dietary guidelines for americans

Happy Birthday, MyPlate! Eight years ago, MyPlate was introduced as a symbol of the five food groups that serve as the building blocks for healthy eating. This year, we are encouraged to Start Simple with MyPlate, which provides healthy inspiration and tips that are easily incorporated into busy lives and fit personal preferences, health goals, style, and budget. Learn more and join in the #MyPlateChallenge at: ChooseMyPlate.gov/StartSimple.

National Nutrition Month® is a great time to focus on your health goals! To lend support along the way, MyPlate is here with our latest initiative – Start Simple with MyPlate.

Every day, we make decisions about what to eat. And what we eat plays an important role in our body weight and long-term health. Given the high obesity rates in the U.S., a growing number of researchers are asking: how important is geographic access to restaurants in people’s food choices? Some observers argue that the abundance of high-calorie, less nutrient-dense restaurant fare is to blame for Americans’ poor diets and expanding waistline.

Summer is in full swing with warm, long days to enjoy with friends and family. The season offers a perfect time to stock your freezer with vegetables to have on-hand. Frozen vegetables are simple to store and an easy way to make half your plate fruits and vegetables year round. One popular freezer favorite for every season is frozen broccoli.

Did you know the southern states of Georgia and South Carolina both name the peach as their state fruit? Whether they’re fresh, canned, dried or frozen, peaches can easily be included in a healthy eating pattern. Canned peaches are not only delicious and nutritious, but are easy to use because they’re pre-cut and washed. When selecting canned peaches, choose ones that are unsweetened or canned in water or 100 percent fruit juice.

Frozen corn is just as nutritious as its fresh counterpart. Frozen corn is a great vegetable to incorporate into any meal or side dish; it adds a touch of sweetness to the dish it complements. It’s quick and easy to prepare—no washing or chopping needed (what a time saver), plus it’s versatile and delicious. There are many ways to prepare frozen corn—baking, roasting, steaming, microwaving or even thawing out and adding to a salad.

Interested in being part of our process as we develop the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)? Start today at DietaryGuidelines.gov.

As 2017 has come to a close, the What’s Cooking team at USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is joining the #2017BestNine fun – a social media trend where users share their favorite or most popular moments of the year – by taking a look back at our top-viewed recipes. From quinoa to quesadillas, we are proud to share our users’ favorite recipes.

The energy and excitement of beginning a new year makes January a popular time for making New Year’s resolutions. Often, two of the most popular resolutions focus on health: to get fit and to lose weight.

Last year, more than 46 million turkeys were carved and eaten at Thanksgiving. Turkey is typically accompanied by a host of side dishes and desserts, making the Thanksgiving meal by far one of the largest meals most people will cook this year.