Taste Trendsetters: First Ladies In The Kitchen

My Plate

Under Michelle Obama, the United States Department of Agriculture enacted a new nutrition guide in 2011 that replaced the popular food pyramid that was in place for the previous 19 years. MyPlate focuses less on exact serving sizes and encourages parents to pay more attention to portions or how the food looks on the plate.

When announcing the new initiative, Michelle Obama said, “Parents don’t have the time to measure out exactly three ounces of chicken or to look up how much rice or broccoli is in a serving… But we do have time to take a look at our kid’s plates… and as long as they’re eating proper portions, as long as half of their meal is fruits and vegetables alongside their lean proteins, whole-grains and low-fat dairy, then we’re good. It’s as simple as that.”

Are You Eating Healthy?

According to the MyPlate guidelines, a nutritious meal is divided into four sections, consisting of 30 percent grains, 40 percent vegetables, ten percent fruits, and 20 percent protein. This can be complemented by a small portion of low-fat dairy.

The new health guidelines were positively received since it was simpler and easier to follow than the food pyramids that were previously in place. First Lady Michelle Obama had the help of her family chef from Chicago, Sam Kass, who said that Michelle’s health reforms stemmed from her worries over her daughters eating healthily. Childhood obesity was an issue that Michelle tackled head on, initiating “Let’s Move!” as a way to get children more active, in addition to eating better.