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What’s MyPlate?

MyPlate is an easy way to see what foods you should eat to get the nutrition your body needs to stay healthy. It shows you how much you should eat each day of:

• Dairy
• Fruits
• Grains
• Vegetables
• Protein foods

Half of your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables. The other half is grains and protein foods. Dairy is on the side as a serving next to your plate. MyPlate also focuses on choosing foods and drinks that are low in sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars.

How to build a healthy plate

To build your healthy plate, focus on variety, nutrition and amount. Also, keep the following tips in mind.

Vary your veggies. Vegetables are full of minerals and vitamins. You can eat them cooked or raw and mix them in other foods such as omelets and wraps. Vegetables are grouped into five types, and eating healthily means choosing from each group:

• Starchy vegetables, like corn, potatoes and parsnips
• Red and orange vegetables, such as carrots, tomatoes and squash
• Beans and peas, such as black-eyed peas, kidney beans and lentils
• Dark green vegetables, including broccoli, spinach and romaine lettuce
• Other vegetables, including avocado, cucumbers, green beans and zucchini

Dairy foods on your healthy plate include:

• Milk
• Yogurt
• Cheese
• Fortified soymilk
• Non-dairy foods rich in calcium, such as fortified cereals, canned fish and almond milk

Vary your protein. Foods rich in protein are essential for healthy muscles, skin, bones, cartilage, and blood. Protein foods also contain important vitamins and minerals. To get the right amounts of nutrients, choose a variety of proteins:

• Eggs
• Seafood, including salmon, tuna and shellfish
• Meats, such as lean beef, pork and game meats
• Poultry, like chicken, turkey and Cornish game hen
• Beans and peas, including chickpeas, refried beans and tofu
• Nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, peanut butter and sunflower seeds

Additionally, the USDA’s website has handy tools that helps you build your healthy plate according to your age, height, weight, and activity level. Once you’ve determined your recommended daily calorie intake, you’ll get guidelines on how many cups or ounces of the five food groups you should