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The Top 5 Healthy Food Stories Of 2011

Posted: 12/15/11 02:51 PM ET

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Food & Health News , Food News , Gulf Seafood , Eating Well , Eatingwell , Food Stories Of 2011 , Listeria , Matthew Thompson , Myplate , Slidepollajax , Food News

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By Matthew Thompson, Associate Food Editor for EatingWell Magazine

It's been a big year in food news. Here's a look, in no particular order, at five of the food stories of 2011, the stories that propelled them to the top and what you can learn from them:

More from EatingWell:

5 of the Healthiest Winter Foods
Top 5 Foods for Weight Loss (and 5 That Make You Gain)
3 Health Reasons to Cook with Cast Iron
9 “Bad” Foods You Should Be Eating

What do you think was the biggest food news of the year?

The USDA's Food Pyramid Turned Into MyPlate

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After years of helping us make healthy eating decisions with its famous Food Pyramid, the USDA changed its favored icon of healthy eating in June to... (drumroll please) a dinner plate. Intended to help Americans visualize the right balance of fruits, grains, vegetables, meat and dairy, the new design did away with the counting of servings that was central to their old model -- will future generations even know what it means to "get your five a day" of vegetables? Though the emphasis on balance is a fantastic step in the right direction, the USDA's icon certainly had some holes in it. Get the inside scoop on MyPlate's pros and cons from our Nutrition Editor.