Discuss/Do: Fruit and Vegetable Portions
Children learn portion sizes when preparing a balanced meal.
Children learn portion sizes when preparing a balanced meal.
What you'll need
- Food Sort LCM Board (see Resources)
- food/kitchen play props
- stuffed animals/dolls
Step by step
Step 1
Things to Talk About: Fruits and vegetables can add a rainbow of color to a plate, and according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), they should cover half of the plate when serving a meal, with vegetables covering slightly more of the area than fruits. Display the board from the Food Sort LCM (see Resources). Point to the vegetables and fruits sections and state that those two sections take up half of the plate. Many fruits and vegetables can be served raw or cooked. It is common to add vegetables to a dish to give it flavor, texture, and nutrients. Cooking or grilling fruits and vegetables can change the way they look, taste, and feel. Apples, carrots, and potatoes go from hard and crunchy to soft and mushy. Brainstorm dishes and baked goods that might have fruits or vegetables cooked inside. If you've been finding alternative ways to introduce more fruits and vegetables, talk about those the children discovered they enjoy.
Step 2
Things to Do: Plan a make-believe meal for a set of stuffed animals or dolls in your setting. As a group, decide on your menu. Help children consider all food groups to prepare a balanced meal. Divide children into groups to complete tasks such as pretending to wash and peel or slice fruits/vegetables, mix ingredients, and cook. Encourage children to gather props they will need to support their play. When the imaginary meal is ready, invite the stuffed animals/dolls to dinner.
Playful questions
What kind of foods do you enjoy the most? Fruits? Vegetables? Grains (breads)? Proteins (meats and vegetable proteins)? Dairy (milk and milk products)? Why?
What is your favorite meal to eat at home? Can you name a food from each group on the plate? Tell us about it!
Learning outcomes
Language/Literacy
Expressive Language (Speaking)
Speaks more clearly and is understood by most familiar adults; asks simple questions to extend conversation; begins to use some verbal and nonverbal conversational rules; listens to and repeats words in world languages and sign language.
Speaks clearly and is understood by most familiar and unfamiliar adults; initiates asking questions and responds in conversation with others; shares opinions, experiences, and ideas with others; uses most verbal and nonverbal conversational rules appropriately; listens to, repeats, and recalls words expressed in world languages and sign language.
Converses with a rapidly expanding vocabulary; understands words and meanings from growing number of topics and learning domains; demonstrates understanding of some opposite concepts.
Demonstrates understanding and use of rapidly expanding vocabulary, including language of specific learning domains and more abstract concepts; identifies word pairs that describe opposite concepts.
Communicates in expanding sentences; uses grammar rules that are age-appropriate.
Connects phrases and sentences to build ideas; speaks in complex sentences using some correct rules of grammar.
Physical Development and Health
Physical Health, Growth
Begins to identify healthy and unhealthy foods; tries new foods, expressing preferences for some foods over others; explains that some foods help our bodies grow and remain healthy; begins to help with food preparation (mixing, etc.)
Exhibits knowledge about healthy eating and good nutrition; expresses some benefits of a healthy diet; tries new foods; shows willingness to eat a well-balanced diet; interested in various tastes, colors, and textures of food; helps with food preparation (mixing, measuring, etc.)
Creative Arts
Dramatic Play and Imagination
Participates in creative dramatic play and make believe across learning domains
Shows growing creativity and imagination in assuming different roles in play situations across learning domains; demonstrates understanding of difference between pretend and reality
Uses or makes props to represent another object (pretends a box is a boat); acts out familiar roles (teachers, doctors)
Uses props in increasingly creative ways in dramatic play (molds playdough to represent a phone)
Social-Emotional Development
Trust and Relationships
Interacts with one or more children; develops special friendships; participates in group song, dance, acting/role-play; uses play to explore and practice social roles and relationships; seeks and accepts adult help to solve conflicts with peers
Begins to participate as a member of a group; takes turns and shares; sustains interaction by helping, cooperating, expressing interest; plays cooperatively with others; resolves some conflicts, uses constructive language; offers and seeks help from peers
Approaches to Learning
Creative Thinking, Problem-Solving, Reasoning
Asks more complex questions for clarification to seek meaningful information; makes comparisons among objects and groups; explores cause/effect relationships and varies action to change the reaction
Gathers information and asks complex questions in order to understand a new or familiar concept or to conduct informal research; makes and explains comparisons among objects and groups and uses "if/then" and "cause/effect" reasoning across learning domains