food pyramid

noun

1

: an ecological hierarchy of food relationships in which a chief predator is at the top, each level preys on the next lower level, and usually green plants are at the bottom

2

: a pyramid-shaped depiction of recommended daily servings for different food groups (such as vegetables, grains, dairy products, and meats)

Examples of food pyramid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At the same time, the 2025 update to the American dietary guidelines appears to downplay fiber’s role in a healthy diet, placing high-fiber whole grains at the bottom as the smallest part of the inverted food pyramid. — Jean Liew, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026

Under Kennedy’s stewardship, the HHS inverted the traditional food pyramid which placed grains at the bottom (most consumed) and fats and oils at the top (least consumed). — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 July 2026

Proposals to put manatees or mealworms on the food pyramid would face challenges. — David Merritt Johns, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026

And Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, will join celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian on July 6 for an edible lesson about the MAHA food pyramid. — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

food pyramid

noun

: a series of levels of ecological food relationships arranged by levels in which a chief predator is at the top, each level preys on the next lower level, and green plants are usually at the bottom