Family Meeting-Who Are We?

You have been placed in a family. Have a meeting and discuss your family name (last name) and what role in the family you play (mother, father, aunt, grandma...). You can create any type of family you would like, but each family must include at least one adult and one child your age. (Sorry, in this project-no babies allowed.) Make up a name for yourself. You can be silly, but you must be appropriate! From now on in the project, you will be referred to by your new name.

Step Two

Step Three

Food Pyramid

Take a look at a food pyramid. The pyramid shows you different food groups. For other Food Pyramid displays, look at: The Pueblo Food Guide or The Food Pyramid

As a family, you need to investigate the different food groups. To make things easier, you each need to choose one food group to study.

When you look at the food pyramid, you notice that the top group is found in the foods from other groups. Therefore, nobody should research the fats and oils group.

Depending on your family size, you may have one person working on two food groups, or two people working on one. Make sure the work is divided evenly.

You need to learn as much about your food group as you can.

The Investigation

You are going to gather information about your food group to present to your family. You must include the following:

·     the name of your food group

·     the recommended number of servings

·     the nutrients found in your food group

·      where your foods come from

·      where your group is found in the pyramid, and why

·     how your foods should be eaten and why

·     a complete practical list of foods found in your food group

In order to conduct your research you may use the following sources:

·      Kids Food CyberClub

·      Dairy Council of California

·      Dole 5 A Day

·      Welcome to the Vita-Men!

·      Smart Kids Health Zone

When you present your information to your family, it should be written in a way that is clear for you to present. To help organize your information, you may use the Mini Report Worksheet.

Step Four

Step Five

Family Meeting-Time to Share

You have learned important information about your food groups. It's time to share. Have a family meeting and present all of your information to the rest of the family.

When you are all finished, go to step six to see what you have learned.

Food Pyramid Fun

Check what you have learned. Click here to build your own food pyramid. This is a family activity, so make sure you all work together. (If this site can not be accessed, report to the teacher.)

Step Six

Step Seven

Food Survey

Now that you have learned about the different food groups, you are on your way to a healthy life. We all know what food groups we should be eating, but do you know which foods your family likes and dislikes? Create a survey. Make sure to include all of the foods on your food list. Have each family member complete the survey and return it to you. Don't forget you need to complete your own survey as well as those given by your family members.

All surveys should be completed in a table format. Click here to find a sample survey table.

Food Survey Results

In order to read your results better, you need to put them on a spreadsheet. Your teacher will go over creating a spreadsheet with you.

Once you have finished, you are ready for your next family meeting.

Step Eight

Step Nine

Family Meeting-Shopping List

Imagine this: You need a snack, so you go to the kitchen. You open the cupboards and fridge to see what there is. What do you choose, the chips or the apple? Juice or soda?

Sometimes we forget how much junk food we eat. An easy way to avoid this is to create a master shopping list. If you only purchase foods from this list at the grocery store, your food choices will always be healthy.

Create your list by combining foods from different food groups that the majority of the family enjoys. You can organize your list by either food groups or meal groups (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks).

Your end result should be typed. Be sure to check for spelling.

Ok-you know what to buy, but what do you choose? What meals will your family eat this week?

Variety Helps!

You have done a great job creating a healthy eating lifestyle for your family. Now that you know what you should eat, find different ways to eat them. Each family member needs to come up with three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). You can use any recipes you want. Have some fun. Find some old favorites or some new things to try. When you put the three meals together, make sure that all of the food groups have been represented with the appropriate number of servings. Missing servings can be supplemented with snacks. Your research can include getting recipes from people you know, looking through cookbooks, or from the following sites:

·  KitchenLink

·  NNCC Recipes for Kids

·  Better Way To Bake

·  Kids Fun Cookbook

·  KidsHealth Recipes

Step Ten

Step Eleven

To eat in or out, that is the question!

By now, you know that it is easier to grab food at a fast food restaurant than plan your meals ahead of time. As a group, come to a conclusion about fast food. Your information should include the pros and cons (good and bad) of eating fast food. Does it really matter? How many times per week can your family eat out and still stay healthy? If you need to eat out, what are your healthy choices? Be prepared to discuss your findings with other families. Return to Step 4 for resources, or try these:

·  Fast Food Facts

·  Think Quest

Putting it all together:

The Family Food Plan

Wow! You have gathered lots information! Now it's time to use it. You are to create a seven-day eating guide for your family. Assume that your family follows the following eating plan:

·     The adults prepare one lunch and five dinners each week

·     The family eats out two times each week

·      Students eat five lunches each week at school

·      Family members fix their own snacks and meals for the remainder of the meals

Put your meals together using a table format.

Step Twelve