- No serving sizes & number of servings
- Photos show examples, not portions
- Combined milk & alternatives and meat & alternatives into protein foods
- Emphasizes plant-based proteins Choose whole grains (instead of “make half your grains whole”)
- Greater emphasis on plant-based sources of protein - The Food Guide has an increased focus on plant-based eating. In addition to recommending that half of our intake come from vegetables or fruit, the guide recommends the consumption of plant-based protein sources more often. These foods include lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, and tofu.
- Focus on balance and portions – The updated guide moves away from the four food groups and a rainbow to a balanced plate. On the new guide, you’ll see that half of the plate consists of vegetables and fruit, a quarter of the plate consists of protein foods, like meats, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds, and the final quarter of the plate consists of whole grain foods, such as brown rice, quinoa, barley, whole grain pasta, and whole grain bread.
- Combined milk & alternatives and meat & alternatives into protein foods – The updated guide combined the two food groups into one. Protein foods include: legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu, fortified soy beverage, fish, shellfish, eggs, poultry, lean red meats including wild game, lower fat milk, lower fat yogurts, lower fat kefir, and cheeses lower in fat and sodium.