Activities Part 2: Food Safety

Safe Food For the Hungry -- II

Learning Center Activities Part 2: Nutrition

Learning Center Activity 4:
Food Guide Pyramid Lesson Plans

Objectives:

During this activity, participants will learn about the food guide pyramid. Specifically, participants will:

learn the meaning of the pyramid structure
learn where foods fit into the pyramid
understand the recommended number of servings for each food group
understand serving sizes
learn how to use the food label - practice placing foods in the pyramid

Materials:

Food Guide Pyramid poster and Commodity Food Pyramid poster
Dietary Guidelines poster and Food Label posters
measuring cups, measuring spoons, deck of cards, 9 volt battery, CD, light bulb
rice, bread, cereal, vegetables, juice, ...
packages from common food bank foods

Preparation for activity:

Prepare a display of serving sizes by labeling:

deck of cards              1 serving of meat
9 volt battery             1 serving of cheese
CD                         1 bread serving (pancake)
light bulb                 1 serving cooked vegetables

Highlight the serving size information on the food bank food packages.
Provide measuring cups and bowls for participants to practice measuring serving size.
Photocopy and cut out the food descriptions that follow this activity. Write the food name on the opposite side of the paper with the description. (You may wish to photocopy the descriptions on cardstock or heavy paper.) Make several sets and place each set in an envelope.

Instructions for activity:

Hang the posters on the wall.
Place the serving size display on the table.
Place the packages with highlighted serving size information near the serving size display.
Place rice, bread, cereal, vegetables, and juice, on table.
Place measuring cups, cereal bowls, plates, and glasses nearby.
Place the envelopes containing the food descriptions on the table.
Post the Instruction Sheets.
Allow participants to examine the posters and the exhibits.
Encourage participants to practice measuring common serving sizes, refer to worksheet.
Encourage participants to take an envelope and practice placing the foods in the pyramid. They can use the Food Guide Pyramid Work Sheet to facilitate this activity.

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Cookies 
Fats, Oils, and Sweets 
Eat Sparingly 

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Cherries 
Fruit Group 
1 cup = 1 Fruit Group serving

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Eggs and Bacon 
Combination Food 
2 eggs = 1 meat serving 
bacon = fats, oils, and sweets-eat sparingly

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French Fries 
Fats, Oils, and Sweets 
Eat Sparingly

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Grapes 
Fruit Group  
1 cup = 1 fruit serving

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Doughnuts 
Fats, Oils, and Sweets 
Eat Sparingly

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Cheeseburger 
Combination Food 
2-3 ounces cooked meat = 1 meat serving 
1/2 hamburger roll = 1 bread serving 
2 ounces processed cheese = 1 milk serving

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Hotdogs 
Combination Food 
2-3 ounces cooked meat = 1 meat serving 
1/2 hotdog bun = 1 bread serving

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Ice Cream Cone 
Combination Food 
1 1/2 cups ice cream = 1 serving milk 
1 cone = 1/2 bread serving

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Jello 
Fats, Oils, and Sweets 
Eat Sparingly

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Mushrooms 
Vegetable Group 
1/2 cup chopped raw = 1 vegetable serving

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Onions 
Vegetable Group 
1/2 cup chopped raw = 1 vegetable serving

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Spaghetti 
Combination Food 
1/2 cup cooked pasta = 1 bread serving 
1/2 cup tomato sauce = 1 vegetable serving 

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Submarine Sandwich 
Combination Food 
2/3 ounces lunch meat = 1 meat serving 
2 ounces processed cheese = 1 milk serving 
1 cup leafy vegetables = 1 vegetable serving 
1/2 cup chopped raw vegetables = 1 vegetable 
1/4 sub roll = 1 bread serving

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Tacos 
Combination Food 
2-3 ounces cooked meat = 1 meat serving 
1 cup lettuce = 1 vegetable serving 
1 1/2 ounces natural cheese = 1 milk serving 
1 taco shell = 1 bread serving 

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Chicken 
Meat Group 
2-3 ounces cooked chicken = 1 meat serving

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Tomato 
Vegetable Group 
1/2 cup chopped raw vegetables = 1 vegetable serving 

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Wine 
Fats, Oils, and Sweets 
Eat Sparingly

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Apple Fruit Group 
1 medium apple = 1 serving fruit 

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Banana Split 
Combination Food 
1 banana = 1 fruit serving 
1 1/2 cup ice cream = 1 milk serving

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Bread 
Bread Group 
1 slice = 1 serving 

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Cereal 
Bread Group 
1 ounce = 1 serving

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Carrot 
Vegetable Group 
1/2 cup raw chopped = 1 serving 

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Celery 
Vegetable Group 
1/2 cup raw chopped = 1 serving

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Pancakes 
Bread Group 
1 pancake (CD size) = 1 bread serving 

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Peach 
Fruit Group 
1 medium peach = 1 fruit serving

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Pear 
Fruit Group 
1 medium pear = 1 fruit serving 

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Peas 
Vegetable Group 
1/2 cup cooked peas = 1 vegetable serving

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Fruit Pie 
Combination Food 
1/2 cup cooked fruit = 1 fruit serving 
crust = fat, oil, and sweet group
Eat sparingly 

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Pepperoni Pizza 
Combination Food 
1/8th of a 12 inch pizza = 1 bread serving 
1 1/2 ounce cheese = 1 milk group 
pepperoni = fats, oils, and sweets
Eat sparingly!!

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Baked Potato 
Vegetable Group 
1 small potato = 1 serving 

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Cheese 
Milk Group 
1 1/2 ounce cheese = 1 milk serving

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Soft Drink 
Fats, Oils, and Sweets 
Eat Sparingly 

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Milk 
Milk Group 
1 cup = 1 serving

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Ham 
Meat Group 
2-3 ounces = 1 serving 

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Fish 
Meat Group 
2-3 ounces = 1 serving

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Learning Center Activity 4:
Food Guide Pyramid Background Sheets

A Guide to Daily Food Choices

No one food gives you all the nutrients you need to stay healthy. So it is best to eat a variety of different foods every day. Use the Food Guide Pyramid to help you eat better every day-the Dietary Guidelines way. Start with plenty of Breads, Cereals, Rice, and Pasta, Vegetables, and Fruits. Add two to three servings from the Milk group and two to three servings from the Meat group. Go easy on fats, oils and sweets, the foods in the small tip of the Pyramid.

Food Guide Pyramid Fact Sheet

The Food Guide Pyramid is a guide for choosing a healthful diet. No one food supplies all the nutrients needed to stay healthy. It is best to eat a variety of different foods from the five food groups of the Food Guide Pyramid to provide essential nutrients.

The Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group:
The base or bottom of the Food Guide Pyramid is the Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta Group. This group forms the foundation of healthful diets. Grains and cereals have vitamins, minerals, and fiber, are low in fat, are filling and there are so many to choose from. Depending on your age and activity level the recommendation is for 6-11 servings from the Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta group each day.

The Fruit and Vegetable Groups:
The two groups above the Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta group are the Vegetable Group and the Fruit group. The Vegetable group provides many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, B vitamins, iron, and calcium. This group provides fiber as well as flavor, bright colors and not very many calories. The recommended number of servings for the Vegetable group is 2-3 each day.

The Fruit group provides many of the same nutrients as the Vegetable group. There are many kinds of fruits and they are available in many forms: fresh, frozen, dried, and canned. The recommended number of servings for the Fruit group is 2-4 each day. A good rule is to eat 5 servings of vegetables and fruits each day.

The Milk, Yogurt and Cheese Group and The Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts Group:
The last two groups of the Food Guide Pyramid are the Milk, Yogurt and Cheese Group and the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs and Nuts Group. The recommended number of servings from these two groups is 2-3 servings per group each day. The Milk group provides essential minerals like calcium and magnesium, protein and vitamins. The Meat group is very important in providing essential minerals like iron and zinc, as well as protein. The Fats, Oils, and Sweets Group:
The top of the Food Guide Pyramid is the Fats, Oils and Sweets group. Perhaps exciting, but use sparingly is the recommendation on number of servings per day!!

What counts as 1 serving?

Breads, Cereals, Rice, and Pasta
1 slice of bread
1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta
1 ounce of dry cereal
1 tortilla, roll, or muffin
1/2 English muffin, bagel, or hamburger roll

Fruits
1 medium whole fruit
3/4 cup of juice
1/2 cup canned fruit
1/4 cup dried fruit

Vegetables
1/2 cup cooked vegetables
1 cup tossed salad
1 medium potato
3/4 cup vegetable juice
1/2 cup raw chopped vegetables

Milk
1 cup milk
8 ounces yogurt
1 1/2 ounces natural cheese
2 ounces processed cheese
1 1/2 cup ice cream
1 cup frozen yogurt

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts
3 ounces of cooked meat, poultry, or fish
2 eggs
1 cup cooked beans
4 tablespoons peanut butter

Fats, Oils, and Sweets (Use Sparingly!!)
The small tip of the Pyramid shows fats, oils, and sweets. These are foods such as salad dressings, cream, butter, margarine, sugars, soft drinks, and candies. Go easy on these foods because they have a lot of calories from fat and sugars, but few nutrients.

How many servings do you need each day?

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             Woman &         Children,         Teen boys and
             some older      teen girls,       active men
             adults          active women,
                             most men
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Bread 
Group          6                 9                 11

Vegetable 
Group          3                 4                  5

Fruit 
Group          2                 3                  4

Milk 
Group         *2-3              *2-3               *2-3

Meat 
Group          2                 2                  3
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*Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, teenagers, and young adults to age 24 need 3 servings.

Learning Center Activity 4:
Food Guide Pyramid Worksheets

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Food                   Food Group(s)          # Servings, or
                                              Serving Size
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Apple

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Banana Split

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Bread

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Cereal

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Carrot

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Celery

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Spaghetti

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Submarine Sandwich

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Tacos

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Chicken

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Tomato

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Wine

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Pancakes

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Peach

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Pear

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Peas

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Fruit Pie

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Pepperoni Pizza

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Cheeseburger

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Hot dogs

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Ice cream cone

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Jello

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Mushrooms

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Onions

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Cookies

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Cherries

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Eggs and bacon

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French fries

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Grapes

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Doughnuts

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Baked Potatoes

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Cheese

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Soft Drink

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Milk

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Ham

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Fish

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Learning Center Activity 4:
Food Guide Pyramid Instruction Sheets

What is a Serving?

Examine the Food Guide Pyramid and Food Label Posters.
Study the serving size display. Did you know that 1 serving of meat is about the same size as a deck of cards?
Find the serving information on the display labels. Try to imagine what the specified serving looks like.
Use the measuring cups to practice visualizing a serving of the various sample foods.

What Food Group is it?

Select an envelope containing cards with pictures of food.
Look at the food on each card and guess which food group it belongs to. Write your answer on the worksheet in your Participant's Workbook. **Note: some combination foods fit in more than one food group.***
Write the size of a serving for each food on your worksheet.
Turn over the card to check your answer.