Abstract: A universal diet card for providing dietary information in hospitals or similar facilities and a related method for the use of the universal diet card are disclosed in which a single diet card is useable for any of a plurality of special diets and is capable of containing extensive information relative to the desired diet for an individual. The universal diet card has a plurality of colored indicia located thereon, one or more of which colored indicia may be chosen to indicate the specific type of diet(s) selected for the individual. The universal diet card has a folding score line located thereon, and it may be folded on the folding score line to form a base segment from its lower portion to support its upper portion in a standing orientation which is highly visible when placed on a meal tray or in a similar location.