Homework # 1
Getting the Low Down on Chowing Down!
How balanced is my diet,
and what foods do I need to be eating
Objective:
In this module students will keep a food diary using the my plate worksheet for daily consumption. After completing a 1-week journal, students will discuss their diet with parents and enter their diets into a food calculator that compares dietary intake to the USDA My Plate guidelines. Students will then discuss which foods are missing in their diets and will make a plan to increase or decrease the consumption of specific foods. Lastly, students will be encouraged to discuss types of foods within the food pyramid that they enjoy eating.
Student Assignment: 5 days
1) Use the Daily diet chart to write down all of the food you eat for one week. Try to remember everything you eat and drink including snacks between and after breakfast lunch and dinner. If you are not sure what ingredients are in your food, ask your parents to help you. Here is an example to help you.
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | |
Breakfast | 1 bowl Cereal with milk. Orange Juice | 2 slices of toast with jam and butter | One bowl of oatmeal with sugar and milk. 1 apple, orange juice. |
Lunch | 1 slice of pizza with cheese and pepperoni, milk, salad with lettuce, carrots and ranch dressing. | Frito pie with corn chips, cheese, beans, meat, and tomatoes. A serving of fruit cocktail, chocolate milk. | 1 hamburger with pickles and lettuce, French fries and milk. |
Dinner | 1 beef taco with cheese and lettuce, beans, rice, 1 can of coke. | 6-inch sub sandwich with three slices of turkey, two slices cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise. Potato chips and 1 can of coke. | Grilled chicken, beans, corn, and a salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and ranch dressing. One can of sprite. |
Snacks | 1 small bag of potato chips, one chocolate chip cookie, one apple. | 1 chocolate candy bar, 1 banana, 1 can of fruit punch. | 1 slice of watermelon, 1 scoop of ice cream with cake. |
Parent Assignment 30 minutes to 1 hour
1) Your child will have completed a weeklong chart of all of the food they have eaten for five days. Use the USDA food calculator to enter 1-day worth of food into the daily calculator at the following webpage.
2) If you have already created a profile, simply log in. If not, enter your child’s name, age, height, weight, and physical activity into the various fields and select the “submit” button. On the SuperTracker home page select “Food Tracker >” and you will be directed to the page viewed below.
You can enter your child’s daily food intake by searching for each item of food they ate in the “Food Tracker” search box to the left. Enter the food item in the search field and press “Go”. A list of food items will appear, click on the item that most accurately matches your child’s meal. Once you click on the food item it will ask if the item is for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack. It will also ask the quantity such as one chicken breast or one cup of cereal. Click on the appropriate quantity and then press the “add” button. You will notice that your daily goals chart on the right will change with each food item you enter. Keep entering all of the food items for the day until all of the food items for one day have been entered. At this point you will have a screen similar to the one below.
In the above example you will notice that the individual is deficient in almost every area. You can click on the “My Reports” tab at the top of the page, and it will lead you to a reports screen. Choose today’s date and enter it into both day slots. You will notice that you are given a report that tells you what areas of food are missing in your child’s diet. Look for deficiencies in the various food groups as well as excesses in the daily limits. This report is a great indicator of what your child is missing in their daily diet. It also tells you if your child is getting too many calories, fat, sugar, and saturated fat.
You can go back to the menu page and change the date on the calendar from the first date to the second date of your child’s food journal. This will allow you to enter another days worth of food into the menu planner. Look at your child’s diet on three separate days and decide what modifications can be made to your child’s diet.
After you have completed this part of the assignment. Read the article Be a healthy role model for children on the following page.
Parent and Student Combined Assignment: 30 Minutes
1) Review the report from the Food Tracker calculator together. What types of food are missing in your diet?
2) Talk to your parents about foods that you enjoy eating that will allow you to have a more balanced diet. For example, if you are not eating enough vegetables in your diet, tell your parents the types of vegetables you like to eat and the way you like those vegetables prepared. Write down 5 of the changes you are going to make in your diet.
3) Review the report from the Food Tracker calculator and discuss foods rich in fat and sugar that you need to reduce in your diet. These may include soda pop, “junk food” like potato chips, and fast food that is high in fat and calories. Name 5 foods that you will decrease in your diet.
4) Together, choose 5 healthy snacks that you enjoy eating and that can replace 5 less healthy snacks that are currently in your diet.
5) Write down a minimum of 3 goals that will improve your diet. Keep a copy of these goals in a place where you can review them regularly.
6) Find a healthy recipe that you would like to share with your class. Go to the class blog at www.rreshealthandexercise.blogspot.com and click on the “submit a recipe tab” to share your recipe.
Diet and Nutrition Task List
Complete the following tasks with your child during the next 30 days. After you have completed each of these tasks, initial next to the task to show that it is completed, and return the task sheet to your teacher.
1) With your child, create a menu for one week that incorporates a balanced daily diet. You can use the SuperTracker “My Plan” tab at the link below if you need help. Notice, that it is set at a default for 2000 calories. To get a more specific meal plan based on your child’s caloric needs, log into your profile. You can also use the My Plate Menu planner worksheet included on the next page. (http://www.choosemyplate/SuperTracker/myplans.aspx)
2) Make a grocery list with your child using the menu you have created above. Take your child to the grocery store with you so that you can buy the food together (this is a great opportunity to talk about budgeting).
3) Make a meal together that represents a well balanced diet. Remember a well balanced diet should include a protein source, vegetables, fruits, grains, and healthy fats like olive or canola oil.
4) Review your 3 dietary goals on a weekly basis. Don’t worry if you fall short some weeks. Making dietary changes is a process and may take several weeks to accomplish.
