Washington, DC - n a continuing effort to help Americans make healthy food choices, and in honor of National Nutrition Month®, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced a new campaign to help simplify the nutrition information that surrounds us each day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=W7_i5tY-5BY 

Start Simple with MyPlate is a new initiative to reduce confusion surrounding healthy eating and help people start with the basics. The Start Simple with MyPlate campaign provides ideas and tips from the five MyPlate food groups that Americans can easily incorporate into their busy lives to help improve their health and well-being over time.

USDA recommends people visit www.choosemyplate.gov/startsimple to get started with tips on the MyPlate food groups, or to use a variety of simple resources to put these tips into action. Online resources include the MyPlate Plan and widget, a tip sheet (PDF, 1 MB), the MyPlate Action Guide, a one-week menu template (PDF, 498 KB), as well as a toolkit for nutrition professionals.

USDA also invites Americans to join the #MyPlateChallenge by sharing healthy eating tips or ideas related to the five MyPlate food groups. People can post a MyPlate-inspired healthy eating tip with a photo or video and share it on social media. Once they post their healthy eating tip, people can challenge a family member, friend, or co-worker to share their own tip.

Join USDA as we celebrate the different ways people strive to eat healthy and Start Simple with MyPlate! View more information about the challenge here: www.choosemyplate.gov/startsimplechallenge.

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service aims to increase food security and reduce hunger by providing children and low-income people access to food, a healthful diet and nutrition education in a way that supports American agriculture and inspires public confidence. In addition to co-developing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and providing nutrition education through MyPlate, the agency administers a network of nutrition assistance programs that comprise America’s nutrition safety net. For more information, visit www.fns.usda.gov.