Nutrition Basics and Food Pyramid Ryan Sears, MSII Peds Club Secretary

The Food Pyramid is one way for people to understand how to eat healthy. A rainbow of colored, vertical stripes represents the 5 food groups plus fats & oils.

Here's what the colors stand for: Orange - grains Green - vegetables Red - fruits Yellow - fats and oils Blue - milk and dairy products Purple - meat, beans, fish, and nuts

Eat a variety of foods A balanced diet includes food from all groups Have foods from every COLOR every day Eat more fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy Eat less meat/protein and oils

ORANGE = Grains Try to eat a lot of whole grains Wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal. GREEN = Vegetables Orange veggies: carrots, sweet potatoes, squash Green veggies: spinach, broccoli Other: corn, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes

RED = Fruits Apples, bananas, avocado, oranges, peaches, grapes 100% Fruit juice BLUE = Milk Calcium builds strong bones If you don’t like milk, you can eat yogurt, cheese, calcium-fortified orange juice, or ice cream

Purple = Meats (also Beans, Nuts, Fishes) Beef, steak, pork, chicken Eggs Fish Beans, nuts

Holy Smokes! Holy Smokes! That's a lot to EAT in one day.

Any breakfast is better than no breakfast Don’t eat doughnuts or sugary stuff all the time, you won’t stay full. Eat something from each part of the pyramid: Grains = cereal, oatmeal, french toast, waffles, pancakes Protein = eggs, bacon, peanut butter Fruits = strawberries, blueberries, 100% orange juice Vegetables Milk, cheese, and yogurt = milk, yogurt

Think of your school lunch as the fuel you put in your tank. If you choose the wrong kind of fuel, you might run out of energy before the day is over. Eat something from each part of the pyramid: Grains = sandwich bread, spaghetti, macaroni, cornbread, pretzels Protein = ham, turkey, bologna, peanut butter (in your sandwich) Fruits = apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, raisins Vegetables = salad lettuce, corn, carrots, green beans, potatoes Milk, cheese, and yogurt = milk, yogurt

BEWARE: Higher-fat lunch foods include: french fries, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, macaroni and cheese, and chicken nuggets. Drink milk or water, not POP Packaged snacks may be bad for you

Use your manners. Use your manners. Chew with your mouth closed. Don't talk and eat at the same time. Use your utensils. Put your napkin on your lap. Be polite. And don't make fun of what someone else is eating. Don't drink milk & laugh at the same time! Don't drink milk & laugh at the same time!

1. What is a good grain to eat for breakfast? 2. What does the red in the pyramid stand for? 3. What is a good fruit to have for lunch? 4. What weird things count as meat? 5. Name a vegetable that is really a fruit. 6. Name a grain you can eat for lunch. 7. What does Buckbeak eat for his meat?