Food guide pyramid becomes a food plate Published June 13, 2011 By Kay Blakley DeCA home economist FORT LEE, Va. -- A new graphic image was unveiled this month to illustrate the basics of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. What a healthy meal looks like is now represented by a colorful plate divided into four wedges representing fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins, plus a small circle, where a drinking glass would sit, representing dairy. The new graphic, referred to as "MyPlate," replaces the familiar "MyPyramid" image as an easy-to-understand visual cue to help consumers adopt the healthy eating habits detailed in the dietary guidelines. There are plenty of details everyone needs to know as they begin to build their own healthy plate. All of those are available at www.choosemyplate.gov. Individuals used to using the familiar www.mypyramid.gov address, need not worry because it will still take them to the right place. The dietary guidelines themselves are still the same, including these three concepts that can be implemented right away: 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 grain choices whole grains. · Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1 percent) milk. Foods to reduce · Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread and frozen meals, and choose the foods with lower numbers. · Drink water instead of sugary drinks. The weekly recipes found at Kay's Kitchen at www.commissary.com are made with these tips in mind. Remember, the local commissary has all recipe ingredients available at significant savings.
