Nutrition

Introduction:

Your food choices and physical activity each day affect your health — how you feel today, tomorrow and in the future. The colored stripes of the food pyramid illustrate the five food groups that are the building blocks of a healthy diet. The figure climbing stairs at the side of the pyramid demonstrates that physical fitness is an important part of any healthy lifestyle. Combine eating well with physical activity because getting adequate nutrition and exercise is good for your overall health and well being.

Icebreaker: Food Diary

·         Have the kids write down all the food they have consumed today and share their list with the group.

Read Aloud: The Edible Pyramid: Good Eating Every Day by Loreen Leedy

Presentation Outline:

·         Food Pyramid

o   Grains

§  Make Half Your Grains Whole

o   Vegetables

§  Vary Your Veggies

o   Fruits

§  Focus on Fruits

o   Oils

§  Know Your Fats

o   Dairy

§  Get Your Calcium Rich Foods

o   Protein

§  Go Lean with Protein

·         Physical Activity

Activity: Group the Food Groups

Give the kids various kinds of food. For grains, have bread, pasta, oatmeal, cereal, tortillas, grits, flour, crackers, rice and popcorn available. For vegetables, have lettuce, spinach, corn, potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes and tomatoes available. For fruits, have apples, bananas, grapefruit, grapes, mangoes, oranges, peaches, plums, raisins, berries and melons available. For oils, have canola oil, olive oil, margarine and butter available. For dairy, have milk, cheese, yogurt and pudding available. For protein, have meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, soy, nuts and seeds available. The kids must sort the food into appropriate groups and place on labeled shelves.

Activity: Move More

Have the kids draw pictures of their favorite physical activities on 3x5 cards. These activities could be types of sports, dances or exercises. Collect the cards from the kids. As the cards are drawn, the kids must act out the type of movement depicted on the card.

Quiz: Food Group Nutrients

1. What are the five food groups of the food pyramid? (grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, protein)

2. What do the stairs represent on the food pyramid? (physical activity)

3. The grain group is a good source of _____________. (carbohydrates)

4. The vegetable group is a good source of _____. (fiber)

5. The fruit group is a good source of _______ _. (vitamin C)

6. The oils group is a good source of _____ _____. (fatty acids)

7. The dairy group is a good source of _______. (calcium)

8. The protein group is a good source of ____. (iron)

Craft: Choose My Plate

Have the kids create a visual depiction of a balanced meal using a worksheet and clip art.