Using MyPyramid With Kids
The New Food Guide Pyramid Can Help Children Learn About Healthy Eating and Exercise
Oct 28, 2006
Teachers and parents have a highly researched, effective healthy eating and exercise tool for children, and it's free. The information was developed and researched by some of the United States' most respected authorities on nutrition and physical activity. There is even an interactive website full of materials, information and support. What is it? MyPyramid.gov, the new look of the former Food Guide Pyramid. What is new and different about it? And how can it help us teach kids about healthy eating and exercise? Let's find out.
The Old Food Guide Pyramid Didn't Work
The old Food Guide Pyramid was familiar to many people. It was on the packageing of the products that we bought, on the walls in our schools, and featured in many textbooks and educational materials. However, even though the Pyramid was easily recognized, nobody was using it correctly. What was a portion size? A serving? How could people possibly eat six to eleven servings of grain? Why was obesity such a problem if we had this free tool to help us eat right?
Obviously, the Pyramid created many questions, and confused many people. It was hard to teach the concepts of the Pyramid to children and help them understand what the Pyramid meant. So in 2005, the United States Department of Agriculture published the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans and unveiled the new Food Guide Pyramid and its website. It is now MyPyramid and had a whole new look and feel.
What Does MyPyramid Teach Kids?
The messages MyPyramid hopes to help kids understand are simple:
- Choose healthy foods. The pyramid has wide bands at the bottom to represent healthy foods that should be chosen more often. The bands get smaller toward the top of the pyramid to indicate foods that should be eaten less often.
- Eat lots of colors every day. Children are reminded to eat foods from all food groups (fruits, vegetables, meats and beans, dairy, and fats and oils) every day.
- Eat more from some food groups. The wider bands on the pyramid show food groups that we should eat more of, like fruits and vegetables.
- Be active. The child running up the side of the pyramid is a reminder to make sure kids are physically active every day.
- Make small changes. Don't try to change everything all at once. Make changes that are small and easy to live with, and that are right for you and your family.
Using MyPyramid at Home or in the Classroom
Here are some ideas to help make MyPyramid useful as a teaching tool at home and at school.
- Allow your children or students to access the MyPyramid website. Here they will be able to go to the Kids page and play the MyPyramid Blast Off Game, and print off coloring pages and worksheets.
- Use the resources available on the website to help you teach the concepts to your children or students. There are resources for teachers and healthy eating tips and advice.
- Help kids become familiar with the new pyramid graphic by displaying it and discussing what each part represents. Talk with kids about what they eat and how it compares to what is represented on the MyPyramid graphic. Don't forget physical activity!
