Nutrition Diet: What are the five categories of the USDA Choose MyPlate?

October 24, 2025 •

3 min read

In 2011, the USDA introduced MyPlate as a new visual food guide, and understanding what are the five categories of the USDA Choose MyPlate? is fundamental to building a balanced eating routine. This icon provides a clear, actionable guide to help you create healthy meals at every stage of life.

Quick Summary

The USDA MyPlate is a visual guide outlining five food groups: Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy, to help Americans build balanced and nutritious meals. It encourages filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables, and the other half with grains and protein, alongside a serving of dairy.

Key Points

Five Food Groups: The USDA Choose MyPlate comprises Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy.
Visual Guide: MyPlate visually divides a plate, showing that fruits and vegetables should make up half, while grains and protein take up the other half, with dairy on the side.
Variety is Key: Each food group provides essential nutrients, so consuming a variety of items from all five groups is crucial for a balanced diet.
Focus on Whole Grains: For the grains category, prioritize whole grains over refined grains to increase your intake of fiber, iron, and B vitamins.
Choose Lean Protein and Low-Fat Dairy: Opt for lean protein sources and low-fat dairy products to limit saturated fat intake.
Build Better Meals: MyPlate serves as a simple, actionable blueprint for building healthier, more balanced meals and snacks.

The USDA Choose MyPlate is an important tool for anyone looking to understand nutrition and create a more balanced diet. It replaces the outdated food pyramid with a simple, colorful, and easy-to-understand visual guide. By dividing a plate into five core food groups, MyPlate provides a blueprint for a well-rounded meal. Adhering to these guidelines, which are based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall health.

The Five Categories of the USDA Choose MyPlate

MyPlate clearly identifies five distinct food groups essential for a healthy diet. Each category contributes unique and vital nutrients to the body, making a varied intake from all groups important for overall well-being.

1. Fruits

This group includes all fruits and 100% fruit juice (fresh, frozen, canned, or dried). Fruits are generally low in fat, sodium, and calories, and are good sources of dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. Prioritizing whole fruits is recommended for their higher fiber content.

Examples from the Fruit Group:

Whole fruits: Apples, bananas, oranges, berries
Canned/Frozen: Pineapple, peaches, mango slices
Dried: Raisins, apricots, prunes

2. Vegetables

The largest section of MyPlate is the Vegetable group, encompassing any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice. Vegetables offer essential nutrients like potassium, dietary fiber, folate, vitamin A, and vitamin C. They are divided into five subgroups to promote variety: dark-green, red and orange, beans and peas, starchy, and other vegetables.

Examples from the Vegetable Subgroups:

Dark-Green: Spinach, kale, broccoli
Red and Orange: Carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin
Starchy: Potatoes, corn, green peas
Beans, Peas, and Lentils: Black beans, lentils, chickpeas
Other: Cauliflower, cucumbers, onions, mushrooms

3. Grains

The Grains group includes foods made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or other cereal grains. MyPlate advises that at least half of your daily grain intake should be whole grains, which retain the entire grain kernel and provide more fiber, iron, and B vitamins.

Examples of Grains:

Whole Grains: Whole-wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa
Refined Grains: White bread, white rice, enriched pasta

4. Protein Foods

This group includes diverse sources like meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, nuts, seeds, and soy products. Proteins are vital for building and repairing tissues. MyPlate suggests choosing lean options and varying protein sources.

Examples of Protein Foods:

Lean Meats/Poultry: Skinless chicken breast, lean ground beef, pork loin
Seafood: Salmon, tuna, trout
Plant-based: Beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, tofu, tempeh

5. Dairy

Represented by a glass icon, the Dairy group includes milk and calcium-rich milk products like yogurt and cheese. Dairy provides calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein, important for bone health. MyPlate recommends low-fat or fat-free options, and fortified soy milk and soy yogurt are also included.

Examples from the Dairy Group:

Milk (low-fat or fat-free)
Yogurt (low-fat or fat-free)
Cheese (low-fat or fat-free)
Fortified soy milk

Whole Grains vs. Refined Grains: A Comparison

Understanding the difference between whole and refined grains is key, as MyPlate emphasizes whole grains.


Feature	Whole Grains	Refined Grains
Processing	Contains the entire grain kernel (bran, germ, and endosperm).	Milled to remove bran and germ.
Dietary Fiber	Rich in fiber.	Little to no fiber.
Nutrients	Contains iron, B vitamins, magnesium.	Enriched with some B vitamins and iron, but less nutrient-dense than whole grains.
Health Benefits	May lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, aid weight management.	Fewer health benefits.
Examples	Whole-wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa.	White bread, white rice, enriched pasta, many cereals.

Conclusion: Building a Healthier Diet, Bite by Bite

Understanding the five MyPlate categories—Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy—offers a simple guide for healthy eating. It promotes a diet focusing on fruits and vegetables, balanced with lean proteins and whole grains, and low-fat dairy. Using MyPlate as a guide can help you make better nutritional choices for improved long-term health. More information and resources are available on the official MyPlate website.

A Balanced Plate Approach

Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables: Aim to fill half your plate with colorful produce at each meal.
Choose Whole Grains: Make at least half of your grain choices whole grains.
Vary Your Protein Routine: Include a mix of lean proteins from various sources.
Opt for Low-Fat or Fat-Free Dairy: Choose low-fat dairy options.
Limit Added Sugars, Saturated Fat, and Sodium: Be mindful of these in your food choices.

Frequently Asked Questions

The five categories of the USDA Choose MyPlate are Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy.

According to the MyPlate guidelines, your plate should be divided so that half is filled with fruits and vegetables, and the other half is divided between grains and protein foods, with a cup or bowl of dairy on the side.

Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel, including the bran, germ, and endosperm, which provides more fiber and nutrients. Refined grains have been milled to remove the bran and germ, resulting in less fiber and fewer nutrients.

Vegetarian protein options include beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, and processed soy products like tofu and tempeh.

No, foods made from milk that have little calcium and a high fat content, such as cream, butter, and cream cheese, are not part of the Dairy group.

Fruits and vegetables are important sources of fiber, vitamins (A, C), and minerals (potassium), which help maintain healthy blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, and support the immune system.

MyPlate offers a visual guide for balanced portioning and encourages variety across all food groups. It reminds you to focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy, which can help improve your overall eating pattern.