Any parent who has tried to navigate a well-stocked grocery
store with a hungry child in tow knows it is a challenge.
Weaving through endless aisles of candy, frozen pizza, chips,
soda, and sugary cereals without at least one incident of
pleading or bargaining is considered a major accomplishment. But
on a daily basis, where is the proper guidance to steer through
the numerous food choices? Getting to Know MyPlate Since 1894,
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been
providing Americans with dietary guidelines. In general, they
have focused on eating from specified food groups and emphasized
moderation, proper proportions, and variety. An updated version
of the USDA's guidelines is called MyPlate. It shows the image
of a dinner plate divided into colored sections: - Orange—grains
(eg, wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley) - Purple—protein (eg,
meat, chicken, fish, beans, eggs, soy products, nuts, seeds) -
Red—fruits (eg, apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries,
oranges, peaches) - Green—ve