Food Pyramid is Out, Food Plate is In

Triangles? They're so square. Circles are where it's at now!

I'm talking about the new symbol of healthy eating: the "food plate," unveiled yesterday by the government. This new graphic will be replacing the food pyramid, which has been in use for almost 2 decades now.

The new "food plate"  design is part of the government effort to boost awareness of the new federal dietary guidelines. Resembling a pie chart or a pizza, (which really aren't the first things I think of when I think of healthy eating...) the  plate contains different colorful wedges that represent the amount of each food group the USDA advises. The smaller circle next to the plate represents dairy products, like a glass of milk.

The food pyramid, although recognizable, has had its share of criticism. The last time the food pyramid was revamped was in 2005, it was deemed by nutritionists to be confusing and all but useless because it didn't provide any visual indication of how much of each food group to eat. This confusion is the primary reason behind changing the pyramid into a plate.