MyPyramid

MyPyramid was the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) food guidance icon introduced in 2005 as part of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It replaced the original Food Guide Pyramid and served as a visual tool to help consumers make healthier eating choices.

The graphic featured a pyramid composed of vertical, color-coded bands representing five major food groups: grains (orange), vegetables (green), fruits (red), dairy (blue), and protein (purple). The widths of the bands indicated the relative proportions of daily servings for each group, with grains typically shown as the broadest section. A side silhouette of a person climbing stairs was included to emphasize the role of physical activity in a healthy lifestyle. The guidance also provided age- and sex-specific daily amounts and serving suggestions aligned with different activity levels.

MyPyramid was part of an effort to modernize nutrition messaging and translate the dietary guidelines into an accessible visual format. In 2011, it was superseded by MyPlate, a simpler plate icon that placed the five food groups onto a single plate and integrated physical activity into the overall guidance. Although phased out of primary use, MyPyramid remained referenced in historical materials and discussions of the evolution of US dietary guidance.