USDA FoodData Central

Food groups

OpenPlate lists 6,967 foods in 23 food groups, using the categories USDA assigns in FoodData Central. The largest groups are beef products (969), vegetables and vegetable products (891), baked products (516). Data is from the Foundation Foods release of Apr 30, 2026 and the SR Legacy final release of April 2018.

American Indian/Alaska Native Foods

165 foods

Baby Foods

225 foods

Baked Products

516 foods

Beef Products

969 foods

Beverages

271 foods

Breakfast Cereals

30 foods

Cereal Grains and Pasta

217 foods

Dairy and Egg Products

302 foods

Fats and Oils

204 foods

Finfish and Shellfish Products

287 foods

Fruits and Fruit Juices

383 foods

Lamb, Veal, and Game Products

466 foods

Legumes and Legume Products

259 foods

Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes

73 foods

Nut and Seed Products

154 foods

Pork Products

336 foods

Poultry Products

383 foods

Sausages and Luncheon Meats

172 foods

Snacks

135 foods

Soups, Sauces, and Gravies

221 foods

Spices and Herbs

64 foods

Sweets

244 foods

Vegetables and Vegetable Products

891 foods

How foods are grouped

Each food keeps the food category USDA gives it. Branded products, fast-food and restaurant items are not included on OpenPlate, so the groups cover generic foods only — for example “Apples, raw, with skin” rather than a named brand.

Sources

  • U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov), Foundation Foods and SR Legacy downloads.