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Senior Lesson Plan 1
- Healthy Eating
Objectives: To help pupils understand the Food Pyramid; awareness of the ‘milk, yogurt and cheese’ food group
as part of a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle; and to learn to make healthy food choices.
Duration: 30 minutes (approximately)
Curricular Links
SPHE Myself Self-identity Taking care of my body Food and nutrition
Words of the Day
Nutrition: The process whereby our bodies obtain and use nutrients from foods.
Nutrients: Substances obtained from our food that provide nourishment essential for the maintenance of our
bodies e.g. carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals.
Food Energy: Energy we get from the food we eat, needed by our bodies for physical and mental activity.
Balanced Diet: Consumption of food groups in the recommended proportions.
Portion Size: Amount of food, usually served to one person.
Food Pyramid: A pyramid shaped display which groups foods containing the same type of nutrients together.
Dairy: Milk and products made from milk such as cheese and yogurt.
Classroom Discussion
Step 1: Introduction
• Display the Food Pyramid in your classroom. Ask the
class to name everyday foods that they like and ask
them to identify which of the foods belong in each
food group. Ask children to discuss healthy and less
healthy food choices. Ask pupils why they think some
shelves are bigger than others.
• Explain that everyone has different food needs. This
varies depending on factors such as body size, age,
gender and activity level.
Step 2: The Food Pyramid1
Beginning from the bottom shelf and working your way
up to the top of the pyramid, explain each shelf.
Bread, Cereals, Potatoes, Pasta and Rice
Main Function: Foods from this shelf are the best energy
providers for your body.
Recommended servings: 6+ servings per day, with the
number of additional servings depending on factors such
as gender, age and activity levels.
Examples of one serving: 1 thin slice of bread; 3
dessertspoons of dry porridge oats; 2 breakfast cereal
wheat or oat biscuits; 1 medium or 2 small potatoes; 3
dessertspoons of cooked pasta, rice or noodles. Younger
children (aged 5-13 years) generally need smaller and
fewer serving sizes.
Highlight points to note, such as:
• Choose wholegrain and wholemeal varieties of these
foods often.
Fruit and Vegetables
Main Function: Fruit and vegetables provide vitamins,
minerals and fibre.
Recommended servings: 5 or more servings per day.
Examples of one serving: 1 medium apple, orange,
banana or pear; 10-12 berries or grapes; 4 dessertspoons
of cooked vegetables; a bowl of salad or homemade
vegetable soup.
Highlight points to note, such as:
• Choose a variety of coloured fruit and vegetables.
• Fruit juices and smoothies count as one serving from
this food group, regardless of the number of portions
consumed.
Department of Health Food Pyramid - Your Guide to Healthy Eating Using the Food Pyramid for Adults and Children over 5 years of age
http://www.healthpromotion.ie/hp-files/docs/HPM00796
1
Milk, Yogurt and Cheese
Foods and Drinks High in Fat, Sugar & Salt
Main Function: Milk, yogurt and cheese are important
sources of calcium.
• Explain that it is advised to avoid foods from the top
shelf as they are not essential for health.
Recommended servings: 5 servings per day are
recommended for those aged 9-18 years, with 3 servings
recommended daily for all other age groups.
• It’s best to limit servings to no more than one serving
per day maximum, and ideally not every day.
Examples of one serving: A 200ml glass of milk; a 125ml
pot of yogurt; or 25g (matchbox-sized) piece of hard
cheese. Low-fat varieties are encouraged.
Activity:
5 A Day the Dairy Way
• Calcium is needed for the normal growth and
development of bone in children, and contributes to
the maintenance of our bones and teeth.
Teacher’s note: if there is a child with a diagnosed
lactose intolerance or cow’s milk allergy in your
classroom, you may choose to excuse them from
the following activity or help them to participate in a
different way.
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs, Beans and Nuts
Instructions:
Main Function: These foods are good protein providers.
1. Make a list of the pupil’s own favourite ways of
enjoying foods from the ‘milk, yogurt and cheese’
food group throughout the day (e.g. milk in cereal,
yogurt in a fruit smoothie, a cheese sandwich for
lunch). Gather suggestions on the whiteboard or
flipchart.
Highlight points to note, such as:
Recommended servings: 2 servings each day.
Examples of one serving: 50-75g of cooked lean beef,
pork, lamb, mince or chicken; 100g of cooked fish; 2
eggs (limit to seven eggs a week); 6 dessertspoons of
peas, beans or lentils; 40g plain, unsalted nuts or seeds.
Highlight points to note, such as:
• Choose lean cuts of meat and limit processed meat.
• Aim to have fish at least twice a week, and oily fish (e.g.
salmon, mackerel, sardines) at least once a week.
Reduced-fat Spreads and Oils
Main Function: Spreads and oils provide essential fats but
are only needed in very small amounts.
Recommended servings: 2 servings per day.
Examples of one serving: 1 heaped teaspoon or 1
mini-pack of low-fat or reduced-fat spread to cover 2
slices of bread; 1 heaped teaspoon of full-fat spread or
margarine to cover 3 slices of bread.
Highlight points to note, such as:
• Choose low-fat and reduced-fat spreads, and opt for
oils such as olive oil or rapeseed oil.
• As well as the 2 servings per day recommended, up
to 1 teaspoon per person of the oils mentioned above
can be added in cooking.
2. Check out our blog (http://moocrew.ie/millys-blog/) for
some dairy delights and delicious ways to incorporate
dairy into different meals. These suggestions can be
used as a prompt to aid pupils.
3. Ask pupils to complete the “5 A Day the Dairy Way”
worksheet. Tell them to think of new ways they can
incorporate the ‘milk, yogurt and cheese’ food group
into their diets.
Extension Activities
1. Design a menu for a day activity: Ask your pupils to
use their copybooks to design their own menu with
their favourite foods (but making sure they use the
Food Pyramid guidelines).
2. Food Pyramid art activity: Use the Food Pyramid
template supplied on the website to build your own
Food Pyramid. Using newspapers and magazines, ask
pupils to find food from each of the groups and paste
them onto their correct shelf.
Department of Health Food Pyramid
Bring it Home
National Dairy Week is celebrated from
20th- 26th April 2015!
How are your pupils getting involved?
See the website for suggested ways of encouraging your
pupils to take home the message of the importance of
dairy as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. As
a homework exercise, you can ask your pupils to:
1. Describe the milk, yogurt and cheese varieties in their
fridge.
2. Ask an adult to help them design and prepare a meal
for their family using the ‘milk, yogurt and cheese’
food group.
3. Conduct a family survey - has their family been getting
their recommended servings from the ‘milk, yogurt and
cheese’ food group every day? Ask family members
what their favourite kind of dairy food is – milk, yogurt or
cheese? What’s their favourite dairy recipe?
www.moocrew.ie