WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched MiPlato, the federal government’s new Spanish-language food icon. Like MyPlate, MiPlato emphasizes the five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy and is supported by consumer messages, including “Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables.”

MiPlato will complement the MyPlate image as the government’s primary food group symbol, an easy-to-understand visual cue to help consumers adopt healthy eating habits consistent with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

“U.S.D.A.’s new MyPlate food icon is a simple reminder to help Americans think about their food choices in order to lead healthier lifestyles, and today we are proud to introduce its Spanish-language partner, MiPlato, to help Hispanic consumers at mealtime,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “Regardless of our primary language, it is important that we all learn about and embrace healthy eating habits because a healthy nation starts with healthy people.”

Both MyPlate and MiPlato may be downloaded in PDF and JPG formats by going to ChooseMyPlate.gov.