A visual history of food guides

1943 – The USDA introduces the “Basic 7″ food guide, aimed at maintaining nutrition standards during the wartime period of food rationing.

1955 – HSPH researchers condense the Basic 7 food groups into a Basic Four, which the USDA subsequently adopts.

1977 – HSPH professor Mark Hegsted helps map out the Dietary Goals for the United States, providing the basis for the 1979 Hassle-Free Daily Food Guide.

1992 – The Food Guide Pyramid is the USDA’s first set of guidelines to include recommended servings for each of the food groups.

2005 – The USDA unveils MyPyramid, with vertical wedges representing the food groups, and a figure scaling a set of stairs along its side to represent the importance of physical activity.

2005 – HSPH responds to the confusing new USDA pyramid with the Healthy Eating Pyramid, grounded in the best available scientific evidence about the links between diet and health.

2011 – The USDA’s MyPlate is released, replacing two decades of pyramids with a simpler approach representing an actual meal.

2011 – HSPH’s Healthy Eating Plate corrects key flaws in MyPlate by focusing on whole grains, healthy proteins and oils, and vegetables other than potatoes. The red running figure is a reminder to stay active.