The MyPyramid Food Guidance System is based on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines and the Dietary Reference Intakes. This symbol (shown below) and guidance system take a personal approach to healthy eating and physical activity.

The different colors of the pyramid represent a different food group and the guidance system on the MyPyramid website incorporates recommendations for each particular food group. Below is the breakdown of the different groups:

Grains (orange)

  • Eat at least 3 ounces of whole grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice, or pasta every day.
  • Look for "whole" before the grain name on the list of ingredients on a food product.

Vegetables (green)

  • Eat more dark green vegetables.
  • Eat more orange vegetables.
  • Eat more dry beans and peas.

Fruits (red)

  • Eat a variety of fruit.
  • Choose fresh, frozen, dried or canned fruit.
  • Go easy on fruit juices.

Oils (yellow)

  • Make most of your fat sources from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
  • Limit solid fats like butter, stick margarine, shortening, and lard.

Milk (blue)

  • Go low-fat or fat-free.
  • If you don't or can't consume milk, choose lactose-free products or other calcium sources.

Meat and Beans (purple)

  • Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry.
  • Bake it, broil it or grill it.
  • Vary your choices - with more fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds.

The new guidance system also illustrates four main themes:

  • Activity - the steps on the side of the pyramid represent activity. This is to remind us that physical activity is important every day.
  • Moderation - the narrowing of each food group from bottom to top represents moderation. The wide base represents foods that contain little or no solid fats or added sugars, while the narrow top stands for foods that contain added sugars and solid fats.
  • Variety - the different colors in the pyramid stand for variety showing that we need foods from all of the food groups in our meal plan every day for good health.
  • Proportionality - the different widths of the food groups represent different proportions. This is a general guide that shows us how much food we should be getting from each group.

For more information about the new guidelines and symbol, visit MyPyramid.

In good health,

Shari Steinbach, MS, RD
Janine Faber, RD, LD
Tina Miller, MS, RD                                                                                                               Maribel Cabrales, MBA, RD, LDN 

Meijer Healthy Living Advisors