The Healthy Bodies Project has partnered with the State College YMCA and the Moshannon Valley YMCA! On May 20th we started our Summer long program teaching children K-6th grade about the food choices we make and the importance of healthy eating. Over the past few weeks we’ve focused on the five food groups as they’re presented on MyPlate, discussing some of the foods you may find in each group and how we can improve our choices. The kids even got the chance to create and taste test their own trail mixes and yogurt parfaits. Let’s take a look at these food groups and see what we can learn about them!
Grains
Bread, rice, pasta, oatmeal, and popcorn. These are just a few of the foods that belong in the grains food group! Grains can be broken down into two sub groups: refined grains and whole grains. Refined grains are more processed, removing the more nutritious bran and germ of the grain. Some examples include white flour, white rice, and corn grits. Whole grains are made up of, you guessed it, the whole grain. This means they’re full of the naturally occurring dietary fiber, iron, and B vitamins. If you tend to eat more refined grains, try to make half the grains you eat whole grains. It’s as easy as swapping things out: eat oatmeal instead of processed cereal in the morning, use whole wheat bread instead of white, and turn to popcorn for your next snack food!
Vegetables
Whether you love them or hate them, vegetables are an important part of our diet. That’s why they should take up a little more than a quarter of your plate, or about a cup of veggies a day. Have you ever heard that you should eat the rainbow? This comes from the idea that we want to eat a variety of vegetables in different colors to make sure we take advantage of all the benefits that they offer. Those colors are like clues, giving us an idea of what nutrients are locked inside. Orange and red vegetables, like sweet potatoes, red bell pepper, and carrots have more vitamin A, which is important for eye and skin health. Can you think of a veggie for each color in the rainbow?
Fruits
Sweet and delicious, fruit is another one of our five food groups! Generally one cup of fruit is recommended daily to get the variety of nutrients that we need to stay healthy. It’s another great source of fiber, so make sure at least half of your fruit consumption is from whole fruit instead of juices. Just like vegetables, fruits are a diverse food group and it’s important to eat a variety. Summer is a great season for fruit, so look out for your favorites, and even some new fruits to try! And if it’s not in season look for frozen, canned, and dried fruit options that are just as nutritious and delicious!
Dairy
Dairy is the food group where you’d find things like milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream. Dairy provides lots of nutrients to our diets, most notably the calcium that keeps our bones strong. Eat one cup of your favorite dairy item and you’ve eaten your daily recommended amount! Are you lactose intolerant? Don’t worry! There’s great dairy alternatives like fortified soy milk and yogurts that are full of the nutrients that traditional dairy offers. Fun fact: although cream cheese and butter are made from milk products, they aren’t considered dairy foods since they have such high fat content. Who knew?
Protein
When you think of protein, images of fish, meat, poultry, and eggs may pop up into your head. These foods are considered protein. However, the protein food group includes even more foods than what you may typically think. Beans, lentils, peas, seeds and nuts are all great sources of protein and shouldn’t be forgotten! Protein is used by our bodies to build our muscles and keep many of our bodily functions running. Its sources can be full of unhealthy saturated fat, so it’s important we look out for leaner and low fat options, such as 93% lean ground beef or skinless chicken breasts.
Hawaiian Pizza!
Does pineapple belong on pizza? Where do you stand on the debate? We personally love the sweet and salty combination of this take on pizza! Not only does it taste super yummy, but it’s like a party in your mouth and all the food groups are invited. Can you pick out which ingredients would fit into each food group?
- The pizza crust goes in the grain group (use a whole grain crust to try to reach your goal of half of your grains being whole grains).
- The tomato sauce is in the vegetable group.
- The cheese belongs in the dairy group.
- The pineapple belongs in the fruit group.
- The ham belongs to the protein group.
Can you think of any other meals that include all 5 food groups? Try out this Whole Grain Veggie Pizza recipe and substitute your favorite veggies for the perfect summertime meal. Add ham and pineapple to make a Hawaiian pizza!
Sources: MyPlate and ChopChop Family
Written by The Healthy Bodies Project 2022 Summer Students