2. the FOOD Pyramid Steps to a healthier you

3. Eating Right Every Day  Food is the fuel your body needs in order to run.  You wouldn’t put bad fuel in your car, would you? Good fuel is just as important for your body!  It’s important to eat balanced meals every day, and the food pyramid shows you how!

4. The Food Pyramid Steps to a healthier you GRAINSVEGETABLESFRUITSOILSMILKMEAT & BEANS

5. Grains Make half of your grains whole  You should eat about 6 ounces of grains each day.  Some examples of grains are Bread Cereal Crackers Rice Pasta  Whole grains are the best kind for you…for example, there is more nutritional value in whole wheat bread than white bread.

6. Vegetables Vary your veggies  You should eat about 2 ½ cups of vegetables each day.  What are some vegetables you can think of?  It is important to vary your veggies—this means to eat lots of different veggies throughout the day. Hint: Eat different colors!! (Greens, oranges, etc.) Brightly colored vegetables have lots of nutrition.

7. Fruits Focus on fruits  You should eat 1 ½ cups of fruits each day.  What are some of your favorite fruits?  Like veggies, you should try to eat a variety of different fruits in lots of different colors.

8. Oils Know your fats  You should try not to eat very many oils and fats.  Some oils and fats are: Butter Oil Candy “Junk Food”  Fats and oils are okay every once in a while, but they shouldn’t be part of your diet every single day.  There are better ways to fill up your “fuel tank”!

9. Milk Get your calcium rich foods  You should have 3 cups of milk or calcium each day.  Some foods that contain milk or calcium are: Milk Cheese Yogurt  Calcium helps your body build strong, healthy bones!

10. Meat and Beans Go lean on protein  You should eat 5 ounces of meat and beans each day.  The meat and beans food group includes: Chicken Turkey Hamburger meat Nuts Beans Peas Eggs  Meat and beans provide your body with the protein it needs to run well.

11. Physical Activity Strive for 60 minutes or more per day  You wouldn’t expect your car to keep working if you always left it parked in the garage.  Your body needs physical activity, along with a good diet, in order to stay in good working condition.  You should try to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.  What are some ways you get physical activity each day? (Hint: some examples during school include PE and recess!)

12. Eat Well and Stay Healthy!  Now that you know all about healthy eating and exercising, we are going to keep track of what we eat for three days!  Starting tomorrow morning, use your Food Pyramid Worksheets to write down what you eat and how long you move around each day.  After three days, we are going to take a look at our worksheets, and determine whether our bodies are getting all the fuel we need.