Kids Activities Using Nutrition
It is important for even young kids to understand how good and poor nutrition affects their bodies. There are several different types of nutrition activities you can have students do in order to learn about nutrition. Some of these activities will work better for older students, but you can adapt them to work with younger students as well. These activities could also work together as a unit on nutrition.
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Food Pyramid
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Introduce the students to the food pyramid designed by the USDA. Students should be able to give examples of the different types of foods in each category. They should also be able to list the number of servings they should have from each category each day. Extend the discussion to include what types of foods in the category are better for you. For example, it is better to eat whole grains and lean meats.
Portion Sizes
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For this hands-on activity, provide students with several different food options. If you are teaching this class throughout the day, you may choose to use a substitute, such as play dough, for food that would spoil. Have students come to the front of the room and choose the correct portion size for each type of food. Then have students create a menu for an entire day using the food you provided. The students should divide it into three meals with one or two snacks, and the proper portion amount. This activity will allow students to recognize the healthy amount to eat, and what types of food they should eat throughout the day.
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Food Diary
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Have students keep a food diary. The students need to write down each type of food they eat and the number of portions they had. At the end of the day, they can transcribe their notes onto a daily food pyramid worksheet, which allows them to see how they are doing when it comes to following the food pyramid. You may or may not have students track caloric intake, as well. The activity levels for high school students can vary, and the amount of calories they need to eat will differ. This activity may be difficult for people struggling with body image or eating disorders. It is more important to focus on healthy choices at this point, rather than calorie intake.
Cooking Class
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Many students do not know how to prepare healthy snacks and meals. This activity would need to be done in the home economics room. Provide students with a healthy recipe and the ingredients. You can have each group of students cook a different item and then have them taste the items at the end of class. Provide a packet with the recipes for the students to take home. Extend this activity by having students create a week's worth of healthy menus with a shopping list.
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