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All Fats Are Not Created Equal!

Lesson Introduction & Overview Fat is an important nutrient, but you only need small amounts each day. It gives you energy and helps your body grow. Here are some of the important jobs fats do: • Give you energy: During exercise your body uses carbohydrates for fuel for about 20 minutes. After that your body… Read more

Picky Eating

Lesson Overview Picky eating often occurs at ages 3 to 5. At this age, children like to explore food rather than eat to it. Usually it is a phase that children go through and then grow out of over time. Children often refuse foods because of color or texture. Teaching them to explore foods and… Read more

Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand ingredients in energy drinks and sports drinks that may be unhealthful for children and teens. The youth will compare the caffeine levels of various drinks and create a warning label with some facts about their effects. Instructor Notes Before facilitating this lesson, you may want to review… Read more

Grocery Store Virtual Tour

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand the way that grocery stores are designed, how products may be deceptively marketed, and ways to find the most healthful options in grocery store aisles. The youth will compare two similar products and then pick the healthier version. They will make informed choices by looking at the… Read more

Hungry for Breakfast

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand the importance of breakfast. The youth will think about good food choices by discussing “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle and singing The Breakfast Song. Instructor Notes Before facilitating this lesson, you may want to review the following information about the importance of breakfast for children.… Read more

Vegetarian Basics

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand healthful ways to follow vegetarian diets by researching the different types and how to get enough nutrients while following each one. Introduction Ask the youth: Has anyone has heard of vegetarian diets? Do you know of anyone or do you follow a vegetarian diet? What do you… Read more

Water: Making Living Things Grow!

Lesson Overview This lesson provides a visual example for young people of what happens to a living thing (in this case a plant) when it is hydrated with water vs. liquids with added ingredients such as sweeteners, flavors and colors. Introduction Every living thing needs water to survive. Nearly every system in your body depends… Read more

Nutritional Supplements

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand how whole foods stack up against protein bars, powders and shakes. The youth will compare the nutrients in a supplement product against the amount in whole foods. Young people will also consider cost as they recommend healthful sources of protein and other nutrients in a presentation or… Read more

Milk Matters

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand the health benefits of low-fat milk by analyzing nutrition labels. Instructor Notes Beformide facilitating this lesson, you may want to review the following information about low-fat milk products. These facts can be shared with kids and parents during your discussions. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines recommends Americans switch to… Read more

Breakfast Power

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand the importance of eating a healthful breakfast every day. The youth will plan and research a breakfast meal and create a poster or digital presentation including nutrient information. Instructor Notes Before facilitating this lesson, you may want to review the following information about breakfast habits for young… Read more

Marketing Mania

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people discover “tricks of the trade” in food and beverage marketing. They practice comparing the messages conveyed through advertisements with the nutrition information available about different products. Introduction Explain to the youth that eating healthful foods is important to a person’s growth, development and overall well-being. Their eating behaviors… Read more

Oversweetened: The Truth About Sugary Drinks

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand the sugar content of popular beverages such as sodas, energy or sports drinks. The youth will measure out granulated white sugar so they can picture the true amount of sugar in these drinks. Young people will think of more healthful options to quench their thirst throughout the… Read more

More Milk, Please!

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people visualize how much milk they should drink each day by pouring 8 ounces into each of three glasses. The youth will complete a milk-themed maze activity. Optionally, the young people can photograph themselves with milk mustaches to remind them to drink milk each day. Introduction Talk with the… Read more

The Dish on Gluten

Lesson Overview This lesson will help young people understand gluten allergy and gluten sensitivity. They will look for gluten in the food groups on MyPlate and think of ways to be kind to those who follow a gluten-free diet. Instructor Notes Before facilitating this lesson, you may want to review the following information about gluten-free… Read more

How Hungry Am I?

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people think about the ways their bodies give them signals telling them when they need to eat. They will use a worksheet to track their hunger before and after a snack and learn that tracking your hunger can keep you from overeating. Introduction Ask the youth, what does a… Read more

Gardening – Growing Goodness!

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand where healthy food comes from. The youth will discuss what kind of plants produce their favorite fruits and vegetables. Then they will try out gardening themselves by planting some bean seeds and watching the plants grow. Introduction Ask the young people where our food comes from. Give… Read more

MyPlate and Yours Too!

Lesson Overview  This lesson helps young people get acquainted with MyPlate and how it can be used as a visual tool for a lifetime of healthy eating. They will explore the food groups that are represented on MyPlate and analyze a meal of their own by drawing it on a paper plate. Finally, youth will… Read more

It’s Mealtime! Relax and Enjoy

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand how to eat slowly and mindfully. The youth will practice by paying close attention to smells, texture and taste while eating a healthful snack. Instructor Notes Before facilitating this lesson, you may want to review the following information about mindful eating. These facts can be shared with young people during… Read more

Safe Food is Good Food

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand how handling food safely will help them avoid becoming sick from food poisoning. Youth will gain interest in the topic by reading a story and solving a mystery.  They will learn tips for keeping food safe and test their knowledge with a quiz. Introduction: Food Safety Story… Read more

Quench Your Thirst! The Importance of Water

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand why drinking water is important. An Interactive whiteboard lesson teaches facts about the body’s need for water and offers tips to help the youth to drink more water. Using actual healthy and dehydrated plants reinforces the message that all living things need water! Introduction Here are some… Read more

Portion Distortion

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand the importance of accurately estimating how much of a food they should eat. The youth will estimate portion sizes of snacks and compare to the actual serving size. To make estimating easier, they will compare portion sizes to common items. Introduction To introduce this topic, share the… Read more

Smart Snacking

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand how choosing healthful snacks is a habit that can benefit them every day as they grow. The youth will discuss their snacking habits and make a plan to switch out unhealthful snacks with healthful ones. Instructor Notes Before facilitating this lesson, you may want to review the… Read more

Create Your Own Healthful Snack

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people think of healthful snacks they can eat. In this two-day activity, youth will use their creativity to invent a healthful snack and market it to their peers. Instructor Notes Before facilitating this lesson, you may want to review the following information about snacks. These facts can be shared with… Read more

Fast Food Alert

Lesson Overview Finding a healthful, well-balanced meal in most fast food restaurants can be a challenge, but there are always choices you can make that are better than others. In this lesson, young people will explore common fast food choices and the corresponding nutritional information. They will list healthier choices to make when eating at fast… Read more

What’s My Portion Size?

Lesson Overview Foods commonly eaten by kids are typically served in larger portions than what their bodies really need. This lesson uses MyPlate to help young people recognize how much of a meal should come from each food group. The youth will compare healthy portion sizes to common items. Instructor Notes Foods commonly eaten by… Read more

Get the Facts: Know Your Food Label

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand how using the Nutrition Facts label helps them make healthy food choices. They will practice reading food labels, looking for calories, ingredients, and daily value percent’s. Introduction Understanding and using the Nutrition Facts label is an important step in helping young people fight obesity and prevent health problems… Read more

Love Your Lunch!

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people understand how to choose a healthful meal when eating school lunch. Youth will draw their lunch choices on paper trays, then examine the drawings to see if their meal represents the five food groups. Instructor Notes School lunches play an important part in meeting a child’s daily nutritional needs. Since most elementary age… Read more

Power-Up With Snacks!

Lesson Overview This lesson helps young people choose healthy snacks. The youth will color a worksheet and decide which foods are healthful choices. Introduction Introduce the lesson by discussing the following questions with young people: Why do we eat snacks? Stop our stomachs from being hungry When do we eat snacks?   Between mealtimes How… Read more

Food Allergy Awareness

Lesson Overview This lesson helps raise awareness and promote safety about food allergies. The youth will practice packing an imaginary picnic lunch, paying attention to their friends’ dietary restrictions. They will think of treats that everyone can enjoy at special events. Instructor Notes This lesson is about raising awareness and promoting safety about food allergies.… Read more

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