Fort Myers Child Care Supports USDA Change from Pyramid to Myplate

First lady Michelle Obama, Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack unveiled the new icon this past June. It’s called MyPlate, and it features four colored sections representing fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins. Next to the plate is a smaller circle representing dairy products.

“The new symbol will be much easier to apply to everyday life. We are always thrilled with information that promotes healthy nutrition,” says Child Care of Southwest Florida’s executive director, Beth Lobdell.

The USDA emphasizes several important nutrition messages on the MyPlate website. These include tips such as: eat smaller portions, make at least half the plate fruits and vegetables, and avoid sugary drinks.

MyPlate is the launching point in Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative. This is an effort to raise awareness and educate consumers about making healthy food choices, balanced with physical activity.

The original Food Pyramid, released in 1992, included the four food groups stacked in the shape of a pyramid. Each level showed the number of recommended servings a person should eat from the respective food group in a day. The widest part of the pyramid featured foods such as breads, cereals and grains, that should make up most of the diet. Fats were at the top of the pyramid, indicating they should be used sparingly.

The new symbol, MyPlate, is divided into servings of four food groups, with recommended portion sizes, represented by how much of the plate each group occupies. Vegetables and fruit take up a majority of the plate, then grains, and lastly protein. The dairy portion is represented by a glass of milk along side the plate.

About Child Care of SWFL:

Child Care of Southwest Florida, Inc. (CCSWFL) is the region’s leading child care resource, established as a private, non-profit organization in 1967. CCSWFL provides quality Fort Myers child care centers in 3 locations as well as Labelle, Clewiston, and Lehigh Acres. Their mission is to ensure that high quality child care is available to all families and children in Southwest Florida, and that children enter school with an eagerness to learn and achieve school success.

CCSWFL services include the operation of high quality child care centers, Circles of Care Annual Early Education Conference, management of USDA Child Care Food Program, and DCF Mandated Class for child care providers. They are also licensed to offer the FCCPC (CDA - Staff Credential).

For more information, call (239) 278-1002.

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