My Plate

1.Use fruits as snacks, salads or desserts.

2.Choose whole or cut up fruits more often than fruit juice.

Key Consumer Message:

 Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.  

Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the fruit group. 

Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen or dried. 

They may be whole, cut up or pureed.  

1.Choose fresh, frozen, canned or dried.

2.Eat red, orange and dark green vegetables.

Key Consumer Message:

 Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.  

Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the vegetable group. 

Vegetables may be raw or cooked, fresh, frozen, canned or dried/dehydrated. 

They may be whole, cut up or mashed.

1.Choose a variety of different protein sources.

2.In place of some meat and poultry, choose 8 oz. seafood per week.

3.Try grilling, broiling, poaching or roasting. 

Key Consumer Message:

 Keep meat and poultry portions small and lean.

All foods made from meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts and seeds are considered part of the protein food group. 

Beans and peas are also part of the vegetable group.  

1.Choose 100% whole grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice and pasta. 

2.Check the ingredients list on food packages to find whole grain foods. 

Key Consumer Message:

 Make half your grains whole grains.  

1.Low-fat or fat-free dairy products have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories. 

Key Consumer Message:

 Switch to low-fat or fat-free milk. Get your calcium rich foods.

Foods made from milk that retain their calcium content are part of this group.

Examples: milk, flavored milks, yogurt, milk based desserts, cheese

Foods made from milk that have little or no calcium are not considered part of this group. Examples: cream cheese, cream and butter