9.2: Your Diet vs MyPlate — Read

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Lab 9.2

Name:

Date:

Instructions

This lab asks you to compare your diet to the pattern recommended by MyPlate. You can complete the analysis for 1 day, but for a more complete and accurate assessment of your diet, average, and then analyze the results from 3 days, including a weekday and a weekend day.

Fill in the recommended daily intake goals for each food group based on your energy level using www.choosemyplate.gov. Make as many copies of the log as needed to cover the number of days you are tracking. Record the amount of food you consume from each food group each day, using the appropriate measurements (cups, ounce equivalents, etc.). Complete your analysis by using the provided log or an online nutrition analysis tool or app (note: some are free while others may require payment).

Day of the week (circle): M T W Th F Sa Su

🔲 = 1 cup or ounce equivalent. Draw a slash and fill half to indicate 1/2 cup or ounce equivalent.

Group/Amounts		Check Number Consumed	My Total	Target Total*
Grains (1 oz eq = 1 slice of bread, 1 cup dry cereal, 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta)	Whole Grain	🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲	oz eq	oz eq
	Other	🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲	oz eq	oz eq
Vegetables (1 cup raw or cooked vegetables, 2 cups leafy greens)		🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲	cups	cups
Fruits (1 cup fruit or juice, 1/2 cup dried fruit)		🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲	cups	cups
Dairy (1 cup milk/yogurt, 1 1/2 oz natural cheese, 2 oz processed cheese)		🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲	cups	cups
Protein (1 oz eq = 1 oz meat, 1 egg, 1/4 cup legumes, 1 Tbsp peanut butter, 1/2 oz nuts/seeds)	Low Sat Fat	🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲	oz eq	oz eq
	High Sat Fat	🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲	oz eq	oz eq
Oils (tsp)		🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲 🔲	tsp	tsp

*Target total from MyPlate.

Additional Information

Number of vegetable subgroups consumed (dark green, orange/red, starchy, legume, other)

Other foods that don't fit into the groups.

Comments (including environmental cues - locations, people, day/times - that triggered overeating or poor choices):

Results

Complete the following chart by averaging your totals for the number of days you tracked and then comparing them to the recommended MyPlate totals for each group.

Group/Amounts		My Average Total	Target Total*
Grains	Whole Grain	oz eq	oz eq
	Other	oz eq	oz eq
Vegetables		cups	cups
Fruits		cups	cups
Dairy		cups	cups
Protein	Low Sat Fat	oz eq	oz eq
	High Sat Fat	oz eq	oz eq
Oils (tsp)		tsp	tsp

Average number of vegetable subgroups consumed (dark green, orange/red, starchy, legume, other)

Other foods that don't fit into the groups.

Reflecting on Results

How did your diet compare to the recommended guidelines? Were there any areas where you consistently ate more or less than the suggested amounts? Keep in mind that these recommendations are averages, so it isn’t necessary to meet each target every single day. However, your analysis provides a useful benchmark for identifying patterns. Were you surprised by any of the results?

Planning Next Steps

Select one food group where your intake could be improved—either by increasing or decreasing the amount you eat, or by choosing higher-quality options—to better align with the guidelines. Develop at least three strategies to improve your intake from this group. Reflect on the foods you recorded in your analysis: where could you make changes? What items might you add, reduce, or replace?

Strategy #1

Strategy #2

Strategy #3

If your usual daily eating habits align with the MyPlate pattern, congratulations—keep up the good work!

This page titled 9.2: Your Diet vs MyPlate was last modified on Mon, 31 Aug 2026 22:48:28 GMT and is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Danielle Altman, Rusty Johnson, and Cheryl Owiesny.

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