Food Pyramid and Groups

I have developed this lesson into five 20 - 30 minute sessions.

Session 1 - What is the Food Pyramid?
Introduce the food pyramid and explain the food groups, layout, an other features.
Give examples of foods and discuss the food groups that they belong to.
There are five food groups: grains (orange), vegetables (green), fruits (red), milk (blue), meat and beans (purple).
The yellow section represents oils, and the stairs signify the need for excercise.
The band width indicates the amount of each food group you should eat. For example the grains band is wider than the meat band because people need to eat more grains than meat.

Students start a food diary.

Session 2 - How much of each food do I need to eat?
Discuss foods that fit into the food groups and the serving sizes for each, which differ by age, gender, and activity level.
Grains are measured in ounces. One ounce of grain is equivalent to 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup oatmeal or rice, or 1 cup cold cereal.
Vegetables, Fruits, and Milk products are measured in cups.
Meats and nuts are measure in ounces, cups, and tablespoons.

Session 3 - How does what I eat help me?
Discuss food groups and what is in food that kids need to grow, learn, play, and rest. Vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates are used by your body in different ways.

Session 4 - What did I eat?
Look at meals that the students have been eating and dissect them into their food groups. Macaroni and Cheese contains pasta (grains) and cheese (milk) also oils.
Demonstrate how to fill in the table that corresponds to their food diary.
Allow time for the students to fill in their food group table.

Session 5 - What should I be eating?
Have the students reflect on their eating habits. What food groups are they lacking in? Which are they eating too much? Have them create a eating plan for the upcoming week.

Follow up - How did I do?
Students rate their success with the eating plan.