How Are Foods Organized in MyPlate?

November 23, 2025 •

3 min read

Created by the USDA in 2011 to replace the food pyramid, MyPlate provides a simple, visual guide to healthy eating. This resource explains how are foods organized in MyPlate, detailing the five essential food groups and their recommended proportions to promote a balanced and healthy diet.

Quick Summary

MyPlate organizes food into five groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy. It uses a plate-and-glass visual to illustrate recommended proportions for balanced meals.

Key Points

Five Food Groups: MyPlate organizes foods into Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy.
Visual Proportions: The plate is divided into four sections, with a separate cup for dairy, showing recommended proportions for a balanced meal.
Half the Plate: Half of your plate should consist of fruits and vegetables, with the vegetable portion being slightly larger.
Emphasis on Variety: MyPlate encourages varying your choices within each food group, such as different colored vegetables and different types of protein.
Quality Over Quantity: Tips like choosing whole fruits over juice and making half your grains whole grains promote better nutritional choices.
Personalized Guidance: The MyPlate Plan tool allows for personalized eating guides based on individual needs like age and activity level.

Understanding the MyPlate Visual

MyPlate serves as a simple visual reminder to build a healthy and balanced meal. The icon depicts a place setting with a plate and a glass, which are divided into five distinct food groups: Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy. This design visually represents the proportions of each food group to aim for at each meal, with half the plate dedicated to fruits and vegetables, while the other half is for grains and protein foods, and a glass for dairy is positioned on the side. This approach was developed to be more intuitive and easier to understand than the previous Food Pyramid.

The Five Food Groups in Detail

MyPlate divides foods into five key groups, each representing a portion of the plate or the accompanying glass.

Fruits

Located on one quarter of the plate, this group emphasizes whole fruits for their fiber and nutrient content. Examples include fresh, frozen, canned, or dried apples, bananas, and berries. Tips include adding fruit to breakfast or choosing 100% fruit juice if opting for juice.

Vegetables

Occupying the largest section of the plate, the vegetable group is highlighted for its nutrient density. The guideline is to "vary your veggies," encompassing five subgroups: dark green, red and orange, beans/peas/lentils, starchy, and other vegetables. These can be fresh, frozen, or low-sodium canned options.

Grains

This section takes up about a quarter of the plate and advises making "half your grains whole grains". Whole grains contain the entire kernel and are high in fiber, such as whole-wheat bread and brown rice, while refined grains like white bread have had nutrient-rich parts removed. Looking for the word "whole" in ingredient lists helps identify whole-grain products.

Protein Foods

Also about a quarter of the plate, this group provides essential protein. The recommendation is to "vary your protein routine," including lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, and beans. Choosing leaner options and incorporating plant-based proteins is encouraged.

Dairy

Represented by a separate circle for a glass, the dairy group contributes calcium and other nutrients crucial for bone health. Choosing fat-free or low-fat dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese, or fortified soy alternatives, is recommended. Lactose-free options are available for those who are lactose-intolerant.

Comparison: MyPlate vs. The Food Pyramid

Understanding how MyPlate organizes food is enhanced by comparing it to its predecessor, the Food Pyramid.


Feature	MyPlate	Food Pyramid
Visual Representation	A familiar place setting with a plate and a glass.	A pyramid with six horizontal sections.
Emphasis	Proportionality of food groups for a single meal.	Proportions over a day or longer, with broader categories.
Categories	Five clear food groups: Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy.	More complex, including fats and sweets separately.
Simplicity	Designed to be intuitive and easy for consumers to understand.	Often required more interpretation of serving sizes and recommendations.
Key Message	"Make half your plate fruits and vegetables" for immediate application.	Eat more from the bottom of the pyramid and sparingly from the top.

Using the MyPlate Guidelines

MyPlate offers actionable tips and resources on the USDA's website, including a tool to create personalized eating plans based on individual characteristics. The guidelines are flexible, promoting conscious choices rather than strict calorie counting. An example meal illustrating the MyPlate approach might include lean protein, generous servings of various vegetables, a starchy vegetable, and a portion of whole-grain rice, accompanied by low-fat milk. This method simplifies achieving daily nutritional goals. Additional resources are available on the official MyPlate.gov website.

Conclusion

MyPlate organizes foods into five key groups: Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy, using a visual plate-and-glass format to show recommended proportions. This straightforward approach, a departure from the Food Pyramid, makes balanced eating more accessible. By highlighting the importance of filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables and emphasizing whole grains and lean proteins, MyPlate empowers individuals to build healthier eating habits.

Frequently Asked Questions

The five food groups in MyPlate are Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy.

MyPlate suggests filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, dividing the other half between grains and protein, and including a serving of dairy on the side.

MyPlate emphasizes whole fruits because they contain more dietary fiber and nutrients compared to fruit juices, which often have added sugars.

Varying your vegetables is important because different colored and types of vegetables provide different vitamins and minerals essential for a healthy diet.

Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel, including the bran and germ, while refined grains have these nutritious parts removed during processing.

MyPlate recommends a variety of protein foods, including lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans, and peas.

The dairy section, represented by a glass, provides calcium and other nutrients important for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth.