Fiber
What are two types of foods that contain fiber?
Fruits and Vegetables
What is the main job that protein does in your body?
Builds and repairs the body (muscles, cells, and tissues)
True or false: All fats are bad for you.
False - healthy fats are an important source of energy and help with many body functions
What is the body's main use for carbohydrates?
Main source of energy
What macronutrient should you eat first in a meal?
Fiber (vegetables or fruits).
Name two benefits that fiber provides for your body.
Helps digestion, keeps you full longer, and provides steady energy (any two of these)
Name three foods that are rich in protein.
Any three of: beans, lentils, eggs, fish, meat, nuts, seeds, dairy products
Name two healthy fats.
Any two of: avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, some fish
Name two foods that contain large amounts of carbohydrates.
Any three of: bread, rice, pasta, grains
Mia eats her salad first, then her pasta. Jake eats his pasta first, then his salad. Who will probably have more steady energy after lunch, and why?
Mia, because eating fiber (salad) first slows digestion and helps prevent an energy crash.
Why is it a good idea to start your meals with foods that have fiber?
It helps you feel satisfied so you're less likely to overeat later in the meal, and it provides steady energy instead of quick crashes
Why is protein especially important for kids and teenagers?
Because as we grow, our bodies are constantly building new cells, muscles, and tissues, and protein helps with this process
What are three important functions that healthy fats help with in your body?
Protecting organs, helping the brain develop, and absorbing and storing certain vitamins
What is the difference between carbohydrates and the energy you get from fiber?
Carbohydrates give you a quick burst of energy but then your energy drops fast, making you tired and hungry. Fiber gives you steady energy without crashes
Put these in the optimal food order from first to last: pasta, salad, chicken.
Salad (fiber) first, then chicken (protein), then pasta (carbs).
Maria is planning her lunch. She has a choice between starting with a salad or bread. Based on what you know about fiber, which should she choose first and why?
She should start with the salad because it contains fiber, which will help her feel full, provide steady energy, and prevent overeating later in the meal
Jake scraped his knee playing soccer. He asks his mom what he should eat to help it heal faster. What macronutrient should his mom recommend and why?
Protein, because it helps repair the body when we get injuries
Your teacher mentions that your brain needs healthy fats to develop properly. You're packing a brain-healthy snack. Choose two foods from this list and explain why: apple slices, almonds, candy, avocado toast, chips.
Almonds and avocado toast, because both contain healthy fats (nuts and avocado) which help brain development
Before a big soccer game, Alex eats a bowl of sugary cereal. At halftime, he feels tired and weak. Using your knowledge of carbohydrates, explain what happened and what he should eat next time.
The sugary cereal contains simple carbs that gave him quick energy, but then his energy dropped fast (a crash). Next time he should eat carbohydrates with fiber and protein for steady energy that lasts through the game
Your lunch is a salad, grilled chicken, and rice. In what order should you eat them, and what is one benefit of eating them in that order?
Salad first, then chicken, then rice.
Benefit: fiber and protein slow digestion, giving steady energy and helping you feel fuller longer.
Your friend always feels tired and hungry again shortly after eating lunch. They usually eat a sandwich with chips. Using your knowledge of fiber, what advice would you give them to help maintain their energy longer?
Start the meal with fiber-rich foods like vegetables or a salad before eating the sandwich. This will slow digestion, provide steady energy instead of quick crashes, and help them feel full longer
Your younger sibling is a vegetarian and doesn't eat meat or fish. Your parents are worried they won't get enough protein. Using what you learned, suggest three plant-based protein sources they could eat.
Any three of: beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, dairy products, eggs (if they eat eggs)
Emma heard that 'fats are bad' and wants to avoid them completely. Using what you learned, explain to Emma why this would be unhealthy and what she should focus on instead.
Healthy fats are essential - they provide long-lasting energy, protect organs, help brain development, and help absorb vitamins. Instead of avoiding all fats, Emma should focus on eating healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fish while limiting unhealthy fats
You're planning a study snack to help you focus during a 2-hour homework session. You have: white bread, whole grain crackers, cookies, cheese, and fruit. Using the concept of food order and energy, create a balanced snack and explain the order you'd eat each item.
Start with fruit (fiber for steady energy and fullness), then cheese (protein), then whole grain crackers (complex carbs last). This order provides lasting energy, prevents crashes, and helps maintain focus. Avoid cookies and white bread as they're simple carbs that cause energy crashes
Sam always eats his pasta first, then his broccoli, then his beans. He feels tired and distracted every afternoon at school. How could changing the order he eats help?
Sam should eat broccoli first, then beans, then pasta. Fiber and protein slow the digestion of carbs, so his energy stays steady instead of crashing after lunch.