Next Monday, officials of USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion will be on the road promoting the importance of MyPlate partnership opportunities at the Institute of Food Technologists’ Annual Meeting and Food Expo in New Orleans.  The new MyPlate food icon, released June 2 by First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, is a new generation icon with the intent to prompt consumers to think about building a healthy plate at meal times.

Between September 2011 and December 2013, CNPP will lead a coordinated, multi-year, multi-modal, messaging approach among public and private sector partners to help USDA amplify the consumer themes and nutrition messages outlined in the Dietary Guidelines. Resources, such as “how-tos,” supporting messages, and educational materials, will be provided to support each message. Communication themes include: Make Half Your Plate Fruit and Vegetables, Foods to Increase, Foods to Reduce, Balancing Calories, and Be Active Your Way.

The MyPlate food icon and its accompanying messages reflect the recommendations found in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released in January of this year.