Final answer:
The MyPlate guidelines by the USDA provide a visual representation and recommendations on the portions of food from various food groups for a balanced diet. It emphasizes fruits and vegetables, with equal but smaller portions of grains and proteins, and includes dairy products. The ChooseMyPlate.gov website offers further resources for meal planning and nutrition education.
Step-by-step explanation:
The MyPlate guidelines were developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help people make better food choices by showing the recommended amounts to eat from key food groups. MyPlate replaced the previous MyPyramid and provides a visual guide that is simple to apply to daily eating habits for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The guide includes five food groups: vegetables, fruits, grains, proteins, and dairy, with a recommendation to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, and the other half with grains and protein, with a slightly higher quantity of grains than protein. The model also includes dairy, which can be represented by a glass of milk or other dairy products.
The ChooseMyPlate.gov website offers detailed information, including an individualized meal planner, recipes, and professional resources to support healthy eating for people of all ages. Tools like MyPlate and nutrition facts labels are invaluable to achieving a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods to provide all necessary nutrients.