A brief history of the food pyramid – and its many false starts

The food pyramid has made an unlikely comeback. In January 2026, the US government unveiled an upside-down version, giving prominence to foods such as red meat and full-fat dairy. More recently, an international team of researchers, led by Brigham Young University in the US, proposed a very different food pyramid built around vegetables, fruit, wholegrains and other plant foods. They call it the International Food Guide Pyramid. The two designs reflect different views about what a healthy diet should look like. They also revive an old question: how do you turn complex nutritional evidence into a simple picture that helps people decide what to eat? The history of the food pyramid shows that its design has been shaped by politics, commercial interests as well as scientific advice. The US government’s upside down food pyramid. USDA The first food pyramid The idea began in Sweden in 1974 when a food educator devised a pyramid to show people how much of different foods they should eat. Rising food prices had prompted an investigation into eating nutritiously on a budget. The pyramid’s broad base contained affordable everyday foods: bread, cereals, potatoes, milk, cheese and cooking fats. Fruit and vegetables occupied the middle, with meat, fish and eggs at the top. Before food pyramids, we had food circles, which gave equal space to all food groups. Pyramids added the proportions. Their broad base and narrow peak suggested that people should eat more of some foods than others. Food pyramids were based on nutrient requirements, food costs and practical teaching. Their aim was to turn nutrition knowledge into shopping and cooking decisions, rather than to offer direct evidence that following the pyramid would prevent disease. The US arrived at its own pyramid more slowly. In April 1991, the US agriculture department withdrew its planned pyramid after meat and dairy organisations objected to their products’ placement near the top. The department said more consumer testing was needed. US designers then considered bowls, shopping carts, wheels, fans and picnic scenes. After further testing, the pyramid won out, and the Food Guide Pyramid was published in 1992. Bread, cereals, rice and pasta filled its base, with six to 11 servings a day recommended. A serving was smaller than many modern portions: one slice of bread or half a cup (around 70g) of cooked pasta. The range reflected different calorie needs, so 11 servings was never the advice for everyone. The picture failed to distinguish clearly between wholegrains and refined grains. It also grouped oils with fats and sweets at the tip, obscuring differences between healthier plant oils and fats such as butter. Yet the accompanying booklet did recommend wholegrains: some advice disappeared when the image travelled alone. The 2005 makeover, MyPyramid, replaced horizontal layers with coloured vertical stripes. A figure climbing steps represented the importance of physical activity. Much of the explanation moved online, leaving an image that offered few clues about what to put on a dinner plate. From pyramid to plate In 2011, a dinner plate replaced the pyramid in the US. The US Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate showed fruit and vegetables filling half a plate, with grains and protein foods sharing the remainder and dairy alongside. It made the advice easier to relate to a meal. Sweden had already developed a plate model in the late 1970s, using three sections to show the balance between vegetables, starchy foods and protein sources within a meal. The Swedish plate was updated in 2016 to reflect different dietary choices, such as beans and tofu in the protein section. It now has three versions for different populations; one for people who meet physical activity recommendations, one for those who are less active and therefore need less energy, and one for older adults with poor appetite. Canada’s plate, published in 2019, highlights a bigger proportion of vegetables and fruits and a smaller proportion of wholegrain foods and protein foods (also emphasising different sources of protein). The Mediterranean pyramid, published in 2011, went further by including shared meals, cooking, exercise and rest alongside food. Other countries developed their own food guides, reflecting local diets and traditions. The pyramid returns In January 2026, the US government brought back the food pyramid, this time upside down. Its emphasis on red meat and full-fat dairy has drawn criticism for sending mixed messages about saturated fat, while giving wholegrains less prominence. Experts have questioned the scientific basis of some recommendations, arguing that the government sidelined its independent advisory committee’s findings and used a less transparent review process. Cardiology specialists have also challenged the promotion of butter and beef fat, pointing to evidence favouring liquid plant oils for heart health. The more recent International Food Guide Pyramid, published in the journal Advances in Nutrition, combines research and national dietary guidelines. Its proportions draw on the Eat-Lancet reference diet, which sets out how people could eat healthily while reducing the damage food production does to the planet. International Food Guide Pyramid. International Food Guide Pyramid, CC BY Its recommendations emphasise vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, beans, lentils, nuts and plant oils. Animal foods fit in smaller amounts. The pyramid judges carbohydrates by fibre, food structure and effects on blood sugar, rather than simply by quantity. Fish and poultry are preferred over red and processed meat, and vegetarian and vegan versions of the pattern are possible. The intention is to allow people to use foods available and familiar where they live. The authors report no funding for this study, although several disclose financial relationships with food companies. It is a proposal, not an official replacement for national dietary guidelines. Different pictures for different jobs The food pyramid has been redesigned many times, reflecting changes in nutrition science and in how advice is communicated. Different images do different jobs. A food circle shows variety across food groups, a pyramid may guide the weekly shop, and a plate helps balance a single meal. Dietitians and teachers can use them together. The new Advances in Nutrition paper does not test whether people understand or follow its pyramid better than a plate. For someone preparing dinner, the useful question is whether the image makes everyday choices easier: beans more often, wholegrain bread instead of white, or olive oil instead of butter. Whatever its shape, a food guide has to translate into meals that people can afford and enjoy.