USDA MyPlate Plan

The USDA MyPlate Plan is a guide to help you plan a healthful diet. The USDA MyPlate Plan is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The USDA MyPlate Plan provides the amount of foods you can eat each day for a healthful diet. The USDA MyPlate Plan also provides limits for sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars.

USDA MyPlate Food Groups

MyPlate is USDA’s food group symbol. The MyPlate symbol is a reminder to make healthy food choices. Each USDA MyPlate food group is represented by a different color on MyPlate.

• Grains – orange.
• Vegetables – green.
• Fruits – red.
• Dairy – blue.
• Protein foods – purple.

Grains: Make Half Your Grains Whole Grains

Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is part of this group. Grains are divided into either whole grains or refined grains. In general, 1 ounce from the grains group is:

• 1 slice of bread.
• 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal.
• ½ cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta, or cooked cereal.

Vegetables: Vary Your Veggies

Any vegetable or 100 percent vegetable juice is part of this group. Vegetables are divided into five subgroups including dark green vegetables; red and orange vegetables; beans, peas and lentils; starchy vegetables and other vegetables. In general 1 cup from the vegetables group is:

• 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice.
• 2 cups of raw leafy greens is considered as 1 cup from the vegetables group.

Fruits: Focus on Fruits

Any fruit or 100 percent fruit juice is part of this group. In general 1 cup from the fruits group is:

• 1 cup of fruit or 100 percent fruit juice.
• ½ cup of dried fruit.

Dairy: Move to Low-Fat or Fat-Free Milk or Yogurt

All fluid milk products and many foods made from milk are part of this food group. Foods made from milk that keep their calcium content are part of this group. Foods made from milk with little or no calcium, such as cream cheese, cream or butter, are not part of this group. Calcium-fortified soymilk is also part of this food group. In general 1 cup from the dairy group is: 

• 1 cup of milk, yogurt or soymilk.
• 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese.
• 2 ounces of processed cheese.

Protein Foods: Vary Your Protein Routine

Meats, poultry, eggs, seafood, nuts, seeds and soy products are part of this group. Beans, peas and lentils can be considered part of the protein foods group as well as the vegetable group, but should be counted in one group only. In general 1 ounce from the protein foods group is:

• 1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish.
• ¼ cup cooked dry beans.
• 1 egg.
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.
• ½ ounce of nuts or seeds.

Sodium, Saturated Fat and Added Sugars

Although not food groups, the USDA MyPlate Plan provides limits for fats (oils and saturated fats), sodium, and added sugars. Most of the fat you eat should be oils. Oils are high in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats and low in saturated fats. Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature. Oils come from many plants and fish. Some salad dressings and soft margarine with no trans fats are counted as oils.

Solid fats tend to be high in saturated fat which can increase risk of certain chronic diseases. Solid fats are fats that tend to be solid at room temperature. Butter, shortening and animal fats are counted as solid fats. A few plant oils, such as coconut oil and palm kernel oil are high in saturated fats. Although these are liquid at room temperature they are counted as solid fats not oils.

USDA MyPlate Plan

Recommended Amounts

The USDA MyPlate Plan provides the amount you need to eat each day based on your estimated calorie needs. Your estimated calorie needs are based on your gender, age, and level of physical activity. You can get a personalized MyPlate Plan of the amount of food you should eat from each USDA MyPlate food group at www.ChooseMyPlate.gov.

Planning Healthful Meals with the USDA MyPlate Plan

Use the USDA MyPlate Plan to find the types and amounts of food recommended each day for your calorie needs. For example, for 2,000 calories the USDA MyPlate Plan recommends:

• Grains 6 ounces
• Vegetables 2½ cups
• Fruits 2 cups
• Dairy 3 cups
• Protein foods 5½ ounces
• Oils 6 teaspoons
• Limit on calories for other uses 240 calories
• Limit sodium to less than 2,300 milligram a day
• Limit saturated fat to less than 10% of calories a day
• Limit added sugars to less than 10% of calories a day

Spread the foods recommended by the USDA MyPlate Plan across the day into meals and snacks. Below is an example of spreading the amounts recommended for 2,000 calories into three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and a snack. How you spread the types and amounts of food recommended for your calorie needs across the day may look different, this is just an example.

Build a Healthy Diet

Everything you eat and drink is important. A healthy diet can help you be healthier now and in the future. When building a health diet remember to:

• Focus on variety, amount and nutrition.
• Choose foods and beverages with less sodium, saturated fat and added sugars.
• Start with small changes to build healthier eating.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Focus on whole fruits.
• Vary your veggies.
• Make half your grains whole grains.
• Move to low-fat and fat-free dairy.
• Vary your protein routine.
• Eat and drink the right amount for you.

Table 1. Example of spreading the types and amounts of food recommended by the USDA daily food plan across the day into meals and snacks.

Table 2. Estimated calorie needs by gender, age and activity level.

Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the physical activity of independent living.

Moderately Active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking about 1 ½ to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to activities of independent living.
Active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to activities of independent living.

Table 3. USDA MyPlate Plan for different calorie levels.