“That’€™s how little sugar I can eat?!” is what a kid might ask looking at the tiny tip of the food pyramid in the old days.

Food pyramids date back to the 1960’s. Food pyramids needed to present variety, proportionality and moderation . (Food Pyramid History) The official food pyramid was introduced to the public in 1992 and was helpful in a low-carb diet but had misleading information. The food pyramid was divided into six categories. The first was fats, oils and sweets, which you had to use sparingly. As you went down, you needed 2-3 servings of dairy, 2-3 servings of meat and nuts, 3-5 servings of vegetables, 2-4 servings of fruit, and 6-11 servings of grains. One problem with the food pyramid was the fats. Not all fats are bad for the body. For example, Omega 3 can help with coronary disease.

Nutritionists and First Lady Michelle Obama suggested a change of the food pyramid. The idea of having a visual is for people to get the idea right away. They said good-bye to the food pyramid and presented the new food plate in 2011. It is a simple visual of a plate that has been divided into four quarters of fruits, vegetables, grains and protein. On the side of the plate there is a fork and a glass of dairy. People look at their food plates everyday; therefore, the food plate guide can more easily help people know how much they should eat of different food categories.

McKinley’s cafeteria manager, Mitch Arnold, said the food plate will be implemented over time. Now, Arnold follows Hawaii 5210: 5 fruits, roots and vegetables, 2 hours of screen time, 1 hour of physical play and 0 sugary drinks. As time progresses, students will start to notice changes in school lunches.

“€œThere will be an increase in vegetables and fruits in students’ meals. I encourage those who want to to ask for more fruits or vegetables if wanted because we have so much extra food left over,”€ said Arnold.

For Chelsie Wang (11), as a vegetarian, she likes what the school has to offer.

“€œThe cafeteria gives a well-balanced meal with fruits, vegetables and a pint of milk,”€ said Wang.

Students with a good appetite for healthy eating will grow up to be strong, smart and will be less prone to disease, prolonging their life span. (eatinghealthyfoods.org)

“I want to be healthy and I want to stay fit. I eat the right foods and eat fast foods once a month,” said Sarah Liu (11).

Find out more out the food plate at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/index.html

Have fun while you learn. Try the links below:

Play the Blast Off game at http://www.fns.usda.gov/multimedia/Games/Blastoff/BlastOff_Game.html

Practice with this worksheet at http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/resources/mpk_worksheet.pdf

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