Do you remember learning the Food Pyramid when you were younger?

The first visual Food Pyramid guide was introduce by the USDA in 1992

Do you remember that black pyramid?  I do, I also remember having a High School health teacher use decks of cards, cups and drawings to try to help us figure out how big each of those servings was supposed to be.  In a word, confusing.

Then, in 2005 the USDA expanded their Food Pyramid and added an image of a person walking up the stairs of the pyramid as a reminder to get exercise along with your daily portions.

The 2005 version was definitely more visually appealing and yet, still no portion sizes.. just a reminder of what you should be eating daily.

The USDA has just released ChooseMy Plate.gov in conjunction with their new Food Pyramid.

But wait… it’s not a pyramid anymore.

Now, it’s a plate!  Brilliant, no?

A reminder that your vegetable portion should be larger than your protein, don’t forget the grains and fruits and even a dairy portion.

I love the colors, the shapes and the fact that the fork is on the correct side of the plate!

I showed this to my 4 yo and 7 yo and we had a brief 5 minute discussion about what they saw and what it meant to them.  They grasped the concept immediately.  I showed them the old Pyramids, I got blank stares.

There are also great quick bites about nutrition and healthier eating such as:

Balancing Calories

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.

Foods To Reduce

• Drink Water, Avoid Sugary Drinks

You can see more at ChooseMyPlate.Gov