food pyramid

American  

noun

Ecology.

• food pyramids
  plural

1. successive levels of predation in a food chain represented schematically as a pyramid because upper levels normally consist of decreasing numbers of larger predators.

2. a diagram that represents a healthy diet by placing food groups in a pyramid according to the number of servings from each group to be eaten every day.

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food pyramid Scientific  

1. A graphic representation of the structure of a food chain, depicted as a pyramid having a broad base formed by producers and tapering to a point formed by end consumers. Between successive trophic levels, total biomass decreases as energy is lost from the system.

2. See more at trophic level

3. A pyramid-shaped diagram representing a set of dietary guidelines for humans, typically based on a recommended number of servings from each of several food groups. Foods along the broadest row, at the bottom, are considered basic to human nutrition and have the highest recommended number of servings. Foods in the narrowest part, at the top, are considered to be nonessential and have the fewest number of recommended servings. In the middle row or rows are foods whose recommended servings fall between those two groups.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• food pyramids
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of food pyramid

First recorded in 1945–50

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

food pyramid

The solution comes to Cartman in a dream, courtesy of Aunt Jemima: the food pyramid is upside down.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

A recent update of the federal dietary guidelines recommended Americans consume more protein and put beef atop the new food pyramid.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026

A new food pyramid, emphasizing proteins and vegetables, could indirectly benefit Deere by increasing demand for grain production for animal feed.

From Barron's ● Jan. 8, 2026

Kennedy took shots at an old food pyramid while standing by a poster showing his new pyramid, which looks like a triangle pointing down.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 7, 2026

Not one person says food pyramid or dairy product or candy or anything about why they are here.

From "Mockingbird" by Kathryn Erskine

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