GOOD NUTRITION IS THE FOUNDATION FOR GOOD HEALTH
A nutritional guide tells us how much of each food group we should eat. Therefore, we should know the products that belong to each food group and the quantities to consume per day. A balanced diet is the best way for keeping healthy accompanied of physical exercise.
The aim of this class is to inform students about the usage of the food pyramid in order to prepare a menu based on healthy food and a good nutrition.
Watch this video and answer the questions bellow.
Why are the animals so happy while eating at the beginning of the story?
Why is the family so sad while eating at the beginning of the story?
Where the family lives in?
What kind of food the family has in the farm?
Name the food groups mentioned in the story.
The Food Pyramid
The Food Guide Pyramid is a graphical representation allowing people to better understand how to eat healthy. A balanced diet is one that includes all the food groups of the food pyramid. There are now two food pyramids:
The Old Food Pyramid
You should center your diet around the foods at the base of the food pyramid, and eat less of the foods at the top. If you're watching your weight then you should concentrate on eating the minimum number of recommended daily servings. If you are looking to gain extra weight, eat the maximum number of servings.
Practice the organization of the products that belong to each food group by clicking at this site: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/nutritionforkids/games/foodgroupsgame.html
The New Food Pyramid
The new food pyramid is more flexible and accurate than the one we had a few years ago. It is a tool to educate people to eat a more balanced diet from a greater variety of food portions without counting calories.
Click on this site to print and color the food pyramid: http://www.coloringcastle.com/pdfs/food/foodpyramid-bynumber.pdf
My Plate
Sing Along:
From Pyramid to Plate: What's Changed?
The last food pyramid represented the five food groups plus oils with six colorful vertical stripes. The stripes were thicker or thinner depending on how much of one food group should be consumed. Steps on the left side of the pyramid reminded people to stay active each day.
At first glance, it was difficult to tell how much of each food group should be in a healthy diet. That's where MyPlate really makes meal planning easier. Just by looking at the icon, you know right away that vegetables and fruits should take up half the plate (with the veggie portion being a bit bigger), and grains and protein foods should take up the other half (with more grains on this side). And with a side helping of dairy, you're reminded that you also need a serving of milk or another dairy food (like cheese or yogurt) at each meal.
Because MyPlate is a divided plate, no one food group overpowers the others. That's because dietary guidelines encourage eating a variety of foods and discourage "super-sized" portions, which can lead to weight gain and obesity. Exercise is no longer included in the icon, but it's still an important component of a healthy lifestyle.
After seeing how the food pyramid guide us to follow a nutritional diet, it is time to put our learning into practice. Here we have a video about how to prepare a balanced plate for keeping healthy.
Class Project:
Create a menu for the three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) including products from the five food groups as indicated in "my plate" diagram.
Materials:
3 carton plates
Markers (red, orange, green, purple, blue, and black)
Scissors
Pictures (food)
Glue
Step 1:
Print this worksheet three times http://southernfood.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/MyPlate1.png. Color them and paste them on the three carton plates.
Step 2:
Cut out pictures about food and paste them on the correct food group according to the meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Step 3:
Write the name of the meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) on each plate.
Step 4:
Present your own menu to the rest of the class by telling the name of the meal, the food groups and the food you included in your meals.
Congratulations!
Now you know how to prepare a balanced diet to keep a healthy body!
