USDA’s My Plate

MyPlate is a great tool to use when planning your meals; it’s the new version of the Food Pyramid (remember that?) but it’s more user-friendly. The USDA recommends that we eat:

Fruits

  • A little less than 1/4 of your daily food intake
  • Whole fruit is preferable to juice but any fruit counts: fresh, frozen, canned, 100% juice or dried.
  • Fill half your plate with fruits and veggies

Protein

  • A little less than 1/4 of your daily food intake
  • Go lean with protein.
  • Nuts, beans/peas, seeds, poultry, lean meat, seafood, soy and eggs are in this group.

Vegetables

  • 1/4 of your daily food intake
  • Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of vegetable group.
  • Fill half your plate with fruits and veggies, and vary your veggies.

Grains

  • 1/4 of your daily food intake
  • Whole wheat, brown rice, and oatmeal are great grains! Try to keep at least half of this as whole grains.
  • Read labels to find more whole grain foods.

Dairy

  • One glass of 2% milk suffices
  • Go easy on cheese.
  • Skim yogurt is a good choice, too.

Nutrition at Elon

Find information on ingredients, allergens, meals that meet your dietary needs and more on the Elon Dining website.

Portion Size Guide