Teaching kids about food groups and making a healthy plate is a big deal as a parent.
You want them to have a positive relationship with food and enjoy foods that are good for them…not always easy when I have one who will only eat hotdogs and chicken nuggets.
Making a Healthy Plate Activity
I thought maybe a food sorting activity would help me teach them what they’re supposed to have on their plates and how to categorize each of the foods.
First I went to the USDA Choose My Plate site and downloaded a copy of their place mat graphic.
Then we pulled out all of our play food and sorted it into groups.
Finally, I let them choose foods from each group to make up their healthy plate.
Their Thoughts
They thought I was a little crazy for making them stop playing Legos to dig through our food bins, but they played along…for 5 min.
We had a good discussion about the difference between a fruit and a vegetable. They also can now tell you what the word dairy means.
I’m not sure I convinced them that they need to have all those components to build a healthy plate…three times a day, but it was a good start.
We also talked about how donuts and french fries don’t fit on that plate and how they are just treats that you can have once in a while…I’m certain they didn’t buy that.
But I’m happy that we got the conversation started. Hopefully it’s just the first of many.
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How do you get your kids to make healthy choices?
