A healthy history of MyPlate food guide

For many, the Food Pyramid was our first introduction to thinking about diet, nutrition and making healthy food choices.

The earliest food guides for Americans are over 100 years old, and studying them today shows a fascinating history reflecting on the challenges and concerns of nutrition at the time. These food guides evolved from basic recommendations to address nutritional needs during difficult times, like the Great Depression and or when the wars led to wartime shortages; modern guides simplify healthy eating for an environment currently filled with a plethora of food choices.

• In the 1940s, specific dietary recommendations were established for calories, protein and certain vitamins and minerals.
• The Basic Seven food guide was published in 1943 to help families plan meals with limited access to certain food supplies during World War II.
• In 1956, the Basic Four was released to focus nutrition recommendations on four large food groups: milk, meat, produce, and grains.
• By the 1970s, emphasis shifted from encouraging the public to eat enough nutrients toward limiting overconsumption of fat, sugar and sodium.
• In 1984, the Food Pyramid was first released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Food Pyramid visually represented the recommended daily intake of different food groups.
• The Food Pyramid was replaced in 2011 with MyPlate to simplify dietary recommendations and serve as a visual reminder to consumers to choose a variety of foods.

An easy way to think about food patterns

Designers switched from the pyramid to the plate shape to grab consumers’ attention. The MyPlate guide is not intended to provide specific messages or strict directives. Rather, it offers an easy way to think about food patterns on your plate at home or when dining out.

The visual of a plate was tested and found to be a familiar mealtime symbol for many Americans. The use of the word “My” was chosen to continue the idea of personalization that was born with MyPyramid.

For more guidance on how many servings of each food group to eat, as well as serving sizes of common foods, you can access the MyPlate Plan.

There are many resources available for eating a healthier diet. Start Simple with MyPlate and the MOVE! Coach app are both free apps that are available on all smart phone platforms. For healthy recipes and cooking tips, check out the VA Healthy Teaching Kitchen YouTube channel.

Finally, if you’re interested in learning more about MyPlate or another nutrition-related topic, contact your local VA to speak with a registered dietitian.