Do you enjoy snapping photos of your colorful dinners or trying recipes with fresh, local foods from the Farmers Market or garden? If your answer is yes, you’ll love our latest MyPlate, MyState campaign! This October, we’re kicking things into high gear with a call to action for all Americans:
Show how you use local foods from your state and region to create balanced meals by taking a picture of your plate and sharing on social media using hashtag #MyPlateMyState.
Throughout October, follow MyPlate on Twitter and Facebook for more ways you can engage with #MyPlateMyState; we will highlight state agricultural activities, emphasize seasonal foods, and celebrate fun food holidays, like Pumpkin Day! Additionally, every state and territory has a specific state page on ChooseMyPlate.gov; look to these pages for information on foods commonly grown, raised, or produced in your state and much more. These pages will give you ideas for ingredients to use for your #MyPlateMyState posts or tweets. Here are some examples of easy scenarios to snap a #MyPlateMyState photo:
- Picking apples at a local orchard? Post a picture of the bounty you picked and the meal you made using the apples when you got home.
- Heading down to the wharf to buy local seafood? Snap a photo of your fresh purchase and the creative recipe you used for your balanced seafood dinner!
- Use your CSA (community-supported agriculture) goodies to make a MyPlate-inspired dish! Share your plate with a #MyPlateMyState pic.
The goals of MyPlate, MyState are to:
- Connect people to their local farmers and farmers markets
- Support local and regional agriculture
- Celebrate homegrown pride, foods, and recipes
- Motivate Americans to move towards healthier eating and living
- Bring communities together around healthy eating
MyPlate, MyState aligns with our MyPlate, MyWins campaign, which is designed to help Americans find a healthy eating style that works for them through small changes that can be maintained over time. MyPlate, MyState expands on this by focusing on local foods, flavors, and recipes. Personalizing your plate with your favorite local and seasonal foods may be the key to help you create recipes and balanced meals that work for your healthy eating style that you can use into the future! Additionally, MyPlate, MyState brings communities together to increase awareness and appreciation for local farmers, ranchers, and producers.
We hope everyone shows pride in their state, their local foods, and their plates by posting #MyPlateMyState photos. When you post, consider including a list of the local foods pictured on your plate. Show creativity, be colorful, and get healthy!
For more information on MyPlate, MyState, visit www.choosemyplate.gov/mystate