The pyramid goes beyond the "basic four food groups" to help clarify which foods are best for healthy Americans 2 years of age or more. The largest sections, starting at the bottom of the pyramid, include foods that come from plants. Most people need to eat more of these foods for the vitamins, minerals and fiber they supply. The smallest section, at the top of the pyramid, shows fats, oils, and sweets. These foods provide calories and little else nutritionally. Most people should use them sparingly. The pyramid also shows a range of servings for each food group. How many servings do you need? This depends on your age, sex, size, activity level and total calorie requirements. Practically everyone should eat at least the minimum number of servings from each group.

Does 6 - 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice or pasta seem like a lot? It's easier than you might think to eat this amount. If you have a bowl of cereal and one slice of toast for breakfast, you've already had 2 servings. A sandwich at lunch with 2 pieces of bread or on a sandwich bun provides 2 more servings. A cup of pasta and a piece of French bread at dinner equals 3 servings. A muffin for a mid-morning or evening snack is one more serving: this adds up to 8!*

Here are some additional ways to add the healthful goodness of grains to your diet:

• Sprinkle cereal on your yogurt or fruit.

• Add cereal to vegetable casseroles.

• Top a salad or soup with cereal.

• Use cereal as a binder in meat loaf or other meat dishes.

• Use cereal as a coating or breading on foods.

• Fill a plastic sandwich bag with cereal and carry it along to enjoy as a nutritious snack anytime.

*Source: USDA's Food Guide Pyramid booklet prepared by Human Nutrition Information Service (HNIS).
For more information contact HNIS at: USDA, Human Nutrition Information Service, 6905 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782.