Grade 2

Classroom Inspiration

Discuss Canada’s food guide and the Eat Well Plate.  During the discussion, identify some common foods and ask students to identify where they fit on the Eat Well Plate.  

• For most meals, try to fill ½ of your plate with vegetables and fruit, ¼ with protein foods and ¼ with whole grain foods.  To simplify, we should aim for lots of vegetables and fruit with a little bit of whole grain foods and a little bit of protein foods.
• For most snacks, try a vegetable or fruit on its own, or pair it with a protein food or whole grain food.

*Continue to look for opportunities to help students correctly identify a wide variety of foods.

Start a Conversation:  What are some examples of tasty meals that meet Canada’s food guide recommendations?

• Strawberries ∙ Carrot sticks ∙ Tuna sandwich on whole grain bread with lettuce & tomato ∙ Milk
• Sugar snap peas ∙ Pear ∙ Whole grain English muffin with pizza sauce, bell peppers and melted cheese

Start a Conversation: What are some examples of tasty snacks that meet Canada’s food guide recommendations?

• Whole fruit
• Veggies & hummus
• Whole grain crackers with cheese & grapes
• Cut-up fruit & yogurt

Activity Idea:  Draw a plate that is divided according to Canada’s food guide. Have students fill the plate with a variety of foods by drawing them, cutting and pasting pictures, or collecting verbal suggestions.

Start a Conversation:  Name some factors that can influence food and beverage choices.  Can they be changed, or are they out of our control?  

Some answers may include…

• The food that is available at home.
• The kitchen equipment that is available at home for preparing, storing and handling food.
• Knowing how to prepare and store food safely.
• The food available when eating out.
• Whether or not someone has an allergy and/or a medical condition.
• Seeing marketing and advertising.
• Whether or not it tastes good.
• How much foods cost.
• The food that is available in the community.
• Being influenced by peer pressure.