healthy food activities

HEALTHY EATING ACTIVITIES

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HEALTHY EATING ACTIVITIES

The activities in this section teach the basics about the foods we eat. The first activity emphasizes the

importance of keeping food clean and safe to eat. The rest of the activities in this section introduce

the concepts of the food groups, the importance of water and other healthy drinks, and how foods

are grown. The activities in this section emphasize positive messages about the foods children need

to eat more of. Instead of labeling foods as good or bad, the activities explain how some foods are

needed everyday while others (sometimes foods) should only be occasional treats. The other goal of

this section is to create opportunities for children to become familiar with healthy choices through

games, crafts, and tasting challenges so that they will be more likely to make smart choices.

Things to remember when doing activities in this section:

• Be sure to remind children to wash their hands before snack activities and to wash fruits and veg-

etables when they are used to prepare snacks.

• Make sure the food allergy permission slip in the family outreach section has been filled out and

returned before giving children new foods to try.

• If you do not have the NDC Food Model Cards suggested for use in HE-2, HE-3, HE-6, and HE-9

(see Materials List in Supplementary Materials section), ask children to bring in grocery store fly-

ers and magazines with food pictures in them and construct your own (see Constructing Your

Own Food Model Cards in the Resources section of this manual).

• “Sometimes foods” are foods that are high in added sugars and fats. Examples would be candy,

soda, chips, cookies, cake, donuts, etc. “Sometimes foods” contain a lot of calories and not many

important nutrients, so they are best eaten only sometimes as a treat, and not every day as part of a

healthy diet. There are many words used to describe this general category or type of food (junk food,

empty calories, unhealthy snacks). We try to be consistent in using the term “sometimes foods.”

There is, of course, no really clear dividing line between sometimes and everyday healthy foods.

We hope this will be part of an ongoing discussion between you, the children and your community.

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Healthy Eating

HE-1: Goodbye Dirt and Germs

DID YOU KNOW?

Hand washing is the best way to prevent food borne illness. Some germs make

harmful toxins that are left behind on your skin. Even those popular waterless

sanitizers that kill germs may not make your hands safe enough to handle food.

You need to physically soap, rinse and wipe the germs and toxins they make off

of your hands before handling food.

MATERIALS:

• Goodbye to Things I’ve Never Seen Rhyme (provided)

• Flip chart or two large pieces of paper

• Sink area or bucket

• Soap and water

• Paper towels

• Scrub brush

• Fruits and vegetables to wash

• Tag signs provided

ACTIVITY:

Part One: Why Wash Hands?

1. Before the activity, write out the Goodbye to Things I’ve Never Seen Rhyme

on the flip chart. Write parts one and two on separate sheets of paper so that

you may use the different parts on different days.

2. Begin this activity at snack time or with a brief conversation about what the

children had for a snack today.

3. Have children imagine that their hands could talk. Ask:

• “If your hands could talk, what would they say they

have touched today?"

• “What should you always do before you eat?”

4. Explain that while we can sometimes see the dirt on our hands, germs are so

small that we cannot see them. Ask children why we want to get rid of germs.

5. Explain to children that soap and water help get rid of dirt and germs.

6. Using the sink area or a bucket with water, rinse your hands and as you dry

them, ask children if they think you removed the germs from your hands.

(No, you didn’t use soap.)

7. Quickly wash your hands with soap and as you dry your hands ask children

if they think you removed all the germs from your hands.

(No, you washed them too fast.)

8. Explain to children that the amount of time you take to wash your hands is as

important as the soap and water. One good way of making sure you take

enough time to wash you hands is by singing the ABC Songwhile you do it.

TIME: 30 minutes

GRADE: All

SUMMARY:

Children will

learn about the

importance of

washing hands

and produce and

play a tag game.

HE-1, Page 1

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HE-1, Page 2

9. Demonstrate proper hand washing (scrubbing all the surfaces and between

your fingers) and have the group sing the ABC Song along with you.

(Grades K-2):

Introduce part one of the rhyme with hand play one line at a time. This rhyme can

be repeated on other days before snack time.

Why Wash Food?

1. Explain to children that just as we wash our hands before we eat, we should

also wash our vegetables and fruits.

2. Ask if anyone has ever seen someone pick through the vegetables and fruits at

the grocery store or if anyone has ever dropped a fruit or vegetable on the floor

at the store and then put it back on the counter.

3. Help the group make a list on the board of all the people who might have

touched fruits and vegetables on the way to their table or lunch box.

4. Explain that one reason we need to wash our fruits and vegetables is all the

dirt and germs they carry home from the store.

5. Demonstrate with brush, fruit and vegetables how to wash foods and explain

to children that we do not use soap on foods.

6. Remind children that fruits and vegetables are healthful, but we must wash

them before we eat them.

(Grades 3-5)

Introduce part two of the rhyme with hand play one line at a time. This rhyme

can be repeated on other days before fruit and vegetable snacks.

Part Two: Germ Tag

(Grades 3-5)

1. Split the children into four groups: the apples, hands, germs, and soap.

2. To help the children remember their group, use copies of the tag signs

provided and use a safety pin to attach to their clothing.

3. Mark an area of the play space off as the sink.

4. Germs can chase apples or hands. When they tag a child from either

group they must continue to run while holding hands until they are

tagged by a child from the soap group.

5. Once tagged by soap, all three children must run to the sink and

do the twist (wash) before they can rejoin the game.

6. After ten minutes or so, stop the game, have children switch signs,

remind them what each group tags, and resume play.

7. Once the children get used to the rules of the game, you can add another rule

that: Once a germ tags a hand or apple, they can tag other hands and apples.

Children must continue to hold hands with everyone they have tagged until

they are brought to the sink area by the soap. This shows how germs can

spread when you do not wash your hands.

Healthy Eating

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(Grades K-2)

1. You can make the game less complicated by having only three groups.

Hands, germs, and soap (have them sing the ABC Song while they twist).

OR

Apples, germs, and scrub brush (have brush tag apple/germ pairs

and remind children we don’t use soap on food).

2. Don’t have apples or hands tag others.

Helpful Hints to help the children learn the rules:

• Remind the germs that they are only trying to tag the hands and apples.

• Remind the soaps that they can only tag a group of two or more people.

• Remind the hands and apples that they can only tag after they have

been tagged.

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. Hands carry germs that should be washed away before eating.

2. Soap, water, and time (20 seconds) are necessary for proper germ removal.

A quick rinse, like so many people often practice, does little to remove

harmful germs.

3. Fresh produce carries dirt, germs, and pesticide sprays that should be

washed away before eating.

4. Even if we do not eat the skins of fresh fruits and vegetables, we need to

wash them because we touch the outside part of the food as we peel it,

meaning that the dirt, germs, and pesticides will get on our hands and

can transfer to the part we eat when we touch it.

5. To avoid eating soap residue, it is not necessary to use soap for

washing produce.

AT THE END OF THIS ACTIVITY, CHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO:

1. Identify the reasons why washing hands and fresh produce is important.

2. Effectively wash hands, fruit and produce for 20 seconds.

GO FURTHER:

1. Pass out the I Washed My Hands Today sheet (provided) and give children

an incentive to complete the sheet and turn it in.

2. Send home Family Outreach Tip Sheet TS-1: Goodbye Dirt and Germs.

This tip sheet explains the importance of hand washing and washing produce,

cutting boards and other surfaces that come in contact with food. It also gives

some ideas on things to do with children.

ADAPTED FROM: Everyday Lots of Ways: An Interdisciplinary Nutrition Curriculum for Kindergarten – Sixth Grade, Pennsylvania State Department of Nutrition, 1996.

HE-1, Page 3

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Rhyme

I wash my hands until they’re clean,To get rid of things I’ve never seen.

I do this many times a day,To shoo the dirt and germs away!

Rhyme

And when I eat an apple or pear,I wash their skins with such great care.

I do the same for vegetables too,To keep them safe for me and you!

Hand Play

Pretend to wash hands.

Wave goodbye, shake head while

pointing to one eye.

Pretend to wash hands.

Make shooing motion with hands.

Hand Play

Pretend to bring piece of fruit to mouth.

Stop and carefully rub the pretend fruit.

Pretend to use a scrub brush on a

vegetable. Cross hands over chest than

extend them straight out.

Goodbye to Things I’ve Never Seen

PART ONE

PART TWO

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Apple Hands

Soap

HE-1, Page 5

Healthy Eating

36

Germs ScrubBrush

HE-1, Page 6

Salmonella Bacteria

(magnified hundreds of times)

Healthy Eating

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I washed my hands today!

HE-1, Page 7

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Cross out a hand each time you wash your hands before eating.

Healthy Eating

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Healthy Eating

TIME: 20 minutes

to sort, 20 minutes

for the activities.

GRADE: All

SUMMARY:

Children will learn

what foods belong

in each of the food

groups.

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HE-2: Name That Food Group

DID YOU KNOW?

Less than 5% of U.S. children eat the required quantities of foods recommended

by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These recommendations are based on

the minimum amount of nutrients children need to grow up healthy.

MATERIALS:

• NDC Food Model Cards

(see Materials List in Supplementary Materials section)

• Food group labels (provided)

• Six to ten large envelopes or reclosable plastic bags to store sorted

food model cards

ACTIVITY: Set-up

Sorting the food model cards

• Note: If you need to make your own food model cards seeMake

Your Own Food Model Cards in the Supplementary Materials

section. Then you can make cards and sort them into groups,

discussing as you go along.

(Grades K-2):

1. Choose a food group for children to sort out of the pile of food model cards.

2. Help children make three piles, foods from the chosen food group, combina-

tion foods with the food group in it, foods that are not in the food group. Mark

each pile with a food group label.

3. For example, if you chose vegetables as the food group:

• Vegetables: squash, lettuce, celery, zucchini, etc.

• “Combination Foods”: sandwich, spaghetti with tomato

sauce, chile, etc.

• Not Vegetables: fruit, meats and beans, milk, etc.

(Grades 3-5):

Divide food model cards into the food groups. Mark each pile with a food

group label (grains, fruits, vegetables, milk, meat and beans, sometimes foods,

combination foods).

(All):

When sorting is complete, put the groups into separate envelopes or bags

marked with the name of the group: Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Meat and

Beans, Milk, Sometimes Foods, Combination Foods. For younger

students, this may take several sorting sessions. For older students or mixed

age groups, it may be completed in one session.

HE-2, Page 1

Healthy Eating

ACTIVITY 1: Let’s Look at the Food Groups

1. There are several parts to this activity, each of which can be done on different

days or all at once, if time permits. To give children a good handle on the

different food groups and their importance, it is best to only discuss one food

group at a time when you do this activity.

2. Choose one food group to talk about each time you do this activity.

3. Ask the children what characteristics they think a food needs to belong to the

chosen food group. Let the children look through the pile of food model cards

in the food group pile to notice similarities between the foods.

4. Write the characteristics the children name on the board (right or wrong).

5. Explain to children what makes a food belong to the chosen group (see

Key Talking Points below). As you do this, go down the list of characteristics

the children named and address each. Make a new list of food group

characteristics beside the one the children made. For example, if the children

named the following characteristics for vegetables: green, plants, bitter and

leafy, you could go down the list and comment:

• “You’re right, there are a lot of green vegetables. Can you see

the red vegetable pictures too? So it looks like vegetables are very

colorful.”

• “Yes, vegetables are plants, but there are some other plants

we eat that are not vegetables. Who can name some?”

• “Vegetables are often from different parts of a plant, like the leaves.

Who can hold up one of the leafy vegetables?”

• “Vegetables can be a little bitter, but there are sweet ones

too. Can someone hold up a sweet vegetable from the pile?

Vegetables are usually not as sweet as fruits.”

• And so on…

6. Discuss why we need to eat foods from the food group you are reviewing with

the children. Use Key Talking Points. You may also wish to review the basic

nutrition information in the Overview section of this manual.

ACTIVITY 2: Healthy Choices from the Food Groups

1. Choose a Food Group. If activity two follows directly after activity one, you can

stick with the same food group.

2. Discuss the healthy choices from the food group you are reviewing with

the children.

• For the fruit and vegetable groups, discuss the importance of eating

from the five color groups (white, red, green, blue/purple, orange/

yellow). Have children sort the foods into the color groups and talk

about their favorite foods from each.

• For the milk group talk with the children about their experiences with

low-fat milk foods and yogurt. Ask children it they have ever tried the

foods on the food model cards. What do they think about the taste of

low-fat milk?

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Healthy Eating

• For the meat and beans group, sort food model cards into beans, nuts,

seeds, and meats. Discuss different types of meat and the children’s

experiences with beans, seeds, and nuts. How do they eat these foods

at home? (Examples: bean dip, trail mix, peanut butter, etc.)

• For the grain group, sort out whole grain foods from refined grains.

Discuss the different taste and texture of whole grain foods

(nutty taste and fibrous texture).

• For “sometimes foods”, sort out the fats and sweets that look like other

food groups (the sweet roll has fruit on it, milkshakes are made of

dairy products, angel food cake is made with flour like bread, French

fries are made from potatoes). Discuss why these foods should only

be eaten sometimes even though they are made with foods from other

groups (they have added fat and/or sugar).

3. Questions for discussion

• “What foods do you eat at home that belong in this food group?”

• “What’s your favorite (grain product, vegetable, etc.)?”

• “What snacks do we have from this food group?”

• “What interesting foods have you seen from this food group?”

• “What ‘combination foods’ contain something from this food group?” (etc.)

KEY TALKING POINTS:

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HE-2, Page 3

FOOD GROUP EXAMPLES CHARACTERISTICS HEALTH BENEFITS HEALTHY CHOICES

Grain

Vegetables

Fruit

Meat/Beans

Milk

Sometimes(fats/sweets)

Bread

Rice

Cereal

Pasta

Broccoli

Lettuce

Carrots

Sweet Potatoes

Apples

Grapes

Plums

Raisins

Meat

Beans

Nuts

Seeds

Eggs

Milk

Cheese

Yogurt

Candy

Fruit Snacks

Soda

Chips

• From a plant• Whole grains are high in fiber

• Part of a plant (can be a root,stem, leaf, etc.)• High in vitamins and minerals.• Usually eaten with meals or as a snack

• Part of a plant• High in vitamins and minerals• Sweeter than vegetables• Often part of breakfast, snack, or dessert

• May be part of a plant or an animal• High in protein

• From an animal• High in calcium

• High in fat and sugar

• Provides energy• Whole grains provide fiber

• Provides energy• Disease prevention• Provides nutrientsfor growth and goodhealth

• Provides energy• Disease prevention• Provides nutrients forgrowth and goodhealth

• Provides energy andprotein for muscles,hair, and nails

• Provides energy andcalcium for strongbones

• Provides energy

Whole Grains:• Brown rice• Whole wheat breadsand pasta• Wild rice

Eat from all 5 colorgroups

Eat from all 5 colorgroups

BeansFishLean cuts of meat

Low fat milkCheeseYogurt

None

This chart is a basic outline. You may want to refer to the Overview and References for more detailed information.

Healthy Eating


1. Identify a food group.

2. Identify healthy choices from that food group.

GO FURTHER:

1. Send home Family Outreach Tip Sheet TS-2: Food Groups. This tip sheet

lists the five basic food groups, explains why it’s important to eat these basic

foods at most meals, and has some healthy snack recipes on the back.

2. Send home Family Outreach Tip Sheet TS-14: Quick Meals for Busy

Families. This tip sheet gives some simple, quick suggestions for preparing

Get Healthy Now Meals at at home.

3. Put together Bulletin Board 2: Food From Around the World.Where do

different foods come from? What foods do children know about from their

own family traditions? Use this display to promote sharing and discussion.

4. Put together Bulletin Board 6: Boggled. This is based on the Boggle game

for making patterns, in this case, Get Healthy Now Meals at at home.

SOURCE: Boston Medical Center, Nutrition and Fitness for Life Program, 2010.

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HE-2, Page 4

Healthy Eating

HE-3: The Food Groups: It’s About Variety

DID YOU KNOW?

We need a variety of foods in our diet in order to grow well and stay healthy.

MATERIALS:

• Food Group Labels (provided)

• Masking tape


(see Materials List in Supplementary Materials section)

ACTIVITY:

1. Use masking tape to make six large squares on the floor. Within each square,

place a Food Group Label that has the name of a food group on it (grains,

vegetables, fruits, meat/beans, milk, sometimes foods).

2. Ask children:

• “What it would be like if you could only eat one food?”

• “Would you get bored of eating it all the time?”

• “How would this affect your health?”

3. Ask if anyone knows any of the food groups already and help children describe

each group as you point to the appropriate square on the floor.

4. Explain that for a healthy breakfast children should have food from at least

three food groups (e.g. milk, fruit, grain. See Key Talking Points below).

5. Have three children come forward and pick out three Food Model Cards that

illustrate something they could eat for breakfast, and then go stand in the

appropriate square. Ask the remaining children if the breakfast is balanced.

6. Explain that for a healthy lunch and dinner, children should have food from

four or five food groups.

7. Call five children to come up and pick out Food Model Cards that illustrate

something they could eat for lunch and go stand in the appropriate squares.

Ask the remaining children if the lunch is balanced. Continue until all children

have had a chance to participate.

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. By eating a variety of foods we get the key nutrients (carbohydrates,

proteins, fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals and water) that we need to be active

and stay healthy.

2. Each of the five food groups supplies nutrients:

• Grains provide carbohydrates for energy. Whole grains have B

vitamins to help you use the energy you eat and fiber to keep your

digestion moving.

TIME: 20 minutes

GRADE: 3-5

SUMMARY:

Children will choose

a balanced breakfast

based on the five

food groups.

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Healthy Eating

• Fruits and Vegetables provide vitamins, like vitamin A, which

maintains healthy skin, and eyesight and vitamin C, which helps

your wounds heal and keeps you from getting sick. These two food

groups also have fiber, which keeps your digestive system moving,

and minerals to keep you strong.

• Meats and Beans provide proteins to give you strong muscles

and help you grow.

• Milk provides calcium, a mineral needed for strong bones and teeth.

• Fats and Sweets (“sometimes foods”) are not considered a

food group. These foods have little or no health benefits and

a lot of calories.

3. Snacks should contain foods from at least two groups, breakfast should

contain foods from three groups, and lunch and dinner should contain

foods from four or five of the food groups.


1. Identify the five food groups (grains, fruits, vegetables, meats/beans, milk)

as well as sometimes foods.

2. Recognize that a balanced meal contains foods from each of the food groups.

3. Recognize that eating a variety of foods makes eating fun.

GO FURTHER:

1. Read: Bread and Jam for Frances by Russel Hoben, Harper and Row, 1964.

(ages four to eight). A perfect antidote for children who make limited food

choices. Frances’ food jag is short-lived once her parents begin serving her

bread and jam for every meal and snack.







4. Put together Bulletin Board 6: Boggled. This is based on the Boggle game

for making patterns, in this case, Get Healthy Now meals and snack patterns.


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HE-3, Page 2

Healthy Eating

HE-4: Tasting Chart(This activity can be repeated many times).

DID YOU KNOW?

Children may have to taste a new food up to 12 times before they know if they

like it or not. However, children are often hesitant to try new foods, so it is important

to introduce them to the idea of tasting new foods as often as possible.

MATERIALS:

• Large paper or poster board

• My Family’s Favorite Foods sheet provided

• Felt marker

• A fruit, vegetable, or whole grain for children to taste

(This activity can be repeated many times with new foods.)

ACTIVITY:

Please be sure to have all those involved in the activity properly wash their hands.

If a new food is being consumed, please make caregivers aware and receive

permission before doing this activity.

Set up:

1. Draw four columns on the poster board or paper. Title your poster

Tasting Chart. Make the first column wide enough to write the name

of a food or recipe. Make the others wide enough to write a number.

2. Write Food at the top of the first column. Draw a smiling face for the second

column, a frowning face for the third column, and a face with eyes and

a question mark where the mouth should be for the fourth column.

TIME: 10-20 minutes

GRADE: All

SUMMARY:

Children will try new

foods and chart their

impressions of each

new food.

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FOOD?

HE-4, Page 1

Healthy Eating

Activity:

1. Give several examples of different types of foods and ask children why people

eat the foods they do (possible answers: taste, where they are from, what is

available).

2. Pass out My Family’s Favorite Foods sheet and have children draw or write

their family’s favorite foods from each group and combination foods. Ask if any

children would like to share the different types of food their family eats.

3. Ask children if the foods presented to the group are ones they have ever

tasted or heard of. Explain that the best way to learn about new foods is to

taste them and that they are going to make a chart of the foods they try at

snack time.

4. Each time the group tries a new snack or food tasting activity:

• Write the name of the food children tasted on the chart.

• Ask children to raise their hands if they liked the food tasted. Have

children help you count how many liked the food. Record the number

in the smiling face column.

• Then ask children to raise their hands if they did not like the food.

Record the number in the frowning face column.

• Finally, ask how many did not taste the food. Record the number in

the ? column.

5. Discuss the chart, talking about how many more people like or don't like the

food. Congratulate the children for taking a taste. Remind them that some-

times they will not like a new taste, and that's okay. What is important is for

children to be food tasters and to always give nutritious foods a try.

6. Congratulate children on the number of new foods they have tried during the

year.

7. Keep the chart in the snack area and add to it regularly as an ongoing activity.

Activity example: Vanilla Yogurt

• Obtain a carton of vanilla yogurt and small plastic spoons.

• Ask child to raise their hands if they have tasted yogurt. Let them talk

about different flavors they like.

• Ask if they have ever tasted vanilla yogurt.

• Offer children a little taste and have them describe what it tastes like.

• Chart the number of children who like, dislike, and are unsure about

the taste of yogurt.

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. New and unfamiliar foods are often rejected at first.

2. It can take a dozen tries for a new food to be accepted so it’s important to try

new things when they are offered.

3. Once a child has tried a new food, they know what to expect, so the next time

it is more familiar. This is a process that needs to be encouraged if we want to

change children’s eating patterns.

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HE-4, Page 2

Healthy Eating

4. Sometimes when a child claims to dislike a food, it may be because of the way

it was prepared. Over cooking certain vegetables can give them a bitter flavor.

Encourage trying vegetables raw with a low fat dip.

5. A good time to try new foods is when you are already hungry and your taste

buds are more accepting of new flavors.


1. Try a variety of new foods.

2. Learn about different kinds of foods.

3. Identify different reasons for eating different foods.

GO FURTHER:

1. One way to get children excited about new and different foods is to discuss

interesting facts about them before tasting them (more facts are available at

dole5aday.com.) Give the children blank maps of the world and have them

draw a picture of foods discussed, showing where they come from, before

they taste them.

• Tomato is a fruit from the Andes in South America and was thought to

be poisonous when it was first discovered.

• Lima Beans are seeds from Guatemala and the Native Americans were

the first to mix them with corn and invent Succotash.

• Celery is a stalk from Italy and Northern Europe that was originally only

used as medicine.

• Carrot is a root from Afghanistan that originally had a purple color and

tasted quite bitter.

• Watermelon is a fruit from Africa that was used as a source of water

during dry times.

2. Put together Bulletin Board 2: Food From Around the World. Where do



ADAPTED FROM: http://www.nutritionexplorations.org

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HE-4, Page 3

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48

My Family’s Favorite Foods!

Combination Foods

FruitsVegetables

Grains M

ilk

Meat and Beans

Name: ________________________________________________ Date: __________________________

Healthy Eating

HE-5: Simon Says Food Groups

DID YOU KNOW?

Less than five percent of U.S. children eat the foods recommended by

the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These recommendations are based

on the minimum amount of nutrients children need to grow up healthy.

MATERIALS:

• Five Food Groups Handout for each child (provided)

• Hole puncher

• String or ribbon cut into 24-inch lengths (one per child)

• Paper or construction paper

• Crayons or markers for children

• Grocery store flyers, food pictures

• Glue sticks

ACTIVITIES:

1. Introduce or review the Five Food Groups using the Five Food Groups Handout.

2. Have children count off by fives. Ones are the grain group, Twos are the

vegetable group, Threes are the fruit group, Fours are the meat and beans

group and Fives are the milk group. Group children by their number. Make

sure each group has a Five Food Groups handout. (For a simpler game,

choose only the two or three food groups with which children are familiar,

and count off by twos or threes).

3. Pass a sheet of paper to each child. Let children pick one food in their assigned

food group. They can use the handout to help with this, and discuss with their

group what foods belong. Have children write the name of the food on their

paper and/or draw a picture of the food and/or cut out a picture of the food

and glue it to their paper.

4. Help children attach the string or ribbon to their sheets and hang them around

their necks with the picture facing out.

5. Before beginning the game, have the children introduce their food and its food

group. Example: “I’m an apple and I’m in the fruit group.”

6. As each child names the food group they are in, explain to the group what

makes that food group healthy (see Key Talking Points below).

7. Have half of the children stand on each side of the play space. Let children take

turns being Simon. The facilitator should start and can make suggestions to

the caller.

• Use directions such as Simon Says:

a. All Milk Group foods put their hands on their heads.

b. Anyone who has a Fruit Group food take one step forward.

c. If you're not a Meat Group food, clap your hands.

TIME: 30 minutes

GRADE: All

SUMMARY:

Children will try play

a Simon Says type

game to learn the

food groups.

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Healthy Eating

d. If you're not in the Grain Group, hop forward x amount

of times.

• Children who do not follow the correct directions move to the opposite

side of the room.

• Include some directions without Simon Says, such as: “Milk Group

foods raise your hands.” Children who respond should go to the

opposite side of the room because Simon Says did not precede

the direction.

8. This game has no end, and no winners or losers.

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. There are certain foods you should eat more of, and others you should

eat less of for better health. Each of the food groups is full of nutrients

we need to stay healthy.

2. Grains provide carbohydrates for energy. Whole grains have B vitamins to

help you use the energy you eat and fiber to keep your digestion moving.

3. Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, like vitamin A, which maintains healthy

skin and eyesight and vitamin C, which helps your wounds heal and keeps you

from getting sick. These two food groups also have fiber, which keeps your

digestive system moving, and minerals to keep you strong.

4. Meats and Beans provide proteins to give you strong muscles and help

you grow.

5. Milk provides calcium, a mineral needed for strong bones and teeth.

6. Fats and sweets (“sometimes foods”) are not considered a food group.

These foods have little or no health benefits and a lot of calories.

7. Snacks should contain foods from at least two food groups, breakfast should

contain foods from three groups, and lunch and dinner should contain foods

from four or five of the food groups.


1. Classify foods into the five food groups.

2. Identify one way each food group helps keep them healthy.

3. Recognize why they should eat foods from all the food groups every day.

GO FURTHER:







50

HE-5, Page 2

Healthy Eating

3. Put together Bulletin Board 3: Good Health Is Always In Season. Promotes

discussion about growing fruits and vegetables, what it means for them to be

in season, and seasonal holidays.

4. Put together Bulletin Board 6: Boggled. This is based on the Boggle game for

making patterns, in this case, Get Healthy Now meal and snack patterns.


51

HE-5, Page 3

Healthy Eating

52

HE-5, Page 4

5 Food Groups

Healthy Eating

HE-6: Food Group Relay

DID YOU KNOW?

Less than five percent of children living in the United States eat the foods

recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These recommendations

are based on the minimum amount of nutrients children need to grow up healthy.

MATERIALS:

• 12 large squares of paper (three feet by three feet)

• Tape


(see Materials List in Supplementary Materials section, page 229)

ACTIVITY:

1. At the top of each piece of paper write the name of a food group (grains,

vegetables, fruits, meat and beans, milk, “sometimes foods”). You should

have two squares of paper for each group.

Note: to avoid confusion, don’t use “combination foods”

that belong to multiple groups for this relay

(burritos, pizza, macaroni and cheese).

2. Arrange the food group squares on the wall of the far side of the play space

by taping one set of food groups several feet away from the other set of

food groups.

3. Place several pieces of tape in each food group square so that children will be

able to stick pictures on the squares.

4. Mark a start line with cones or tape on the other side of the play space and

have children make two lines, one for each set of food group squares.

5. Stand between the two lines with the food pictures. When you yell, Go!

hand the first child in each line a picture.

6. The first two children must then run as fast as they can to the food group

squares, stick the picture handed to them in the appropriate place, and

return to the start line to tag the next person in their line. During their turn,

teammates may correct any mistakes made by team members who placed

a food in the wrong group.

7. Remain standing between the lines to hand out food pictures to each child

right before their teammate tags them.

8. Each team gets ten points for finishing the relay, the team that goes through

their entire line of runners first gets an extra 5 points, and for each food that is

placed in the wrong group, the team loses a point. The team with the most

points wins.

9. Tally the final score as a group by discussing the food group squares, the

proper placement of the foods, and what makes each group good for you

(see Key Talking Points below).

TIME: 30 minutes

GRADE: 3-5

SUMMARY:

Children will run a

relay race that will

test their knowledge

of the food groups.

53

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Healthy Eating

54

HE-6, Page 2

Healthy Eating

10. Choose a variety of foods from each food group. If you choose to also use

unhealthful foods (cake, cookies, doughnuts, chewy granola bars), make

sure children place them correctly in the sometimes food category.

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. There are certain foods you should eat more of, and others you should eat

less of for better health. Each of the food groups is full of nutrients we need

to stay healthy.

• Grains provide carbohydrates for energy. Whole grains have

B vitamins to help you use the energy you eat and fiber to keep

your digestion moving.

• Fruits and Vegetables provide vitamins, like vitamin A, which

maintains healthy skin and eyesight and vitamin C, which helps

your wounds heal and keeps you from getting sick. These two food

groups also have fiber, that keeps your digestive system moving,

and minerals to keep you strong.

• Meat and Beans provide proteins to give you strong muscles and

help you grow.

• Milk provides calcium, a mineral needed for strong bones and teeth.

• Fats and Sweets (“sometimes foods”) are not considered a food

group. These foods have little or no health benefits and a lot of calories.

2. Cardiovascular activity is when you raise your heart rate by moving all your

large muscles for a certain amount of time. This type of activity helps prevent

chronic disease and maintain a healthy weight by building muscle and

burning off extra energy. It has also been shown to improve your self-esteem.

3. Warming up before physical activity prevents injuries, increases body tempera-

ture, and gets the body ready for vigorous activity.

4. Stretching after cardiovascular activity is a great way to cool down and make

sure your muscles stay flexible.


1. Review the five food groups.

2. Complete a cardiovascular activity.

GO FURTHER:

1. Send home Family Outreach Tip Sheet: TS-2: Food Groups. This tip sheet






55

HE-6, Page 3

Healthy Eating




4. Put together Bulletin Board 6: Boggled. This is based on the Boggle game for

making patterns, in this case, Get Healthy Now meal and snack patterns.


56

HE-6, Page 4

Healthy Eating

HE-7: Fruit and Vegetable Rainbow

DID YOU KNOW?

Less than half of American children eat the minimum 5 fruits and vegetables

a day they need for good health. It’s important to eat a variety of colors of fruits

and vegetables to get all the nutrients children need to grow up strong and stay

healthy.

MATERIALS:

• Colored construction paper

(red, orange, yellow, blue, black, purple, white, and green)

• Pencils/crayons

• Pictures of food

• Scissors

ACTIVITIES:

1. Split class into 5 groups (red, orange/yellow, blue/black, white, and green).

2. Give each group a stack of construction paper in their group’s color.

(For younger groups, you may want to hand out grocery flyers and ask each

group to cut out pictures of fruits and vegetables that are in their assigned

color group and glue them to a piece of paper.)

3. Ask each group to name fruits and vegetables that are the same color

as their group.

Note: bananas are in the white group because you don’t eat the yellow

skin. Apples, peppers, and grapes of different colors belong to the

group of that color. For example: green grapes and red grapes

are in different color groups.

4. Give the groups time to make fruits and vegetables in their color group.

5. Have each group stand and show the class what kinds of fruits and vegetables

they made.

• After each presentation mention one of the many benefits of each

group (see Key Talking Points below).

Red = healthy heart

Orange/yellow = healthy skin

Blue/purple/black = memory

White = prevent colds (immune system)

Green = good vision

TIME: 30 minutes

GRADE: All

SUMMARY:

An art project where

children will learn

the five fruit and

vegetable color

groups.

57

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Healthy Eating

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. It’s essential to get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet

every day! Why? Because fruits and vegetables provide the wide range of

vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body uses to stay healthy and fit.

2. Many of the vitamins and minerals that make fruits and vegetables good

for us also give them their color. So, eating a variety of colors is the best

way to ensure that you get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy and

help maintain:

• Strong bones, hair, and teeth

• Good memory

• Healthy vision

• A great source of energy to keep you going


1. Name the five color groups and the fruits and vegetables that belong in them.

2. Recognize the different benefits from the different color groups.

GO FURTHER:

1. Use fruit and vegetable pictures for Capture the Bag game, which is activity

HE-8 (the next activity).

2. Download the coloring book There’s a Rainbow on my Plate from

http://www.pbhfoundation.org/educators/teachers/rainbow/activities.php.

3. Send home Family Outreach Tip Sheet: TS-3 Eat Your Colors. This tip

sheet is about the importance of consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables

of various colors, and gives a list of color groups and hints on how to get

children to eat their colors.




5. Put together Bulletin Board 4: Color Me Healthy. Children use pictures of

fruits and vegetables from the different color groups to construct a colorful

peacock picture.


58

HE-7, Page 2

Healthy Eating

HE-8: Capture the Bag

DID YOU KNOW?

It’s important to eat a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables to get all the nutri-

ents that your body needs to grow and stay healthy. In this game, children will

complete a cardiovascular workout and learn the importance of eating a variety

of fruits and vegetables every day.

MATERIALS:

At least two of each color of fruit and vegetable pictures or models

in plastic bags:

• Red: tomatoes, cherries, red peppers

• Yellow/Orange: carrots, corn, sweet potatoes

• Green: honeydew, artichokes, collard greens

• Purple/Blue: plums, eggplant, blackberries, raisins

• White: bananas, mushrooms, onions, garlic

For more information on eating a colorful variety everyday visit

www.frutiandvegetablesmorematters.org

ACTIVITY:

Safety Considerations:

1. This game requires a large amount of space. If you do not have a gym space,

plan for a good weather day.

2. Make sure you review safety rules, such as no pushing. Children should tag

gently. This is especially important when older and younger children are

playing together.

How to set up for Capture the Bag:

1. Divide a large open space in half with masking tape. Designate a small area

in each half that will be the closet and another that will be the kitchen.

2. Show the children the bags they will be capturing. Ask if they have ever eaten

any of the fruits and vegetables shown in each bag, and get a show of hands.

Explain that there are a lot of different kinds of fruits and vegetables, and it’s

good for your health to eat a variety. “Put a rainbow on your plate,” is one way

to talk about it. Use background information provided to help you discuss the

benefits of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables.

3. Place half of the fruit and vegetable bags in each kitchen, making sure there is

at least one fruit or vegetable from each of the five color groups in both teams’

kitchens.

To Play Capture the Bag:

1. Divide the children into two groups. One group will be Lunch and the other

group will be Dinner.

TIME: 30 minutes

GRADE: 3-5

SUMMARY:

A capture the flag–

like game teaching

children to eat 5

fruits and vegetables

a day.

59

HE-8, Page 1

Healthy Eating

2. Explain to the children that the Lunch team will have to try and capture one

bag from each color group in the Dinner team's kitchen and the Dinner team

must try to capture one bag from each color group in the Lunch team's

kitchen. (Similar to Capture the Flag, if you are familiar with this game.)

3. Each group will scatter in their own area and some children will have to guard

their kitchen. When the game begins, team members will cross into the other

team’s area to try and capture their bags. A player can only capture one bag

at a time.

4. Once they cross over the tape, players are at risk of being tagged. If a player

gets tagged, then he/she has to go to that team’s closet. Children can only be

freed from the closet if one of their own team players tags them.

5. A team wins when they collect one bag from each color group (total of five)

from the other team’s kitchen.

6. Explain why it is important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables and why

everyone needs 5 a day (see Key Talking Points below.)

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. The majority of vegetables eaten by children are in the form of french fries (as

early as the age of two),meaning they are not only getting too many calories

from added fat, but very little variety.

2. Everyone needs at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day because

they provide the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs to stay healthy

and fit.

3. Many of the vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables also give them

different colors. So, eating a variety of colors is the best way to get all the

nutrients you need.

4. Fruits and vegetables of various colors can help you maintain strong bones,

hair, and teeth; memory function; vision health; and are a healthy source of

energy to keep you going.

5. A fruit is the sweet, ripened section of a seed-bearing plant, while a vegetable

is a plant grown for its edible part (seeds, roots, stems, leaves, bulbs, tubers,

or nonsweet fruits). So, a fruit could be a vegetable, but a vegetable could not

be a fruit.

6. Cardiovascular exercise burns calories, can improve self-esteem, and strength-

ens your bones, muscles, heart, and lungs.


1. Recognize that healthy eating means eating a variety of fruits and vegetables.

2. Identify the five color groups of fruits and vegetables.

3. Complete an endurance activity.

60

HE-8, Page 2

Healthy Eating

GO FURTHER:

1. After each round of play, ask each group to name different ways the fruit and

vegetables they captured could be part of their team's meal. Example:

• The Lunch group, having captured a banana, celery, raisins, carrots,

and tomatoes can suggest adding tomatoes to a sandwich, having

celery with peanut butter and raisins, eating carrots and dip, or having

a banana for dessert.

2. Read the book: Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z

by Lois Ehlert. Again, you can ask the children as you read, “has anyone ever

eaten a kumquat? What was it like? Do you know where it comes from?” etc.

3. The activity sheets can now be found at

(http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=81)

4. Find more materials to promote eating fruits and vegetables at

(http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=115)

5. Send home Family Outreach Tip Sheet: TS-3 Eat Your Colors -- This tip

sheet is about the importance of consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables of

various colors, and gives a list of color groups and hints on how to get children

to eat their colors.

6. Put together Bulletin Board 2: Food From Around the World. Where do








peacock picture.

ADAPTED FROM: Shape Up Somerville, Friedman School of Nutrition Tufts University,

2005

61

HE-8, Page 3

Healthy Eating

62

HE-8, Page 4

Healthy Eating

HE-9: Great Vegetable Hunt

DID YOU KNOW?

Children do not eat the amount of vegetables they need to stay healthy. By

teaching them more about vegetables and how they grow, children may

become accustomed to new vegetables and more likely to try them when

given the opportunity.

MATERIALS:

• Broomstick

• Vegetable bags

(you can use NDC Food Model Cards in bags or use the vegetables

created in the Fruit and Vegetable Rainbow activity)

• Empty watering can

• Pail/bucket

• Basket

• Vegetable cards

(you can use NDC Food Model Cards in bags or use the vegetables

created in Fruit and Vegetable Rainbow activity)

• Plant parts sheet (provided)

ACTIVITY:

Set Up:

For part 1, each of the three groups needs a broomstick (which will be used

as the hoe), two vegetable bags, watering can, pail/bucket (used as compost

bucket), and a basket. The equipment is placed at the opposite end line.

For part 2, hide the vegetable cards all over the classroom. Hang up the plant

parts poster.

To Play Great Vegetable Hunt:

Explain to children that it is important to eat at least 5 servings of vegetables and

fruits a day and ask if they can name 5 vegetables they could eat in one day (see

Key Talking Points below).

Part One: Relay Race

1. Divide the children into three groups.

2. The first person in each group runs down to the opposite end, picks up the

hoe, hoes the ground 5 times, and runs back.

3. The second person plants the vegetable bean bags, and runs back.

4. The third person waters the vegetables with the watering can and runs back.

5. The fourth person spreads the compost from the bucket.

TIME: 30 minutes

GRADE: 3-5

SUMMARY:

Children will have

a relay race and a

scavenger hunt for

vegetables.

63

HE-9, Page 1

Healthy Eating

6. The fifth person harvests the vegetables, puts them in the basket, and hops

back, bringing them to the market.

Part Two: Vegetable Hunt

7. Children need to find different cards that have been hidden in the classroom.

Each card has a picture of a vegetable on it.

8. After each picture is found, one member from each group brings it to the front

of the room.

9. Once all the cards are found, show the picture of the different plant parts: leaf,

stem, fruits, flowers, roots and seeds. (See Answers for Great Vegetable

Hunt on the next page.)

10. Explain that each vegetable card they found belongs in one of these

categories. They need to figure it out! Have all of the groups work together.

11. For each correct answer, the children do 5 jumping jacks. For each incorrect

answer, have them do 5 toe touches. (See Toe Touch Instructions

on the next page.)

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. Vegetables are an important source of the vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals,

and fiber needed for growth.

2. One way to get more vegetables into your diet is to eat them for snacks.

3.Cardiovascular activity is when you raise your heart rate by moving all your


chronic disease and maintain a healthy weight by building muscle and burning

off extra energy. It has also been shown to promote feelings of well-being.

4. You can tell that you are giving your heart a workout when it starts beating

faster. You take your pulse by placing two fingers on the inside of your wrist or

on the side of your neck and count the number of beats in a minute (or the

number of beats in15 seconds X 4).

5. Warming up before physical activity prevents injuries, increases body

temperature, and gets the body ready for vigorous activity.



7. Drinking a lot of water is especially important during cardiovascular activity to

replace the water your body loses when you sweat. Being dehydrated during

vigorous activity can make you feel tired and cause muscle cramps.


1. Identify different types of vegetables.

2. Increase their heart rate and perform weight-bearing exercise.

GO FURTHER:

1. Send home Family Outreach Tip Sheet TS-3: Eat Your Colors. This tip sheet

is about the importance of consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables

64

HE-9, Page 2

Healthy Eating

of various colors, and gives a list of color groups and hints on how to get

children to eat their colors.






peacock picture.

ADAPTED FROM: Shape Up Somerville, Friedman School of Nutrition Tufts University,

2005

Answers for the Great Vegetable Hunt:

65

HE-9, Page 3

LEAVES STEMS FRUITS FLOWERS ROOTS SEEDS

Lettuce

Cabbage

Spinach

Bok Choy

Kale

Rhubarb

Celery

Asparagus

Leeks

Scallions

Tomato

Pepper

Squash

Eggplant

Okra

Pea Pods

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Artichokes

Radish

Turnip

Beet

Yams

Parsnip

Rutabega

Carrots

Potatoes

Onions

Leeks

Garlic

Shallots

Corn

Peas

Beans

TOE TOUCH INSTRUCTIONS

1. Have children scatter around the room.

2. Each child should be standing up straight and their feet shoulder width apart and facing forward.

3. Have children bend down slowly and touch their toes while bending their knees slightly.

4. Hold this position for two seconds.

5. Then have the children return to an upright position. That is one toe touch.

Healthy Eating

66

HE-9, Page 4

Plant Parts

Strawberry Plant

Flower

Fruit

SproutedSeed

Roots

Stem

Leaf

Healthy Eating

HE-10: Great Grain Obstacle

DID YOU KNOW?

Carbohydrates from grains are an important source of energy. A lot of the foods

we eat (bread, cereal, pasta, rice, corn, rye, millet, and many more) are grains or

come from grains.

MATERIALS:

• Stop watch

• Small bucket

• Two pieces of cardboard labeled A and B

• Rubber bases or small mats

• Two big pieces of cardboard

• Three to six balls or beanbags

• Jump rope

• Broom handle

• Two chairs

• Six rice boxes

• Six cones

• Masking tape

ACTIVITY:

Set Up:

1. Station 1: Bucket O’Oats. Place the piece of cardboard labeled A and the

piece of cardboard labeled B, 20 feet apart. Place the bucket at this station.

2. Station 2: Popcorn Pop and Hop. Place the bases/mats in a zigzag pattern.

3. Station 3: Rigatoni Tunnel. Set up a tunnel by placing cones several feet

apart. Use a big piece of cardboard for the top.

4. Station 4: Rice Tumble. Set up rice boxes into a pyramid: three on bottom,

two in the middle, and one on top. Place balls or bean bags at this station.

5. Station 5: Jump through the Rye. Use masking tape to tape off an area

for the rye field. Make it about 15 feet long. Place the jump rope at the end

of the field.

6. Station 6: Spaghetti Limbo and Go. Set up a broom handle supported by

two chairs. Set up signs at each station as well.

To Play Great Grain Obstacle:

1. As you explain each station to the children, explain/remind them why grains

are good for us (see Key Talking Points below).

2. One child starts at each station. The remaining children make a line at station1.

Once a child finishes a station, the next child can start.

TIME: 20-30 minutes

GRADE: 3-5

SUMMARY:

Children run through

an obstacle course

with a grain theme.

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HE-10, Page 1

Healthy Eating

3. In Station 1, children are pretending to carry a bucket of oats from point A

to point B, and back.

4. In Station 2, children run and hop (one leg at a time on each base/mat)

along a zigzag course. Here they are pretending to be popcorn popping.

5. In Station 3, children are trying to crawl through the tunnel as fast

as possible.

6. In Station 4, the children use a ball or a beanbag and try to knock down the

rice boxes. Have a staff member set up the boxes after each child goes.

7. In Station 5, children have to jump rope to one end of the field and

back again.

8. In Station 6, the children have to pass underneath the broom handle without

it falling off the chair. Once they do this successfully, they have completed the

course. See how many times children can complete the obstacle course in ten

minutes. Have them try to beat their own times.

9. Cheer the children on and encourage them to challenge themselves.

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. Grains are healthy for us because they give us energy and can be a good

source of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

2. Examples of grains are: brown rice, cornflakes, oatmeal, pretzels, waffles and

also the items from the game they are playing.

3. Cardiovascular activity is when you raise your heart rate by moving all your


chronic disease and maintain a healthy weight by building muscle and burn-

ing off extra energy. It has also been shown to improve your self-esteem.

4. You can tell that you are giving your heart a workout when it starts beating

faster. You take your pulse by placing two fingers on the inside of your wrist

or on the side of your neck and count the number of beats in a minute (or

the number of beats in15 seconds X 4).

5. Warming up before physical activity prevents injuries, increases body

temperature, and gets the body ready for vigorous activity.



7. Drinking a lot of water is especially important during cardiovascular activity to

replace the water your body loses when you sweat. Being dehydrated during

vigorous activity can make you feel tired and cause muscle cramps.


1. Recognize that grains are very important to eat when they exercise a lot

because they give the body lots of energy.

ADAPTED FROM: Shape Up Somerville, Friedman School of Nutrition Tufts University, 2005

68

HE-10, Page 2

Healthy Eating

HE-11: Feeling Fibrous

DID YOU KNOW?

Grains in their whole form are a healthier choice, yet most grain foods we eat are

refined, meaning that fiber and other important nutrients have been removed.

MATERIALS:

• Crackers made with refined white flour

(for example Saltines, one for each child)

• Crackers made with 100% whole grain flour

(for example Wasa bread, ak-mak, or some other whole grain cracker,

one for each child)

• Plastic sandwich bags, two for each child

• Magnifiers optional

• Water

• What are Whole Grains? sheet (provided)

ACTIVITIES:




1. At least one hour before doing this activity, put one cracker in each bag so

each student will have one Saltine in one bag and one Wasa in another bag.

2. Put three to four tablespoons of water in each bag and let the crackers soak

for at least an hour prior to this activity. Seal the bags so they won’t leak.

3. Review the function and parts of a grain (See Key Talking Points below).

4. Give each child a soaked refined cracker (Saltine). Have them squish it to feel

how soft it is. Have them look carefully at the squished cracker and ask: “What

do you notice?” (Examples: squishy, white, loses its shape, etc.)

5. Give each child a soaked whole grain cracker (Wasa). Have them mash it

up and ask: “What difference do you notice?” (Examples: color, grainy

texture, etc.)

6. Explain that the different texture is because of the grain’s seed coat and germ,

which is where the fiber (nature’s broom) and nutrients are in grains. This is

the part that’s been removed to make the Saltine.

7. Handout and discuss the What are Whole Grains? sheet.

(For Grades 3-5):

8. Look at the labels from these crackers. Look at fiber content, %DV, grams of

nutrients, and ingredients (see Key Talking Points below). You may also want

to hand out and discuss the Family Tip Sheet TS-4: Great Grains.

69

TIME: 20 minutes

GRADE: All

SUMMARY:

Children will compare

a whole grain and

refined grain as part

of a snack.

HE-11, Page 1

Healthy Eating

(all ages)

9. Wash hands.

10. Now make a snack with each kind of cracker. Add cheese, or peanut butter

and raisins, etc.

11. Compare the taste of the crackers. (This is a good opportunity to do the

Tasting Chart.) Do the crackers taste different?

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. Grains are the largest part of a healthy diet.

2. Whole grains are grains that have all the parts of the grain or seed. Refined

grains have had parts of the grain or seed removed, meaning that some of

the nutrients have also been removed.

3. For grades 3-5 activity, %DV stands for Percent Daily Value. This is the amount

of that nutrient that should be included in a healthy diet for an average size

person. A whole grain food should contain at least 5% DV of Dietary Fiber

as listed on the Nutrition Facts panel.


1. Identify the difference between refined and whole grain crackers.

2. Recognize the importance of whole grains for their higher fiber, vitamin and

mineral content than refined grains (Grades 3-5).

GO FURTHER:

1. Challenge students to eat at least one whole grain product at home, and try

to bring in the label.

2. Make a collage of whole grain labels, or a bulletin board.

3. Do activity MM-8: Are They Whole Grains?

4. Send home Family Outreach Tip Sheet TS-4 Great Grains. This sheet

explains the healthful aspects of eating whole grains, how to read nutrition

information to figure out if a food contains whole grains, and gives some

hints of how to get children to eat and try whole grain foods.


70

HE-11, Page 2

Healthy Eating

71

HE-11, Page 3

What are Whole Grains?What exactly is a “whole grain”?

Whole grain foods contain all three parts of the grain: the bran, the endosperm

and the germ. Each part of the grain is healthful, but eating the entire grain allows

all three parts to work together. Whole grains provide energy for daily activities

and can reduce the risk of developing many major diseases.

The outer shell

is called the bran.

It is made up

of several hard

layers and is full

of fiber, minerals

and B vitamins.

This outer shell

protects the seed.

Inside the bran layer is the

large endosperm portion.

This is full of protein,

smaller amounts of

B vitamins and complex

carbohydrates that

provide energy for

the seed.

Whole Grain Wheat Kernel Diagram(with part of the side sliced off to reveal inner properties)

The whole grain kernel is the seed from which the plant grows.

We make flour and cereal products from whole grain kernels.

Bran Endosperm

Where the Seed Sprouts

The third and last part

of the grain is called

the germ. This part

contains vitamin E, B

vitamins, minerals and

healthful unsaturated

fats. The germ provides

nourishment for

the seed.

Germ

Healthy Eating

72

HE-11, Page 4

When all three parts of the grain are present in processed foods, they are considered

whole grain. Other examples of common types of whole grains include:

How do you find whole grains in food products?

There are a few simple steps you can take when trying to find whole grain foods.

1. Look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” in large letters on the

food package.

2. Look for the list of ingredients on the package. Look for the word “whole” in front

of a grain to be listed first on the ingredient list (for example: “whole wheat”).

Why are whole grains important?

Whole grains provide your body with the nutrients you need to stay fit! Whole grain foods

are rich in fiber. Fiber helps to keep our bodies well by reducing our risk of heart disease

and helping us maintain a healthy weight. Whole grains are rich in special chemicals that

help prevent cancer. They also provide carbohydrate, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and

minerals for overall health and energy.

Brown Rice Wild Rice Barley

Rolled Oats Corn Popcorn

Healthy Eating

HE-12: Benefits of Water

DID YOU KNOW?

Dehydration occurs when your body does not have enough water to work

properly. Children cannot store a lot of water in their bodies and tend to become

dehydrated faster than adults. Children who do not know the importance of

drinking water are less likely to drink enough of it to stay healthy.

MATERIALS:

• Jump ropes

• Music

• Chalkboard/Whiteboard

• Chalk/Markers

• Small pieces of paper

• Pencils

• Water pitcher filled with water

• 8 oz. cups

ACTIVITY:

1. Pass out jump ropes; children can share if necessary.

2. Pass out a small piece of paper to each child and pencils.

3. Tell children to write down their name and how many times they think they

can jump the rope. They do not need to reveal their numbers.

4. Give children four or five tries to reach or exceed his or her goal and until

each has worked up a sweat.

5. Give children water to drink.

6. After children jump rope and drink their water, write on the board

and ask, “How do you feel?”

7. Write down answers on the board; some answers may be: sweaty, tired,

fast heartbeat, fast breathing, hot, etc.

8. Tell the children that when you are moving around a lot, your body sweats

in order to cool itself. The fluids lost from your body as sweat, need to

be replaced. So it is important to drink plenty of fluids when you are

physically active.

9. Ask the children, “What do you think is a good drink to replace fluids you lost

through sweating?”

10. Tell and explain to the children why water is the best drink to replace fluids

when you are moving around a lot and also when you are thirsty.

11. Talk about other benefits of water (see Key Talking Points below).

TIME: 30 minutes

GRADE: All

SUMMARY:

Children will get a

short workout and

learn that water is

the best drink to

quench their thirst.

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KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. Water makes up about 85% of a child’s body weight.

2. Throughout each day water is lost through skin, lungs, and when you go

to the bathroom. If water that is lost is not replaced, dehydration will occur.

3. Dehydration reduces the body’s ability to perform physically and mentally.

Children are at high risk of becoming dehydrated because they can’t store

water as well as adults can. Water:

• Is essential for the body to cool itself, particularly during activities

where water is lost through sweat.

• Is needed for your digestive system to work properly.

• Lubricates joints and cushions vital organs.

• Prevents constipation.

4. When you are thirsty, water is the best choice because it does not have

calories like other beverages such as soda and juice. When consumed in

excess, these other drinks can lead to weight gain and increase the risk

for diabetes at an early age.


Identify reasons why water is important to the body.

GO FURTHER:

1. Send home Family Outreach Tip Sheet TS-5: Dueling Drinks. This sheet

explains the importance of drinking water and the importance of limiting

drinks that are high in sugars and calories.

ADAPTED FROM: The Power of Choice: Helping Youth Make Healthy Eating and Fitness

Decisions, United States Department of Agriculture, Food and

Nutrition Services, 2003.

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HE-13:Make Water Tasty

DID YOU KNOW?

Children often prefer juice and sweetened beverages to water because water

has no flavor. However, drinking sweetened beverages and juice can leave

children dehydrated and lead to drinking too many calories.

MATERIALS:

• 8 oz. Cups

(Five for each child - one cup will be used to rinse out mouth between

taste testing.)

• Paper plates (one for each child)

• Water pitchers filled with water to fill up cups

• Caffeine free tea bags

(Any fruit flavor children will enjoy such as raspberry or peach.)

• Lemons (1/4 for each child)

• Lime (1/4 for each child)

ACTIVITY:




1. As you pass out 5 cups and one plate for each child and yourself, ask children:

• “What drink do you have the most of during the day?”

• “Why?”

• “What do you think of water?”

2. Explain how important it is to drink plenty of water (see Key Talking Points

below) and that there are healthy ways to add flavor to it.

3. Pour water into cups about 3/4 full.

4. Pass out 1/4 lemon to each child.

5. As you demonstrate, have the children squeeze the lemon into the water.

Place the lemon rind on the plate.

6. Have the children taste the lemon water along with you. Ask children:

• “How did you like the taste?”

• “How is it different from drinking plain water?”

• “Do you like it?”

7. Rinse out mouth with plain water.

8. Repeat 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 with the lime.

9. Pass out flavored tea bags to the children.

TIME: 30 minutes

GRADE: All

SUMMARY:

Children will flavor

water naturally

without adding sugar.

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10. As you demonstrate, have the children place the tea bags into their cups.

11. Wait 5 minutes; let the children watch how the water turns colors with the

tea bags.

12. As the tea bags steep, ask, “Can anyone tell me what is common about

everything that is being put into the water for flavor?”

13. Go over with the children that the flavor is coming from fruits. Lemon

and limes are fruits and the flavor for the teas are coming from raspberries

and peaches.

14. After discussion, have the children take the tea bags out of the water

and place on the paper plates.

15. Taste one tea drink at a time and repeat eight and nine.

16. Repeat for last tea drink.

17. At the end of the activity ask, “Will adding caffeine free flavored tea, lemon

or limes to water encourage you to drink more water?”

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. 100% fruit juice, if available, should be limited to 6 oz. a day (1serving).

2. The main complaint of people who do not drink enough water is that it has

no flavor.

3. By adding natural substances, such as lemon, limes, and caffeine free flavored

teas, water can be a tasty drink free of sugar and calories.

4. Throughout each day water is lost through skin, lungs, and when you go to

the bathroom. If water that is lost is not replaced, dehydration will occur.

5. Dehydration reduces the body’s ability to perform physically and mentally.

Children are at high risk of becoming dehydrated because they can’t store

water as well as adults can. Water:

• Is essential for the body to cool itself, particularly during activities

where water is lost through sweat.

• Is needed for your digestive system to work properly.

• Lubricates joints and cushions vital organs.

• Prevents constipation.

6. When you are thirsty, water is the best choice because it does not have calo-

ries like other beverages such as soda and juice. When consumed in excess,

these other drinks can lead to weight gain and increase the risk for diabetes

at an early age.

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1. Recognize ways to add flavor to water without adding sugar.

2. Understand the importance of drinking water.

GO FURTHER:

Send home Family Outreach Tip Sheet TS-5: Dueling Drinks. This sheet

explains the importance of drinking water and the importance of limiting drinks

that are high in sugars and calories.


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Healthy Eating

HE-14: Smoothie It Up!

DID YOU KNOW?

Children drink too many drinks that contain a lot of sugar, such as soda and juice

drinks. A great way to get children to drink healthier choices is to encourage

them to make fruit smoothies.

MATERIALS:

• Blender

• One gallon of skim milk

• 8 oz. cups

• Napkins

• Measuring cup

• Fresh or frozen bananas and strawberries

(Have enough for children to taste test and to mix with the milk.)

• Plastic knife

ACTIVITIES:




Activity 1: Observing Fruits

1. Before activity have children wash hands.

2. Open the activity by showing the blender that will be used for this activity. Ask:

• “Do you know what this is?”

• “How do you use it?”

3. Talk about different foods that can be mixed up in the blender. Hold up the

strawberries and ask, “Do you know what type of fruit this is?”

4. Pass around the strawberries, one for each child.

5. Ask children what they notice about the texture, appearance (seeds, color),

and taste (sweet, juicy) of the strawberries.

6. Talk about why strawberries are good to eat (see Key Talking Points below).

7. Pass out 1/8 of a banana to each child.

8. Have children peel the banana.

9. Ask children what they notice about the texture, appearance

(smooth, seeds, spots), and taste (sweet, mushy) of the banana.

TIME: 30 minutes

GRADE: 3-5

SUMMARY:

Children will learn

how to make a

smoothie by mixing

skim milk and fruit

in a blender.

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10. Have children notice where they bit into the banana, ask, “What do you see?”

(Example: seeds)

11. Talk about why bananas are good to eat (see Key Talking Points below.)

12. Ask:

• “When we mix the strawberries and bananas with the milk do you

think the texture and taste will be the same?”

• “When we mix the strawberries and bananas with the milk,

will we still get the vitamins and minerals that are in the fruit

and milk when we eat them separately?”

• “When we mix the fruit with the milk, what nutrient will

we be adding?”

• “Why is calcium important?”

Activity Two: Make Your Smoothie

1. Demonstrate to the children how to make the drink

• Measure one cup milk

• Three strawberries and1/4 banana

• Place in blender and mix

2. Pour drink in cup and take a sip

3. Have two children at a time come up to prepare the drink

• Let a child measure one cup milk

• Let the other child place three strawberries and1/4 banana in blender

• Supervise use of the blender

4. Have children taste the drink, ask:

• “How does the drink compare to the fruits and milk we ate separately?”

• “What other fruits can be used to mix in milk?”

5. Remind children when making drinks at home to get a parent’s permission

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. Children start drinking sweetened beverages (soda, juice drinks, and

sports drinks) at a very young age and they tend to drink more through

young adulthood. These drinks are high in sugar and provide very few

vitamins and minerals that are important for a child’s growth.

2. Too many sweet drinks can cause tooth decay, decreased appetite,

picky eating and constipation.

3. Fruit drinks do not contain the same nutrients as fresh fruits. Eating fresh

fruit, whole or mixed with milk or yogurt, gives children benefits not available

in fruit drinks.

• Bananas provide fiber that sweeps your digestive tract like a broom,

vitamin B6 maintains a healthy brain and blood cells, and

potassium helps build strong muscles during growth.

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Healthy Eating

• Strawberries provide fiber, and vitamin C to help with wound healing

and lower your chance of getting sick.

• Milk provides calcium for healthy bones and teeth.


1. Identify a healthy way to get more fruit in their diet.

2. Identify the benefits of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

GO FURTHER:

1. Have children create their own Smoothie Recipes, listing ingredients

and giving them names like Mike’s Mango Madness, or Rachel’s

Melon Surprise.

2. Send home Family Outreach Tip Sheet TS-5: Dueling Drinks. This sheet

explains the importance of drinking water and the importance of limiting

drinks that are high in sugars and calories.

3. Send home Family Outreach TS-6: Bone Builders. This tip sheet explains

the importance of weight-bearing exercise and calcium rich foods for bone

growth, and contains recipes for high calcium snack suggestions.


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Healthy Eating

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Healthy Eating

HE-15: Baby Beans and Seed Snacks

DID YOU KNOW?

Beans are a good source of protein, while being low in fat and high in fiber.

MATERIALS:

• Large dry beans such as kidney beans, lima beans (20-30 per student)

• Fresh bean sprouts, or sprouts from HE-16: Sprouting Seeds activity

• Plastic knives optional

• Plastic magnifiers optional

• Paper plates or napkins

• Bean Diagrams (provided)

ACTIVITIES:

Please be sure to have all those involved in the activity to properly wash

their hands.



Set-up:

1. Soak beans overnight in a bowl of water. Alternatively, boil dry beans in a pot

of water for two to three minutes, then let sit for one or two hours. (Boiled

beans are a little tastier, if children want to try eating them.)

2. Rinse the beans under running water until rinse water is clear and refrigerate

before use. (Use beans within two days)

Activity:

1. Have children wash their hands.

2. Hold up a bean and ask:

• “Do you know what this is?”

• “Did you know there are different kinds of beans?”

• “What kind do you like?”

3. Explain to children that they are going to look very closely at some beans,

and take them apart. Look at the Bean Diagrams (provided) and identify

parts of a bean.

4. Place two beans on each child’s paper plate. Ask, “What do you see?”

5. Have children take the coat off the seed, and explain,”The skin around the

bean is called the seed coat, It protects the bean while it’s waiting to grow.

This is where a lot of the fiber comes from when you eat the bean.”

TIME: 20 minutes

GRADE: K-2

SUMMARY:

Children will examine

the bean and bean

sprout parts and

then eat them as

a healthy snack.

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Healthy Eating

6. Have children split the beans in half (each half is called a cotyledon) and

explain, “This is the part of the seed that is food for the baby plant. Can you

see the baby plant in the middle?” (use magnifiers, if available.) Point out

the leaves and root of the baby plant.

7. Explain: “The bean plant that this came from made this seed as food for a new

baby plant. It’s also good food for growing children.” (You can eat the seeds. If

they’ve been boiled a minute, they’ll taste more like cooked beans, otherwise

they taste kind of raw, but they’re okay to eat.)

8. Now give each child a few bean sprouts. Point out the cotyledons on the stem,

root, and leaves. This is what the seed looks like as it begins to grow. Have

them look carefully at the sprouts and identify the parts (bean halves, leaves,

root).

9. Now they can eat the sprouts. If they don’t like them, suggest that they pull off

the leaves and root hairs at the ends, and just eat the fat shoot in the middle (it

has the best taste). Eat some yourself to model trying new foods.

10. If you’re doing a Tasting Chart as an ongoing activity, you can put the beans

and bean sprouts on the chart, and vote on who likes them and who doesn’t

(see HE-4: Tasting Chart activity).

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. Beans are in the meat and beans group because they are high in protein, like

meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and seeds.

2. Beans are low in fat and high in fiber. Fiber works like a broom to clean out

your digestive system.

3. There are many types of beans that can be prepared in several ways to create

a wide variety of dishes all over the world.


1. Recognize that beans are a good source of protein and fiber, and low in fat.

2. Recognize that beans and seeds are foods that come from plants.

GO FURTHER:

1. Use extra dried beans to make a mosaic. Bean Mosaic Materials:

• Piece of cardboard

• White glue

• Q-tips

• Assortment of dried beans (such as red kidney beans, pinto beans,

black-eyed peas, and black beans)

2. Have children use a Q-tip to form a design on cardboard with white glue.

3. Let children arrange beans on top of the glued area.

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Healthy Eating

4. Allow the glue to dry completely before setting the mosaic upright.

• HE-17: Windowsill Garden activity, grow beans on your windowsill.

• Read the book Life Cycle of a Bean by Angela Royston, and discuss

how this relates to the beans and sprouts you have observed.

• HE-16: Sprouting Seeds activity, sprout your own seeds.


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Healthy Eating

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HE-15, Page 4

Bean Diagram

Lima Bean

Whole Bean

Bean Split in Half

Seed Coat

Bean Embryo

Cotyledon(Contains Endosperm)

Food

Root

Leaf

Healthy Eating

HE-16: Sprouting Seeds

DID YOU KNOW?

Many children do not eat enough vegetables for good health. It can sometimes

be difficult to get a child interested in trying them, but one way to get them

interested is to let them grow the foods you’re trying to get them to eat.

MATERIALS:

• Mung beans to sprout

• Large wide mouthed jars

(preferably plastic, such as peanut butter or mayonnaise)

• Cheesecloth

(or muslin or tulle or any fabric that will allow water to drain out)

• Rubber bands to secure cheesecloth over the mouth of the jar

• Bean Sprout Parts Diagram (provided)

ACTIVITIES:

Setting up and sprouting

1. Soak two to three Tablespoons of seeds in warm water overnight (figure 1 and 2).

2. Rinse the seeds in cold water and drain them.

3. Put the seeds in the jar and cover the opening with the cheesecloth and

secure with a rubber band (figure 3).

4. Store in a warm dark place. Rinse seeds with cool water two or three times

a day and drain well (figure 4 and 5). Beans should be well rinsed but should

not sit in water, or they may mold. Storing the jar upside down on paper towel

works well.

5. Sprouts will be ready to eat in three to seven days, depending on the seed

type (alfalfa three days, mung beans five to seven days, broccoli or radish,

three to five days). Sprouts not eaten right away may be rinsed well, drained,

and stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

TIME: 5 minutes a

day for a week, then

30 minutes

GRADE: All

SUMMARY:

Children will grow

their own sprouts

to use in other activi-

ties or to enjoy as a

healthy snack.

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Bean Sprout Diagram

HE-16, Page 1

1 2 3 4 5

Healthy Eating

Activity:

1. Ask children if they’ve ever eaten beans before. “What kinds of beans have

you eaten?” (Examples: pinto in refried beans, chick peas in hummus, red

beans and rice, sweet bean paste in bean cakes, etc.)

2. Discuss the health benefits of eating beans (see Key Talking Points below).

3. “What food group are beans in?” (Example: meat and beans, along with

poultry, fish, eggs, and nuts)

4. What part of a plant is a bean? (seed)

5. Have children color and fill out the sprout parts sheet. Ask, “When we eat

sprouts, what part of the bean are we eating?”

6. Compare the sprout parts sheet to a sprout.

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. Beans are in the Meat and Bean group because they are a good source of

protein (to grow strong muscles).

2. Beans are also high in fiber (which works like a broom to sweep out your

digestive system), low in fat (so they are low in calories compared to many

protein foods), inexpensive, and easy to store.

3. Bean sprouts are an interesting fresh vegetable that children may not have

tried before, and they are easy to grow.

4. Sprout is the youngest form of a plant. Every time a bean sprouts, a plant

is born.

5. Mung beans are the most common sprout, and are found in many Asian

food dishes.

6. Sprouts are good eaten raw or with dip.


1. Identify different kinds of beans.

2. Identify plant parts (seeds and roots) as food.

3. Grow their own healthy snack.

GO FURTHER:

Use sprouts in HE-18: Food as Art or HE-15: Baby Beans and Seed Snacks


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Healthy Eating

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HE-16, Page 3

Root

Stem

Leaf

Food (the original seed)

Bean Sprout Parts

Can you identify the parts of the sprout in the picture above?

Healthy Eating

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Healthy Eating

HE-17: Windowsill Gardening

DID YOU KNOW?

Many children have little direct experience of where their food comes from.

One way to get them interested in healthy foods is to let them grow the foods.

MATERIALS:

• Beans to plant

• Pots for planting

(clean, empty yogurt containers with holes in the bottom work well)

• Tray for pots, to catch water that drains through holes

• Potting soil

• Labels for pots

• A sunny window

ACTIVITY:

1. Give one pot to each child. They may label them with waterproof markers,

so each child can identify their pot.

2. Have them fill the pot to within about1/2 inch of the rim with moistened

potting soil.

3. Give each child one bean seed. Have them put a small hole in the middle of

the soil, about1/2 inch deep, and put the bean in the hole. Cover with soil,

and water thoroughly.

4. Place all the pots in the tray and sit them on a sunny windowsill.

5. Over the next few weeks, keep the soil moist. Check daily, to make sure the

soil doesn’t dry out.

6. Discussion while planting (see Key Talking Points below):

• “Today we’re going to plant some beans. What are beans?”

(things you eat, seeds of plants)

• “Have you ever eaten beans? (yes) What kinds of beans have you

eaten? (baked, refried, green beans, etc.) Did you like them?”

• “Where did the beans come from that you ate? (a can, the grocery

store) How did they get into the can/grocery store? (somebody

must have grown them) Who do you suppose grew the beans

that you ate? (a farmer)Where did they grow?”

• “What other things that you eat are grown by farmers?

What other things that you eat were planted as seeds?

What other things could we grow that we could eat?”

TIME: 5 minutes a

day for a week, then

30 minutes

GRADE: All

SUMMARY:

Children will grow

their own sprouts

to use in other

activities or to enjoy

as a healthy snack.

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KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. Plants are a basic source of many healthy foods that are low in fat and high

in fiber and many vitamins and minerals.

2. Three of the food groups are made up of plant foods: grains, fruits

and vegetables.

3. Plant foods are also found in the protein group: beans and nuts,

which are both seeds or parts of seeds.

4. Plants need water, soil and sun to grow.


1. Recognize that many foods come from plants.

2. See a bean plant grow and develop.

GO FURTHER:

1. Read Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens. This is the retelling of a folk tale

about a wily rabbit and a lazy bear.

2. Visit a local farm with your class.


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HE-18: Food as Art

DID YOU KNOW?

Children generally eat fewer servings of vegetables and fruits per day than are

recommended for good health.

MATERIALS:

• Various vegetables and fruits, washed and cut up into manageable

small pieces:

Cauliflower Jicama

Celery sticks String beans

Zucchini Yellow squash

Cherry or grape tomatoes Baby carrots

Broccoli florets Red pepper strips

Grapes Bananas

Bean or alfalfa sprouts Apples

Pears Pea pods

• Paper plates

• Plastic knives

• Dipping sauces optional (Low Fat Ranch Dressing is a favorite)

ACTIVITY:




Set-up:

1. All vegetables must be washed first.

2. Some vegetables will need to be trimmed or cut to size. Adults can pre-cut,

and plastic knives can be provided for children to cut softer vegetables.

Activity:

1. All food artists must wash their hands.

2. Children may work individually, or may be grouped two or three to a plate.

3. Have children arrange vegetables on plates until they have created a

sculpture, a face, a scene, a superhero, or some other creation. Dipping

sauce, if provided, can be used as glue, background, clouds, etc.

4. After the works of art are complete, let each group guess what other groups’

creations are supposed to be.

TIME: 40 minutes

GRADE: All

SUMMARY:

Children will

construct a simple

sculpture made

of vegetables and

then eat it for a

healthy snack.

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5. Now each group can eat their creation. This is a super healthy snack!

Talk about what makes these foods good snack choices (see Key Talking

Points below).

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. It’s essential to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day

because they provide the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs

to stay healthy and fit.

2. Eating a variety of colors is the best way to get all the nutrients you need to

stay healthy because many of the different vitamins and minerals that make

fruits and vegetables good for us also give them their different colors.

3. By eating fruits and vegetables of various colors you can help maintain:

• Strong bones, hair, and teeth

• Memory function

• Vision health

• Energy to keep you going


1. Identify a variety of vegetables and fruits.

2. Taste a variety of vegetables and fruits.

GO FURTHER:

1. Food As Art can be used to convey similar messages even if it’s not eaten.

2. Sculptures and pictures of healthy foods for a classroom display can be an

arts and crafts project, if you have space for a display (wall space and/or

shelf space).

3. Appreciation for the beauty and variety of edible plants can be conveyed

and, by extension, the pleasure of eating a variety of foods (interesting, fun,

an adventure).

4. Tasting Chart activity can be used if some foods are unfamiliar.

5. The Food Pyramid: It’s About Variety activity; point out that this is variety.

6. Sprouting Seeds activity for K-2.






peacock picture.

ADAPTED FROM: Turning up the Learning with Healthy Classroom Cooking: A Teacher’s

Guide to Cooking Across the Curriculum, KidsFirst Rhode Island and

Rhode Island Team Nutrition.

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HE-18, Page 2

healthy food activities

Documents

foods children needto

children new foods

type of food junk food

food groups

handling food

food clean

food pictures

everyday healthy foods