Using The Food Guide Pyramid: A Resource for Nutrition Educators

Using The
Food Guide Pyramid:
A Resource for
Nutrition Educators
Anne Shaw
D R A F T
Lois Fulton
Carole Davis
Myrtle Hogbin
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services
Center For Nutrition Policy and Promotion

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About
This
Publication
The Food Guide Pyramid was introduced in 1992 to illustrate a food guide
developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help healthy
Americans use the Dietary Guidelines to choose foods for a healthy diet.
Since its release, the Pyramid has captured the imagination of nutrition educators,
teachers, the media, and the food indus-
try. It now appears widely in nutrition
curricula, articles, food packaging,
and advertising designed to show
the composition of a healthy diet
and the contribution of
specific food products to
such diets.
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The Food Guide Pyramid is a graphic tool that conveys “at a glance” important
dietary guidance concepts of variety, proportion, and moderation. These concepts
are not new—with varying emphasis, they have been part of USDA food guides for
almost 100 years. Studies conducted before the release of the Food Guide Pyramid
confirmed that the pyramid was the most effective of numerous graphics tested in
communicating key concepts of a healthy diet.
This publication provides information to assist nutrition educators in helping
their audiences use the Food Guide Pyramid to plan and prepare foods for a
healthy diet. The publication reviews the objectives set in developing the food
guide and illustrates their impact on the application of the guide to planning
menus. In particular, the publication describes how to count up servings from the
food groups in menus for a day’s diet, how mixed foods and recipe items con-
tribute to food group servings, and how to adapt a single menu for individuals
who have different calorie and nutrient needs. Problems and limitations encoun-
tered in planning the menus are also pointed out.
Appendices contain a complete set of recipes and menu tables developed for
this publication so that nutrition educators may select those most likely to be of
interest to their audience. To enhance usefulness and appeal for consumers, the
example menus and recipes use popular foods that are readily available, moder-
ately priced, and require only modest preparation time and skill. Because each
recipe is included in one of the five menus, the menus have more items prepared
“from scratch” than may be realistic for some busy households. Substitutions of
similar items, i.e. another vegetable, salad, or simple dessert, may be made to
adapt the menus to family tastes and eating schedules. The recipes may be used
to teach food group contributions of mixed foods and how to prepare popular
dishes in ways that are low in fat, cholesterol, sodium, and added sugars.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section
Page
I.
Objectives of the Food Guide Pyramid
1
II.
Using the Food Guide to Plan/Evaluate Food Choices
for a Day
5
s
How Many Servings?
5
s
Suggestions for Different Ages
10
s
Which Food Group?
12
s
What Counts as a Serving?
15
s
Counting Food Group Servings from Mixed Dishes
and Recipes
20
s
Counting Food Group Servings in 1 Day’s Menu
21
III.
Food Choices for 1 Day at Three Calorie Levels
23
IV.
Planning Menus for Several Days
27
V.
Recipes that Contribute to Food Group Servings
35
VI.
Food Shopping Tips
39
VII.
Suggestions for Using the Food Guide Pyramid with People
Who Have Different Eating Patterns and Ethnic Diets
43
VIII. Resource
List
47
Appendix 1.
Suggestions for Determining the Number of Food Group
Servings in Recipes
49
Appendix 2.
Twenty-Three Recipes
55
Appendix 3.
Menus Tables
85
Appendix 4.
Food Lists for 5 Days’ Menus
115
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1.
The Pyramid Guide to Daily Food Choices
Table 2.
Sample Food Patterns for a Day at Three Calorie Levels
Table 2A.
Sample Food Pattern for a Day at 2,000 Calories
Table 3.
Variety from the Food Groups
Table 4.
Counting Food Group Servings in Recipes
Table 5.
Counting Food Group Servings in 1 Day’s Menu at 2,200 Calories
Table 6.
One Day’s Menu and Food Group Servings at Three Calorie Levels
Table 7A.
Five Days’ Menus at 2,200 Calories
Table 7B.
Food Group/Subgroup Servings from 5 Days’ Menus
at 2,200 Calories
Table 8.
Nutrients in 5 Days’ Menus at Three Calorie Levels,
Compared to RDAs for Selected Age/Sex Groups
Appendix
Table A-1
Yield of Lean Boneless Cooked Meat from Raw Meat, Poultry,
and Fish
Table A-2
Expanded List of Serving Sizes
Table A-3
Nutrients in Recipe Items
Tables A-4
Three tables, each listing food items in 5 days’ menus at
to A-6
one calorie level. (Table A-5 is also Table 7A in the text.)
Tables A-7
Five tables, each showing 1 day’s menu at three calorie levels
to A-11
with summary food group servings and nutrient data.
(Table A-11 is also Table 6 in the text.)
Tables A-12
Fifteen tables, each showing 1 day’s menu at one calorie level,
to A-26
with each food item’s contribution to food group servings, fat,
and calories shown. (Table A-19 is also Table 5 in the text.)
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Objectives
of the Food
1
Guide
Pyramid
The Food Guide Pyramid (fig. 1) was developed to help healthy Americans
follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (see box). Two sets of goals
were established for the guide:
NUTRITIONAL GOALS for a diet that is adequate in protein, vitamins, minerals,
and dietary fiber, without excessive amounts of calories, fat, saturated fat,
cholesterol, sodium, added sugars, and alcohol;
USABILITY GOALS for a guide that is practical and useful to consumers.
Unlike earlier guides such as the “Basic Four,” which
recommended a foundation diet designed to prevent nutrient
deficiencies, the new food guide specifies food choices for
the total diet because both nutrient adequacy and
excesses are of concern. The specific
nutrient levels targeted are the
Recommended Dietary Allowances
(RDAs) for protein, vitamins and miner-
als, and levels of food components such
as fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium,
and fiber recommended by the Dietary
Guidelines and by consensus reports
of authoritative health organizations.
Consistent with the RDA, these goals
apply to diets consumed over a reason-
able period of time—a week, for exam-
ple. Both RDA and food guide serving
recommendations are by convention
expressed on a daily basis; daily menus
vary around these standards. This
allows a flexibility in food choices
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DIETARY GUIDELINES
FOR AMERICANS 1995
Eat a variety of foods
Balance the food you eat with physical activity — maintain or improve your weight
Choose a diet with plenty of grain products, vegetables, and fruits
Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol
Choose a diet moderate in sugars
Choose a diet moderate in salt and sodium
If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation
and day-to-day balance in levels of calories, fat, and sodium that is practical for
the healthy person, while maintaining good dietary practices over time. The RDAs
are generally set high to meet the needs of practically all healthy persons of a
given age and sex. Some individuals, such as many adult women, consume low
calorie levels but have relatively high RDA for certain nutrients. For these lower-
calorie diets, the food guide’s objective is to suggest food choice patterns that
improve intakes of hard-to-get nutrients, such as iron, over current consumption,
although they may not meet the full RDA for these nutrients.
The food guide is designed to be useful to consumers. It builds on previous
food guides, using familiar food groups as an organizing framework. Foods are
grouped not only by their nutrient content but also by the way they are used in
meals. Serving sizes are expressed in household measures in amounts commonly
eaten. Recognizing that nutrient and energy needs vary considerably by age, sex,
and activity level, the food guide suggests ranges in the numbers of servings from
each food group, so that everyone in a household can meet their needs from one
basic menu. Expected nutrient levels attained in food choice patterns suggested
by the guide are realistic because they are based on selection of commonly used
foods, rather than depending on foods that are unusually rich in certain nutrients
but are infrequently used (oysters as a source of zinc, for example). Finally, the
guide allows flexibility for consumers to eat in a way that suits their taste and
lifestyle, while meeting nutritional criteria. Rather than prescribe specific lowfat
foods (such as nonfat milk), the guide permits consumers to decide which foods
they prefer as sources of fat and added sugars, while keeping their total fat intake
to no more than 30 percent of calories.
The food guide was developed for the same audience as the Dietary Guidelines
for Americans—healthy people 2 years of age and over. People who are at special
risk for one or more of the diet-related diseases may require a modified diet. With
the assistance of a dietitian, they may be able to use the food guide framework
with more specific limitations on the types or amounts of foods selected within
each food group—for example, selection of only lowfat dairy products or fewer
egg yolks to control saturated fat and cholesterol in a fat-modified diet.
S E C T I O N 1
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FIGURE 1.
Food Guide Pyramid
A Guide to Daily Food Choices
Fats, Oils, & Sweets
KEY
Use Sparingly
Fat (naturally occuring and added)
Sugars (added)
These symbols show that fat and added
sugars come mostly from fats, oils, and
sweets, but can be part of or added to
foods from the other food groups as well.
Milk, Yogurt,
Meat, Poultry, Fish,
& Cheese Group
Dry Beans, Eggs,
2–3 Servings
& Nuts Group
2–3 Servings
Vegetable
Fruit Group 2–4
Group
Servings
3–5 Servings
Bread, Cereal,
Rice, & Pasta
Group
6–11
Servings
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Agriculture/U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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S E C T I O N 1

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The food guide was developed for Americans who regularly eat foods from
all five major food groups. Thus, some people, such as vegetarians, may need
special help from a dietitian or nutritionist in planning food choices to assure
that they get needed nutrients. Food guide development considered food use data
derived from nationwide food consumption surveys. Some cultural/ethnic groups
in the United States may have food use patterns that distinctly differ from those
reported by a majority of respondents in nationwide surveys. Some suggestions
for factors to consider when using the Food Guide Pyramid with these groups are
discussed in section VII of this publication.
S E C T I O N 1
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Using the
Food Guide
2
To Plan/Evaluate
Food Choices
for a Day
Table 1 summarizes basic information needed to begin planning or evaluating
a day’s food choices using the food guide. It lists the major food groups and
subgroups, the ranges in numbers of servings suggested, and the amounts to
count as a serving for each group.
To become comfortable using the food guide, consumers need to know about
how many servings they need, in which food group(s) their food choices fit, and
how much counts as a serving. Menu and recipe examples can be used to teach
composition of popular foods, how they contribute to food group servings, and
how food choice patterns suggested by the Food Guide Pyramid translate into
everyday menus.
How Many Servings?
Earlier food guides, such as the “Basic Four,” specified a “foundation diet” of a
minimum number of servings from four food groups that provided about 1,200
calories and a major share (about 80 percent or more) of protein and selected vit-
amins and minerals. People were expected to eat more to meet their energy needs
(up to 3,000 calories or more, total), but foundation diet guides did not specify
how the additional calories were to be spent in food choices. No limits
on fat and added sugars were suggest-
ed. In contrast, the Food Guide Pyramid
suggests foods for the total diet. If more
calories are needed than provided by
the lower numbers of servings in the
ranges, additional servings from the
major food groups are suggested, along
with modest increases in amounts of
total fat and added sugars. Increasing
amounts of grain products, vegetables,
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S E C T I O N 2

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Document Outline

• Using The Food Guide Pyramid:
  • About This Publication
  • Table Of Contents
  • List Of Tables
• Section 1: Objectives of the Food Guide Pyramid
  • FIGURE 1.Food Guide Pyramid
• Section 2: Using the Food Guide To Plan/Evaluate Food Choices for a Day
  • TABLE 1. THE PYRAMID GUIDE TO DAILY FOOD CHOICES
  • TABLE 2. SAMPLE FOOD PATTERNS FOR A DAY AT THREE CALORIE LEVELS
  • TABLE 2A. SAMPLE FOOD PATTERN FOR A DAY AT 2,000 CALORIES
  • Suggestions for Different Ages
  • Which Food Group?
  • TABLE 3: VARIETY FROM THE FOOD GROUPS
  • TABLE 3: VARIETY FROM THE FOOD GROUPS (CONTINUED)
  • What Counts as a Serving?
  • FOOD LABEL SERVING SIZES vs. FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID SERVING SIZES?WHY DO THEY DIFFER?
  • TABLE 4. COUNTING FOOD GROUP SERVINGS IN RECIPES
  • TABLE 5. COUNTING FOOD GROUP SERVINGS IN 1 DAY?S MENU AT 2,200 CALORIES
  • Counting Food Group Servings from Mixed Dishes and Recipes
  • Counting Food Group Servings in 1 Day?s Menu
• Section 3: Food Choices for 1 Day at Three Calorie Levels 3
  • TABLE 6. ONE DAY?S MENU AND FOOD GROUP SERVINGS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS
  • TABLE 6. ONE DAY?S MENU AND FOOD GROUP SERVINGS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS (CONTINUED)
• Section 4: Planning Menus for Several Days
  • TABLE 7A: FIVE DAYS? MENUS AT 2,200 CALORIES
  • TABLE 7B. FOOD GROUP/SUBGROUP SERVINGS FROM 5 DAYS? MENUS AT 2,200 CALORIES
  • TABLE 8. NUTRIENTS IN 5 DAY?S MENUS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS COMPARED TO RDA FOR SELECTED AGE/SEX GROUPS
  • Some technical issues encountered in planning the menus
• Section 5: Recipes That Contribute to Food Group Servings
  • FIGURE 2. MODIFYING YOUR RECIPES
  • HINTS FOR REDUCING FAT, SATURATED FAT, CHOLESTEROL, SUGAR, AND SODIUM IN BAKING
• Section 6: Food Shopping Tips
  • MORE MENU PLANNING TIPS
  • Tips on Using Food Label Information
  • FOOD STORAGE AND FOOD SAFETY
• Section 7: Suggestions for Using the Food Guide Pyramid With People Who Have Different Eating Patterns and Ethnic Diets
• Section 8: Resource List
• APPENDIX1: Suggestions for Determining the Number of Food Group Servings in Recipes
  • TABLE A-1. YIELD OF LEAN BONELESS COOKED MEAT FROM RAW MEAT, POULTRY, AND FISH
  • TABLE A-2. EXPANDED LIST OF SERVING SIZES
  • TABLE A-2. EXPANDED LIST OF SERVING SIZES (CONTINUED)
  • TABLE A-2. EXPANDED LIST OF SERVING SIZES (CONTINUED)
• APPENDIX 2: Twenty-Three Recipes
• APPENDIX3: Menu Tables
  • TABLE A-4: FIVE DAYS? MENUS AT 1,600 CALORIES
  • TABLE A-5: FIVE DAYS? MENUS AT 2,200 CALORIES
  • TABLE A-6: FIVE DAYS? MENUS AT 2,800 CALORIES
  • TABLE A-7. DAY ONE MENU AND FOOD GROUP SERVINGS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS
  • TABLE A-7. DAY ONE MENU AND FOOD GROUP SERVINGS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS (CONTINUED)
  • TABLE A-8. DAY TWO MENU AND FOOD GROUP SERVINGS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS
  • TABLE A-8. DAY TWO MENU AND FOOD GROUP SERVINGS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS (CONTINUED)
  • TABLE A-9. DAY THREE MENU AND FOOD GROUP SERVINGS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS
  • TABLE A-9. DAY THREE MENU AND FOOD GROUP SERVINGS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS (CONTINUED)
  • TABLE A-10. DAY FOUR MENU AND FOOD GROUP SERVINGS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS
  • TABLE A-10. DAY FOUR MENU AND FOOD GROUP SERVINGS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS (CONTINUED)
  • TABLE A-11. DAY FIVE MENU AND FOOD GROUP SERVINGS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS
  • TABLE A-11. DAY FIVE MENU AND FOOD GROUP SERVINGS AT 3 CALORIE LEVELS (CONTINUED)
  • TABLE A-12. 1,600 CALORIE MENU, DAY 1
  • TABLE A-13. 1,600 CALORIE MENU, DAY 2
  • TABLE A-14. 1,600 CALORIE MENU, DAY 3
  • TABLE A-15. 1,600 CALORIE MENU, DAY 4
  • TABLE A-16. 1,600 CALORIE MENU, DAY 5
  • TABLE A-17. 2,200 CALORIE MENU, DAY 1
  • TABLE A-18. 2,200 CALORIE MENU, DAY 2
  • TABLE A-19. 2,200 CALORIE MENU, DAY 3
  • TABLE A-20. 2,200 CALORIE MENU, DAY 4
  • TABLE A-21. 2,200 CALORIE MENU, DAY 5
  • TABLE A-22. 2,800 CALORIE MENU, DAY 1
  • TABLE A-23. 2,800 CALORIE MENU, DAY 2
  • TABLE A-24. 2,800 CALORIE MENU, DAY 3
  • TABLE A-25. 2,800 CALORIE MENU, DAY 4
  • TABLE A-26. 2,800 CALORIE MENU, DAY 5
  • MENU
• APPENDIX 4: Food Lists for 5 Days? Menus
  • STAPLES FOR FIVE DAYS? MENUS
  • DAILY SHOPPING LISTS
  • INDEX OF FOODS INCLUDED IN 5 DAYS? MENUS

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