TRACKS
Lesson Plan
Choose a Healthy Breakfast
Breakfast
Grades 9-12
I. Nutrition Education Goal & Objective:
Goal 1: Students will comprehend concepts consistent with USDA guidance related to
eating and physical activity for good health.
Objective: As a result of Pennsylvania’s SNAP-Ed plan, students will know,
understand, analyze, and apply concepts, as developmentally appropriate, that are
consistent with USDA guidance about the benefits of:
1. Eating breakfast everyday.
I. Educational Standards:
A. 1.5 Speaking and listening
B. 11.3 Food Science and Nutrition
C. 10.2 Healthful living
II. Outcomes:
A. Students will explain the importance of eating a healthy breakfast.
B. Students will discuss heath benefits of eating a well-balanced breakfast.
C. Students will choose a breakfast consistent with the dietary guidelines.
III. Materials:
A. Laptop/Projector with Power Point : Breakfast game
B. Visual: Breakfast Poster
C. Alternate Activity: Laminated cards with breakfast game questions and answers
D. Alternate Activity: Breakfast wheel
E. Food Tasting: Cereal bars
F. Reinforcement: ERN Highlighter or any other appropriate reinforcement
G. Caregiver Newsletter: Importance of Breakfast
H. Extension Lessons for teacher
I. Hand wipes
IV. Procedure:
A. Introductory:
1. Introduction of educator and lesson topic
2. Review the last lesson if applicable.
3. Introduction about the game and the importance of eating breakfast
a. Explain to students: Today we will be playing the “Breakfast Game”, which will
test what you know about breakfast and help you to choose a healthy breakfast.
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b. Icebreaker questions:
i. Ask students to raise their hands if they ate breakfast this morning.
ii. Ask students how they feel when they do not eat breakfast.
iii. Ask students why it is important to eat a healthy breakfast every day.
Discuss all reasonable answers. Be sure to review that breakfast is the
most important meal of the day because it supplies our bodies with
energy and nutrients and helps us to think and perform better in school.
4. Instructions for playing the breakfast game
a. The game can be played with students split into teams (2 or more) or the students
may play alone.
c. If playing with teams, take turns asking a question to each team and record a
point for each question that is answered correctly. The team that answers the
most questions correctly will receive a reinforcement of your choice for a prize.
d. If students are playing individually, read each question and ask for a volunteer to
answer. Try to call on a different student for each question, and you may give out
reinforcements as prizes to students who answer a question correctly.
e. As students answer the questions, review the correct answers and discussion
points.
f. You have the option of using the PowerPoint presentation with the game
questions or using the laminated cards with the questions and answers printed on
them. An alternate way of playing the game is using the questions with the
Breakfast Wheel.
B. Developmental:
1. Breakfast game
a. Question 1: How many hours does your body go without eating when you
skip breakfast?
Answer: ~ 16
When we go without eating breakfast our body isn’t getting the fuel that it needs
to start the day. Just like a car won’t run without fuel, our bodies cannot function
properly without energy. Most importantly, our brains run on carbohydrate and
need energy to think and perform well in school. What are some other problems
with not eating breakfast?
Discussion Points: Why do you think so many students skip breakfast?
(Example: time, convenience, etc.)
b. Question 2: Breakfast should provide what % of daily nutrients:
Answer: 25%
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, school breakfasts must
provide at least 25% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for the
following nutrients:
Protein – necessary for lean muscle tissue growth, repair, and recovery
Calcium – important for teeth and bone growth/health
Iron – helps to carry oxygen through the blood
Vitamin A – a key nutrient for healthy vision
Vitamin C – important for immune health
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Calories – necessary each day to provide energy to the body for daily bodily
functions and physical activities
Discussion Point: What breakfast would meet this guideline? Whole grain cereal,
milk and fruit is one example.
What breakfast would not meet this guideline? Doughnut, or chips and soda, or
toaster pastries.
What other examples can you think of?
c. Question 3: A well balanced breakfast should include how many of the five
food groups?
Answer: 3 of the 5 food groups on MyPlate
A well-balanced breakfast should include foods from 3 of the 5 food groups on
MyPlate- Grains (preferably a whole grain), Fruits or Vegetables, and Dairy.
Eating foods from different food groups provides your body with a variety of
nutrients to start the day and stay healthy. Grains provide energy, fiber, vitamins,
and minerals. Fruits and Vegetables provide vitamins and minerals. Dairy
provides protein, calcium, vitamin D, and other essential nutrients.
d. Question 4: A healthy breakfast should include which of these nutrients?
Carbohydrate, protein, or fat?
Answer: All 3- carbohydrate, protein and a little fat.
Complex carbohydrates (those carbohydrates that have starch and/or fiber) will
help you feel energized and ready to start the day, while protein and fat will keep
you feeling full and minimize hunger. What else should be part of the
carbohydrate-rich foods? Whole grains – so that our bodies get some of the fiber
we need for our heart and digestive health. Make at least half of the grains you
eat everyday whole grains. Examples are: 100% whole grain cereals, breads,
bagels, waffles, and pitas. Check the ingredients list on food packages to find
whole-grain foods.
e. Question 5: Many breakfast cereals contain added ________.
Answer: Sugar
Look for sugar content on the Nutrition Facts label. Sometimes it is easy to be
deceived by the front of cereal boxes. Many cereals advertise that they are made
with whole grains and are a good source of fiber, but some of these cereals also
have a high amount of added sugar. Why is excess sugar harmful to our health?
Too much added sugar can contribute to excess calorie consumption leading to
weight gain, cavities, and it may replace more nutrient-dense foods. Ideally you
should look for a cereal with whole grains and high amounts (over 20%) of some
of the nutrients discussed before (protein, calories, vitamin A, calcium, etc.) as
well as fiber.
f. Question 6: Can you name the added sugars in this cereal?
Answer: Sugar, corn syrup, honey
Be mindful of sugar content -- look at the ingredients list to see if sugar is listed in
the first few ingredients. This will indicate that the cereal has a lot of added
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sugars. Oftentimes there are ingredients which appear on the list that have other
names besides sugar, but still add sugar to the cereal. It is important to learn to
recognize words such as: agave nectar, brown sugar, corn syrup and molasses
which you may find on the ingredient list.
g. Question 7: Does skipping breakfast can lead to weight gain?
Answer: Yes
Skipping breakfast can lead to weight gain for two reasons. 1) Our metabolic rate
slows when we don’t provide enough calories to our bodies. For example: we
want to keep throwing logs on a fire to keep it burning consistently and this is
how we want to relate food to our bodies. When our metabolic rate slows, we do
not burn calories as quickly and efficiently as we should. This can lead to weight
gain over time. 2) Skipping meals can cause us to feel more hungry as the day
goes on, causing one to potentially over-eat later in the day and void oneself of
making healthy choices especially by the evening. If we overeat, we take in
excess calories which in turn can cause weight gain.
Discussion Point: How many of you eat more for a snack or lunch when you
don’t eat breakfast?
h. Question 9: How does eating breakfast affect your performance in school?
Answer: Students who eat breakfast are more alert, have higher test scores,
fewer behavioral problems, and fewer visits to the nurse’s office.
Remember that breakfast is fuel for our bodies and without it our bodies are
affected in many ways. Our brains use carbohydrates for energy, so it is
important to fuel up on healthy whole grains at breakfast to keep alert and
focused. If we don’t, we might feel sluggish, tired, or lack concentration. Also,
we may have headaches due to lower levels of blood sugar when we aren’t fueled
properly or fueled at all.
i. Question 10: (optional since not all schools offer breakfast), How many
students in the U.S. are served breakfast at school every day?
Answer: 11.1 million.
According to the School Breakfast Program, in 2009 on average 11.1 million
students were served breakfast at school every day. That may sound like a lot but
there are actually more than 50 million students in the US, so only about 1 out of
every 5 students will eat breakfast at school.
Discussion Points: Do you think the majority of the remaining students are eating
breakfast at home or on their way to school? What do most of your friends do?
j. Question 11: I am a great source of protein, calcium, and add a twist to your
breakfast.
Answer: Cheese
What are some foods we can put cheese on? Try it on whole grain toast, bagels,
English muffins, or eggs. Remember that 1.5 oz of natural cheese or 2 oz of
processed cheese counts as one cup of dairy for the day. If you eat cheese and
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whole-wheat toast with a glass of 100% orange juice you could easily fit three of
the five food groups into your breakfast.
k. Question 12: What am I? AALOTME (Hint: I am a breakfast food that is
eaten warm in a bowl)
Answer: Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a great breakfast food. It contains fiber and is an excellent source of
complex carbohydrates and B vitamins to give us the energy we need to start the
day.
l. Question 13: What am I? OTEELSRFV (Hint: I am something that you can
eat for breakfast that is not a traditional breakfast food)
Answer: Leftovers
How many of you normally have leftovers from dinner the night before? Why not
eat them for breakfast? Think about it: It’s already prepared and may just need to
be heated up. You don’t have to eat foods that are geared towards breakfast – just
ensure that your meals are well-balanced (i.e. follow MyPlate). If it’s in a
container, you can take it with you and eat it on the way to school.
m. Question 14: What am I? TISINVAM (Hint: I am a type of nutrient)
Answer: Vitamins
Vitamins are a very important part of our daily nutrient needs.
Discussion Point: What are some breakfast foods we can eat or drink that are high
in vitamins? 100% fruit juice, whole fruit, whole-grain cereals, milk.
n. Question 15: Which meal has fewer calories?
Answer: English muffin and two scrambled eggs.
An English muffin and two scrambled eggs contain 330 calories and 13 grams of
fat. A sausage and egg muffin and hash browns contain 590 calories and 29
grams of fat. The second meal contains more calories and more than twice the
amount of fat than the first one. Remember that even if we have to grab
something from the store or a restaurant for breakfast, we can still make healthier
choices.
Discussion Point: What could you have to drink to make this meal even better?
100% fruit juice or reduced-fat milk
o. Question 17: What is leanest breakfast meat?
Answer: Canadian bacon
Remember that some meats are healthier (lower fat) than others.
Discussion Point: What are some other lean meats we could eat for breakfast?
Turkey bacon, turkey sausage, and ham are other good options.
What nutrients do meats add to our breakfast? Protein
p. Question 18: This breakfast food contains about 50% fat.
Answer: Doughnut
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Does a doughnut contain three of the five food groups we need? Does it contain
25% of our daily nutrients? If “no,” then this is something that we consider a
“sometimes” breakfast food and want to save for a breakfast “treat”. Doughnuts
contain mostly “empty” calories because they are high in calories from fat and
sugar but low in other vital nutrients our bodies need daily.
There may be doughnuts or similar items offered at your school that are
nutritionally fortified. These foods do meet the school breakfast requirements and
have added nutrients, but alone they are not a good example of a well-balanced
breakfast.
Discussion Point: How can a fortified doughnut fit into well balanced breakfast?
If you eat a fortified doughnut along with a low-fat dairy food, like a glass of lowfat milk or a cup of yogurt, and a fruit, like an apple, banana, or orange it would
make the meal more balanced and improve the nutritional quality.
q. Quick and Easy Breakfast Ideas
Remember that breakfast does not have to take up a large amount of time. Think
of foods you can eat on the go such as a bagel with peanut butter or low fat cream
cheese. Add a piece of fruit to that and you have a complete meal.
r. Remember, there is always time for breakfast.
Try setting your alarm ten minutes early. It may seem like a lot of lost sleep at
the time but just think of how your body will thank you when you are sitting in
class. Rushing out the door? You can also do something quick like dry cereal in
a plastic baggie with a banana or 100% fruit juice box, a granola bar, or put some
whole grain toast in the toaster as you are brushing your teeth or getting dressed.
It might also be a good idea to set your food items out the night before so you can
grab-and-go. Remember that even just a little something in the morning is better
than nothing at all!
VI . Conclusion of Lesson:
A. Distribute hand wipes.
B. Provide each student with a food tasting and encourage him or her to make small
changes in his or her diet now. Explain why the food is a healthy option.
C. Distribute the reinforcement, read the message and/or explain the reason why they
are getting the reinforcement.
D. Distribute parent newsletter.
E. Thank the students for their participation and answer any questions the students
have.
VII. Extension lessons:
A. Rate Your Cereal
B. Breakfast Tracker 1
C. Breakfast Tracker 2
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