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Division of Nutrition AssistanceGood Nutrition Is Easy to Swallow Five colorful fish are labeled with the individual names of the food groups. The fish are placed in order from largest to smallest, based on the number of recommended daily servings: Breads, Cereals, and Grains (6-11), Vegetables (3-5), Fruits (2-4), Meats (2-3), and Milk (2-3). Additional fish can be made using sandwich bags filled with a variety of colored, crumpled tissue paper. A twist tie is used to depict the tails of the fish. Suggested Materials
Learning Activities 1. The design of the Food Guide Pyramid Distribute a copy of the Food Guide Pyramid to all students. Note that the guide is a pyramid shape divided into sections for the purpose of showing recommended daily servings for each of the food groups. Explain that the guide is based on the number of servings for good nutrition and that the number of servings recommended each day will vary based on factors such as age, sex, and activity level. Discuss each group’s importance. a. Breads, Cereals, and Grains (6-11 servings)Also, discuss the small tip of the Pyramid. The small tip shows that it is best to eat less of foods that contain a lot of fat and sugars. These foods contain calories but few vitamins and minerals.This group forms the base of the Pyramid because the largest number of servings needed each day comes from this food group. Grain products are important for B vitamins, complex carbohydrates, and dietary fiber.b. Vegetables (3-5 servings)The next level in the Pyramid includes this group and the Fruit Group. The Vegetable Group provides fiber, vitamins A and C, iron, magnesium, and other minerals.c. Fruits (2-4 servings)The Fruit Group provides important amounts of vitamins A and C, potassium, and other minerals.d. Milk (2-3 servings)The third level in the Pyramid includes this group and the Meat Group. The Milk Group provides calcium, vitamin D, protein, vitamin A, and other minerals.e. Meats (2-3 servings)The Meat Group provides protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins. 2. We are what we eat. Before beginning this activity for younger children, ask students to keep track of what they eat over a 24-hour period, recording their data in words or pictures. Initiate a discussion by asking, "Why do you eat?" Record the responses. Continue discussion by listing the various reasons for eating and rank them in order of importance according to the students. (For example, hunger, taste, energy, learning better, etc.) Once they have decided why they eat, they can discuss why they should eat a healthy diet like the one recommended in the Food Guide Pyramid. Do they give the same reasons for choosing a healthy diet as they did for eating? Why or why not? (Suggested acceptable answers include growing big and strong, having lots of energy, or looking and feeling good.) Remind children that healthy eating habits are just one part of a healthy lifestyle. What other things help them lead healthier lives? Discuss what contributions exercise and rest make. 3. What do I feed my body? Working in pairs, students use markers or crayons to trace the outline of each partner’s body onto butcher paper. Each student now has an outline. Using their completed food diaries, they draw pictures inside their body outlines of the foods they ate. On the same piece of butcher paper – but not within their outlines – they keep a tally of how many foods from each food group they ate in one day. When finished, children add the number of foods from each food group and write the total for each group across the bottom of the paper. From which food groups do most students get at least the minimum recommended daily servings? From which groups do most students need additional servings to meet the minimum recommendations? Hang the body outline posters around the classroom. Students can use the information on these posters to write number stories for friends to solve. For example, "I ate potatoes, meat, carrots and butter for dinner. I ate foods from how many different food groups?" 4. Make the classroom-cafeteria link. Obtain a copy of the school’s lunch and breakfast menus for a week. Identify foods offered in the menus that can help students eat more of the daily recommended servings from the food groups in the Food Guide Pyramid. 5. Design a placemat. Create a placemat that has the food groups as its theme. Draw pictures of the foods or cut them out of magazines. Have the placemat illustrate a story or focus on a particular group or idea: Grains are Great, Fun with Fruits, My Favorite Vegetables, Simple Snacks, Foods for Fitness, etc. Laminate the placemat so it will last. |
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