Anyone remember this?
I certainly do...this is what I grew up learning, but apparently this has gone completely out the window now. The new recommendations from the USDA is something called
ChooseMyPlate
Now I did some exploring and here is the short and quick version of the new recommendations.
FRUIT GROUP
Examples: Apples, Bananas, Nectarine, Peach, Grapes, Orange, Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Cantalope, Honeydew, Plums, and Raisins (plus many more!)
Recommended Servings per Age Group
Women 19-30 years old: 2 cups/day
Women 31-50 years old: 1 ½ cups/day
*These amounts are appropriate for individuals who get less than 30 minutes per day of moderate physical activity, beyond normal daily activities. Those who are more physically active may be able to consume more while staying within calorie needs.
General Rule: Make HALF your plate fruits and vegetables!
VEGETABLE GROUP
Examples: Broccoli, Green Beans, Carrots, Peppers, Potatoes, Green Peas, Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Beans, Avocado, Sweet Potato, Pumpkin, Cabbage, and Celery (plus many more!)
Recommended Servings per Age Group
Women 19-30 years old: 2½ cups/day
Women 31-50 years old: 2½ cups/day
*These amounts are appropriate for individuals who get less than 30 minutes per day of moderate physical activity, beyond normal daily activities. Those who are more physically active may be able to consume more while staying within calorie needs.
General Rule: Make HALF your plate fruits and vegetables!
GRAINS GROUP
The grains group is divided into two categories: Whole Grains & Refined Grains
Whole Grains: Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel (bran, germ, and endosperm).
Examples: Whole grains include whole-wheat flour, bulgur (cracked wheat), oatmeal, whole cornmeal, and brown rice.
Refined Grains: Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This process also removes dietary fiber, iron, and B vitamins.
Examples: White flour, de-germed cornmeal, white bread, and white rice.
Recommended Servings per Age Group
Women 19-30 years old: 6 ounce equivalents/day
Women 31-50 years old: 6 ounce equivalents/day
- In general, 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta, or cooked cereal can be considered as 1 ounce equivalent.
*These amounts are appropriate for individuals who get less than 30 minutes per day of moderate physical activity, beyond normal daily activities. Those who are more physically active may be able to consume more while staying within calorie needs.
General Rule: Make at least HALF your grains whole grains.
PROTEIN GROUP
The protein group is divided into meats, poultry, eggs, beans and peas, processed soy products, nuts and seeds, and seafood.
Recommended Servings per Age Group
Women 19-30 years old: 5½ ounce equivalents/day
Women 31-50 years old: 5 ounce equivalents/day
- In general, 1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish, 1/4 cup of cooked beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or 1/2 ounce of nuts or seeds can be considered as 1 ounce equivalent.
*These amounts are appropriate for individuals who get less than 30 minutes per day of moderate physical activity, beyond normal daily activities. Those who are more physically active may be able to consume more while staying within calorie needs.
DAIRY GROUP
Examples: Milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream (and many more!)
Recommended Servings per Age Group
Women 19-30 years old: 3 cups/day
Women 31-50 years old: 3 cups/day
General Rule: switch to skim or low-fat (1%) milk
**All of the information above came from
www.choosemyplate.gov, for more information regarding what you see above please refer to that website!**
Personally, I found the food pyramid that I knew growing up to be a bit more simple, but I understand how the USDA could not generalize everyone under one "food needs group". Everyone is different depending on age, weight, and activity level. Again, I do not take credit for coming up with any of the above information. I just took a very large website and generalized some of the information down to make it a bit easier to understand.
