Breaking Down the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

2020-2025

Objectives

• Identify Dietary Guidelines
• Understand the Food Groups
• Get Inspired to Vary Your Recipes
• Build a Healthy Meal

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Dietary Guidelines

for Americans

• Evidence-based recommendations, updated every 5 years.
• The framework provided by the Dietary Guidelines is intended to be customized to fit individual needs and preferences.
• Communities across the country can utilize the framework provided by the Dietary Guidelines to choose nutrient dense and culturally relevant foods for all food groups.
• Individuals should work with a health professionals to identify specific calorie and nutrient needs by age, sex, weight, activity level and medical conditions.
• MyPlate.gov provides an entire recipe library to help you use and apply the Dietary Guidelines.

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The goal of the

Dietary Guidelines

is to help Americans meet nutritional needs through nutrient dense foods and beverages!

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What are nutrient

dense foods?

Foods that provide vitamins, minerals and other health promoting components and have little or no added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium¹.

¹https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf

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Vegetables

• Almost 90% of Americans do not meet the recommendations for vegetables.
• Vegetables, in nutrient dense forms, contain limited additives like salt, butter and sauces.
• It is important to include a variety of vegetable types: dark green, red and orange, peas, lentils, starchy and others.

ADULT RECOMMENDATION: 2.5 cups

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• Add vegetables to mixed dishes: tacos, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, casseroles, pasta dishes, soup.
• Eat smaller portions of entree to make room for a vegetable side dish.
• Plan at least one snack per day that will contain vegetables.
• Experiment with flavors and cooking methods.
• Try adding NEW spices and herbs to change up the flavor profile.
• Mix up the preparation method for new texture.
• Experiment with recipes like those offered on the MyPlate website.

TIP! Filter the recipe library by food group you’d

like to focus on.

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How can I increase

my vegetable intake?

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Fruit

• At least 80% of Americans do not meet fruit recommendations.
• Focus on whole fruits: fresh, canned, frozen or dried forms.
• Many fruits are available year-round, and some may only be available seasonally.
• Take note on your next trip to the grocery store for seasonal availability!

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ADULT RECOMMENDATION: 1.5 - 2 cups

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• Plan to have fruit at one snack each day.
• Add fruit into meals: eat as a side dish or a sweet treat.
• Find out what fruits are near you, and plan a trip to the Farmer’s Market to purchase locally grown items.
• Experiment with flavor combinations:
• Some fruits pair well with savory dishes
• Add fresh fruit to a dish for new flavor and texture

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How to increase fruit in my diet?

Grains

• Choose whole grains over refined grains.
• To ensure an item is a whole grain:
• whole grains should be the first or second item on the ingredient list
• Americans consume the majority of grains with added sodium or sugars: crackers, pretzels, cakes and cookies.
• Transition from refined grains to whole grain versions of common foods to increase nutrient density.

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ADULT RECOMMENDATION: 6 - 7 oz

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• There is no shortage of grain in the American diet.
• The main concern is the types of grains Americans are consuming.
• It is important to choose grains that add nutrients into recipes and the overall diet.
• Replace convenient refined grains with whole grain options.
• Nutrient dense grain items contain little or no added sugars or sodium.
• Try adding flavor to grains with fruits or vegetables! Mix fresh fruit into your next bowl of oatmeal.

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Think differently about grains!

Dairy

• Most people benefit from increasing their dairy intake of low fat or fat free dairy (or fortified soy items).
• Items in the dairy category include fortified soy milk and soy yogurt due to their similar nutrient composition to milk.
• Other plant derived “milk”products are not included in this category recommendation.
• Dairy is often a source of added sodium (like cheeses) or sugars (like ice cream).
• Be aware of additives to your dairy options you are choosing.

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ADULT RECOMMENDATION: 3 cups

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How to add more low fat dairy in my diet?

• Swap low-fat or fat-free milk in recipes with whole milk or cream.
• Drink low-fat or fat-free milk options (or fortified beverages) at meals.
• Add unsweetened, low fat yogurt to breakfast or snacks throughout the day.
• Use low-fat milk in your morning coffee.
• Skip the added sugar from the nightly ice cream!

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Protein

• It is important to consume a variety of protein sources: lean meats, poultry, eggs, seafood, beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds.
• Be conscious of the fat content in meat and poultry items and limit processed meats (hotdogs, sausages, lunch meats).
• A healthy vegetarian diet can be achieved by including plant protein sources like soy, nuts and seeds.
• Seafood options can provide beneficial fatty acids often lacking in the American diet.

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ADULT RECOMMENDATION: 5 - 6 oz

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How to vary my protein sources?

• Make one day a week meatless. Use a meat alternative such as beans, nuts or seafood in an everyday meal.
• Meatless meals can be a budget friendly and nutrient dense choice.
• Make a bean-based, chili recipe, sauteed tofu and veggies, or fish tacos.
• Have seafood twice a week.
• Try canned tuna on a salad, make salmon patties from scratch or grilled shrimp with veggies.
• Get inspired! Select and vary your proteins throughout the week.

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One meal at a time!

¹https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf

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• Think about making nutrient dense choices to each individual part of the meal.
• Increase fruits and vegetables
• Choose whole grains
• Use low fat or fat free dairy
• Vary your protein choices
• Limit added sugar, sodium and saturated fats
• Making small changes to each meal can lead to a whole day of nutrient dense meals.
• Enjoy an overall healthy dietary pattern!

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Make nutrient dense choices!

Live YOUR

best life!

More Recommendations

• For more information on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, go to dietaryguidelines.gov to download the full document.
• Find detailed recommendations on subcategory groups in Table A3-2.
• Learn more about MyPlate.
• And, learn more about the history of the dietary guidelines.