MyPyramid is all about making healthy choices from a variety of nutritious foods
and being active every day. It’s about getting the most nutrition out of the calories
you eat and staying within your daily calorie needs. It’s simple and personalized
and based
on what you need. Needs change with age, size, and activity level—and whether or
not you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Children have changing needs too.
Take a closer look at MyPyramid. Each part of it means something special.
Activity
The person walking up the side of MyPyramid is a reminder of the importance of daily
physical activity.
Variety
The six colored bands represent the five food groups (grains, vegetables, fruits,
milk, meat and beans) and oil. You and your child need to eat foods from each of
these groups daily for good health.
Gradual Improvement
The MyPyramid tagline is "Steps to a healthier you." You and your child can benefit
from small, gradual changes to improve your diet and lifestyle each day. Don’t be
discouraged if you can’t change everything overnight.
Moderation
Notice that each colored band gets narrower from the bottom to the top. This means
you should eat foods from each group that contains “extras” (like fat and sugar)
less often. For example, cereal made with whole grain is at the bottom of the orange
band—eat more of those. Cookies, also a grain food, are at the top of the orange
band—eat less of those. Make smart choices from every food group each day.
Proportionality
Some bands are wider than others. Notice the orange (grains), green (vegetables),
red (fruits), and blue (milk) bands are the widest. You and your child need more
of these foods each day than you do for oils, the narrowest band.
