine pictures of foods and ask your children to build the food pyramid with the pictures. Explain that grains should be the largest stripe and fatty foods the smallest. Take your children grocery shopping and build meals based on the food pyramid. Ask your family to analyze a restaurant meal and compare its balance of nutrients to the food pyramid.
References
- Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior: Developing the Consumer Interface for the MyPyramid Food Guidance System; Jackie Haven, et al.; November/December 2006
- KidsHealth: The Food Guide Pyramid
- United States Department of Agriculture: MyPyramid.gov: Vegetarian Diets
- MyPyramid.gov: A Close Look at MyPyramid for Kids
- United States Department of Agriculture: MyPyramid.gov: MyPyramid Plan
- Drexel University: Eat Right Now: MyPyramid Lesson Plan; May 2009
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