Group Activity 2: Making the Most of Food Bank/Commodity Foods

Safe Food For the Hungry -- II

Group Activity 2: Making the Most of Food Bank and Commodity Foods

Objectives:

Participants will compare the menus they created in Learning Center Activity 5: Creative Meal Planning and determine how well they satisfy the requirements of the Food Guide Pyramid. Specifically, participants will:

Compile a list of possible menus using the Sample Food Bag list.
Examine menus to determine how well they satisfy the requirements of the Food Guide Pyramid.
Discuss common problems in acquiring representatives from all parts of the Pyramid.
Discuss creative solutions to the problems.

Materials:

flip charts or newsprint
markers

Instructions for Teaching:

Break a large group (>8) into smaller groups.
Ask each group to compare and compile the menus they created in Learning Center Activity 5: Creative Menu Planning. If participants did not complete activity 5, they can create as many menus as possible as a group.
Ask each group to make a master list of menus using the flip chart or newsprint provided.
Encourage participants to use the worksheet to determine how many servings each menu provides from each part of the Food Guide Pyramid.
Ask participants to list the food groups that are under represented-over represented.
Encourage participants to discuss mechanisms for increasing under represented food groups and decreasing over represented food groups.

Making the Most of Foods Worksheet

Menu #_______:

-------------------------------------------------------------
   Breakfast:     |      Lunch:         |       Dinner:     |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------



Daily Servings: 

-------------------------------------------------------------
  Food   |  Recommended   |  Serving provided |  Difference
  group  |  servings      |  by menu          |  between
         |                |                   |  recommended
         |                |                   |  and provided
-------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
Bread    |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Vegetable|                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Fruit    |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Milk     |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Meat     |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Fats,    |                |                   |
Oils,    |                |                   |
and      |                |                   |
Sweets   |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------


Making the Most of Foods Worksheet 


Menu #_______:

-------------------------------------------------------------
   Breakfast:     |      Lunch:         |       Dinner:     |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------



Daily Servings: 

-------------------------------------------------------------
  Food   |  Recommended   |  Serving provided |  Difference
  group  |  servings      |  by menu          |  between
         |                |                   |  recommended
         |                |                   |  and provided
-------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
Bread    |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Vegetable|                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Fruit    |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Milk     |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Meat     |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Fats,    |                |                   |
Oils,    |                |                   |
and      |                |                   |
Sweets   |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------


Making the Most of Foods Worksheet 


Menu #_______:

-------------------------------------------------------------
   Breakfast:     |      Lunch:         |       Dinner:     |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------



Daily Servings: 

-------------------------------------------------------------
  Food   |  Recommended   |  Serving provided |  Difference
  group  |  servings      |  by menu          |  between
         |                |                   |  recommended
         |                |                   |  and provided
-------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
Bread    |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Vegetable|                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Fruit    |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Milk     |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Meat     |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Fats,    |                |                   |
Oils,    |                |                   |
and      |                |                   |
Sweets   |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------


Making the Most of Foods Worksheet 


Menu #_______:

-------------------------------------------------------------
   Breakfast:     |      Lunch:         |       Dinner:     |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
                  |                     |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------



Daily Servings: 

-------------------------------------------------------------
  Food   |  Recommended   |  Serving provided |  Difference
  group  |  servings      |  by menu          |  between
         |                |                   |  recommended
         |                |                   |  and provided
-------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
Bread    |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Vegetable|                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Fruit    |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Milk     |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Meat     |                |                   |
Group    |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
         |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Fats,    |                |                   |
Oils,    |                |                   |
and      |                |                   |
Sweets   |                |                   |
-------------------------------------------------------------