Most Americans’ plates do not resemble the nutritionally-balanced quadrants on the USDA’s MyPlate (the new federal guidelines for a healthful daily diet). So note market research firm The NPD Group’s new food and beverage findings, as reported in an online article by Pizzamarketplace.com (December 13, 2011).
More alarming was the revelation that, when a “MyPlate day” was achieved, people were more likely to consume more than three meals on that day.In fact, few of the average consumers’ plates even come close to the ideal. Using NPD’s National Eating Trends research, which continually tracked eating and drinking habits of U.S. consumers for more than 30 years, MyPlate days were calculated based on consumers who, on the same day, achieved at least 70% of the daily recommended intake for dairy, fruit, grains, protein and vegetables. For the average consumer, only 2% of their MyPlate-attainment days (about 7 days per year) came near the USDA’s guidelines.