USDA Announces the Launch of a New Food Icon to Replace Pyramid

The USDA announced yesterday that it will be launching a new food icon on June 2 that will replace the food pyramid currently used to guide Americans' eating habits. The use of the term "food icon" hints that the shape may no longer be a pyramid, the symbol that has been used since 1992 to illustrate the basics of healthy eating.

(If you are interested in the history of the food pyramid, take a look at this informative illustration from The Washington Post.)

The pyramid received a makeover in 2005, including the addition of a staircase to remind Americans to incorporate physical activity in their everyday lives. This version, called MyPyramid, has been used by nutrition educators all across the U.S. since its debut.

SOSMentor currently uses MyPyramid in our nutrition education, so this news impacts us greatly. According to the USDA press release, the new food icon "will provide consumers with easy-to-understand recommendations, a new website with expanded information, and other tools and resources."

We look forward to the launch, and will keep you updated when the new food icon is released!