Lesson
Talk with kids about healthy foods and strategies for choosing them.
The lessons in this unit help kids to understand that food is fuel. Food is what you eat and drink to give your body energy to move and think. Rather than classifying foods as good or bad, encourage children to stop and think, then choose the best fuel (i.e., foods that supply nutrition and energy, rather than empty calories).
You can extend a lesson with videos from the fit video series, What Food Does for Your Body. Each video highlights a food group or category, and serves as a great resource to introduce or review the benefits of eating a variety of foods. See the Extend the Lesson section of this page for a list of videos.
For more information on healthy eating, go to ChoseMyPlate.gov.
To use this with your students click here.
Knowing the Difference Between Fruits and Vegetables
Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Explain that tomatoes are fruits because they grow from flowers and contain seeds.
What about green beans? Yes, they are also a fruit. So, are pumpkins, cucumbers, and any other food that grows from flowers!
Facts About Food as Fuel
Discuss the slideshow’s key messages:
Check for understating: What fuel will you choose for your meals? What about your snacks?
Print the "Healthy Food Hunt" Home Activity
Download the Healthy Food Hunt activity and have students use it to find healthy foods at home.
If they find healthy foods that are not pictured, they can write or draw them on the back of the page.
Grade: K-2
Time: 20 Minutes
This chart shows different food options for each category. Kids are encouraged to eat green-light foods most often.
Get PrintableOur lessons and resources can be used from home, anytime through the year-here's how!
Get PrintableReplay the stoplight game. This time, rather than a color, a food choice is given. Kids respond with green, yellow, or red actions.
Start SlideshowKids classify snack choices as green-light, yellow-light, or red-light foods.
Start SlideshowJust like roads have signs, so does your food. Learn about reading food labels with this slideshow!
Start SlideshowRead a story about two characters. One takes the time to do a fit-check and the other does not. See the differences in their outcomes.
Start Slideshow