MyPlate: What a Healthy Meal Looks Like

Author: Cornell Food and Brand Lab
Published: 2013/12/29 - Updated: 2022/01/14
Topic: Nutrition and Healthy Food - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: MyPlate was created in 2011 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help American consumers put the Dietary Guidelines into practice. Most Americans know about MyPyramid - the triangle depicting how many servings of each food group you should eat in a day - but who knows about MyPlate - the circle showing what a healthy meal looks like?

Introduction

Food preferences, cooking ability, involvement of children in food preparation, nutritional knowledge, and prior familiarity with MyPyramid were predictors of MyPlate awareness and use.

Focus

Most Americans know about MyPyramid - the triangle depicting how many servings of each food group you should eat in a day - but who knows about MyPlate - the circle showing what a healthy meal looks like?

The current nutrition guide published by the United States Department of Agriculture, depicting a place setting with a plate and glass divided into five food groups. It replaced the USDA's MyPyramid guide. MyPlate is divided into sections of approximately 30 percent grains, 30 percent vegetables, 20 percent fruits and 20 percent protein, accompanied by a smaller circle representing dairy, such as a glass of low-fat/nonfat milk or a yogurt cup. MyPlate will be displayed on food packaging and used in nutrition education in the United States.

MyPlate was created in 2011 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help American consumers put the Dietary Guidelines into practice. It's a simple, colorful icon that prompts us to think about what's on our plate, illustrating healthy proportions of fruit, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy within a single meal.

Dr. Brian Wansink of Cornell University and Dr. Sibylle Kranz of Purdue University wanted to find out who "got the memo" about MyPlate first - that is, who became familiar with MyPlate within 3 months of its release. In particular, the researchers were interested in mothers, who play the role of "nutritional gatekeeper" in most families, and what traits these trend-setting mothers had in common with each other. A national on-line survey was completed by 497 moms, ranging in age from 18 to 65, including questions about their demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and behavior.

Continued below image.
MyPlate Symbol Photo Credit - U. S. Department of Agriculture.
MyPlate Symbol Photo Credit - U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Continued...

MyPlate - Consumer Messages

Of these:

Some Interesting Patterns Emerged

So, what can the rest of us learn from these trend-setting MyPlate moms?

Continued below image.
Servings sizes - Photo Credit - U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Servings sizes - Photo Credit - U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Continued...

Recommendations

For Americans who eat out or on-the-go, there are strategies for keeping MyPlate in mind while navigating restaurant menus. Find out what the USDA can do for you and your family!

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Cornell Food and Brand Lab and published on 2013/12/29, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Cornell Food and Brand Lab can be contacted at cornell.edu NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.

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Citing and References

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Cite This Page: Cornell Food and Brand Lab. (2013, December 29 - Last revised: 2022, January 14). MyPlate: What a Healthy Meal Looks Like. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved May 23, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/fitness/nutrition/myplate.php

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