Guide
About the My Plate for the Day Planner
What is the My Plate for the Day?
The My Plate for the Day is a visual guide from the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Nutrition. It shows how much food from each group an adult needs for a balanced 2,000 kcal day. The plate uses raw weights so you can measure ingredients before cooking.
The guide covers cereals and millets, pulses or flesh foods, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, roots and tubers, fruits, milk, fats and oils, and nuts and oilseeds. Eating from at least five to seven groups daily helps meet needs for protein, essential fats, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Spices such as turmeric, cumin and ginger add antioxidants.
Indian dietary guidelines say at least half of cereals should be whole grains and 30 per cent or more can come from millets. For non-vegetarians, 30 g of pulses may be replaced with meat, fish, egg or chicken. Sugar should stay below 5 per cent of total energy, and children under two years should have no added sugar.
The suggested amounts are for adults with a body mass index of 18.5 to 23 and for children who are growing normally. They provide about 30 per cent energy from fat and 15 per cent from protein. Individual needs change with age, gender, activity level and health status.
- Based on ICMR-NIN My Plate for a 2,000 kcal reference diet
- Shows raw weights for nine food groups
- Whole grains and millets encouraged
- Pulses can be swapped for flesh foods for non-vegetarians
How the planner calculates your plate
You enter a daily calorie target or keep the default 2,000 kcal. The tool takes the ICMR-NIN reference amounts for each food group at 2,000 kcal and scales them in proportion to your number. The results are rounded to the nearest 5 g for ease of use.
This is an approximation. The tool does not adjust for protein, fat or micronutrient targets separately. It only scales the reference plate. The output is a simple table of food groups and gram amounts. Nothing is stored on any server. Refreshing or leaving the page clears the table.
- Enter your calorie target or use 2,000 kcal default
- Reference amounts scaled proportionally
- Results rounded to nearest 5 g
- No data saved or sent anywhere
Steps to get your daily food-group plan
Open the planner, decide on a calorie target and fill the single field. The table appears instantly. Use the print button or take a screenshot if you want to keep the numbers for your next visit with a doctor or dietitian.
- Type your daily calorie target in the box
- Press the calculate button
- Read the gram amounts for each food group
- Print or screenshot the table for your records
- Refresh the page to start a new plan
Understanding the gram amounts shown
The table lists each food group with a weight in grams per day. These are raw weights before cooking. For example, the cereal figure is the weight of uncooked rice, wheat or millet. The milk figure is the volume equivalent in grams. The oil figure is the total visible fat for cooking and dressing.
Compare the numbers with what you usually eat. If a group is far lower, you may need to add that food more often. If a group is higher, you may be exceeding the balanced proportion. The tool does not label any amount as good or bad. A doctor or dietitian reads the result alongside your health history, activity level and any medical conditions.
Keep in mind that the plate is a general guide. Your actual needs may be higher or lower. Use the output as a starting point for a conversation with your care team, not as a fixed prescription.
- Weights are raw, uncooked amounts
- Milk shown as gram equivalent
- Oil is total visible fat for the day
- No risk categories or scores given
Tips for accurate and useful planning
Small habits make the numbers more meaningful. Measure a few typical servings at home once so you know what 100 g of cooked rice or 30 g of oil looks like in your own bowls and spoons.
Choose whole grains for at least half your cereal intake. Include millets such as bajra, jowar or ragi for at least 30 per cent of cereals. Vary vegetables across green leafy, other vegetables and roots or tubers. Use a mix of oils to get different fatty acids. Limit sugar to less than 5 per cent of total calories. For children under two, avoid added sugar completely.
- Weigh raw ingredients once to learn portion sizes
- Make half your cereals whole grains
- Include millets for 30 per cent of cereals
- Eat vegetables from all three sub-groups daily
- Rotate cooking oils for balanced fats
- Keep added sugar below 5 per cent of calories
What this planner cannot tell you
The planner is for general information only. It does not give medical advice, a diagnosis or a dietary prescription. It does not account for medical conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, food allergies or digestive disorders that change nutritional needs. It is not a weight-loss plan. The amounts are for adults with normal BMI and growing children. Pregnant women, lactating mothers, older adults with frailty, athletes and people with acute or chronic illness need individualised guidance from a qualified professional.
The scaling method is a simple proportion. It does not adjust protein, fat or micronutrients separately. Rounding to the nearest 5 g adds a small margin. The tool does not save your entries. Refreshing the page erases them. It cannot replace a consultation with a doctor or dietitian.
- Not for medical conditions that alter nutrient needs
- Not a weight-loss or therapeutic diet plan
- Simple proportional scaling only
- Rounding adds a small margin of error
- No data stored; entries lost on refresh
When to consult a doctor or dietitian
See a qualified professional before making major diet changes, especially if you have a diagnosed condition, take regular medication, have had recent surgery, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are planning a diet for a child with growth concerns. A dietitian can tailor the food-group amounts to your blood reports, medicines and lifestyle.
Seek urgent care if you experience sudden severe weakness, fainting, unintended rapid weight loss, persistent vomiting or diarrhoea, or signs of severe dehydration. These need immediate medical assessment, not a diet planner.
- Before starting a new diet plan with a health condition
- If you take medicines that affect nutrition
- During pregnancy or lactation
- For children with growth or appetite concerns
- Urgent care for fainting, severe weakness or rapid weight loss
In an emergency, call 7414 001 001 or go to the emergency department.
Care at Jaipur Hospital
If your result or your symptoms worry you, our General Medicine team can see you in Jaipur. You can also find a doctor or contact the hospital. Nothing you entered in this tool is shared through these links.
Common questions about the My Plate for the Day Planner
Can I use this planner if I have diabetes or high blood pressure?
This planner is for general information for healthy adults with normal BMI and growing children.
It does not adjust for diabetes, high blood pressure or other conditions that change nutritional needs. Please consult your doctor or a dietitian for a personalised meal plan.
Are the gram amounts for cooked or raw food?
All amounts shown are raw weights before cooking.
For example, the cereal weight is for uncooked rice, wheat or millet. The vegetable weights are for fresh produce before preparation.
Does the tool save my calorie target or the results?
No. The tool runs entirely in your browser.
Nothing is sent to any server and nothing is stored. If you refresh or leave the page, the entries disappear. Use print or screenshot to keep a copy.
Can I use this for weight loss?
This is not a weight-loss plan.
The reference plate is designed for a balanced 2,000 kcal diet for adults with normal BMI. Scaling it down proportionally does not ensure adequate protein, vitamins or minerals at lower calories. A dietitian can design a safe weight-loss plan for you.
What if I am vegetarian or non-vegetarian?
The reference plate shows pulses for vegetarians.
For non-vegetarians, 30 g of pulses may be substituted with meat, fish, egg or chicken. The tool shows the standard reference amounts; you can make the swap when planning your meals.
How often should I update my calorie target in the planner?
Update the target when your doctor or dietitian gives you a new daily calorie recommendation.
Activity level, age, weight change and health status can all change your needs. Always use the latest professional advice as your input.
