Joyce's Healthy Tips:

As the school year begins to wind down, students have to tackle important tests, from STARR to the SATs. Remember to always eat a healthy breakfast full of carbohydrates, fiber, and protein so that your brain has a steady supply of energy to ace those tests. The protein in foods like eggs, low fat milk, cheese and yogurt will keep you satisfied all day. I like to eat an omelet filled with cheese, bell peppers, and mushrooms for breakfast.

If you get hungry studying, consider a nutritional snack of fresh fruit with yogurt- quick, easy, and good for your body. Add some water too. I eat a serving of fruit with breakfast, lunch, and as a snack. The vitamins in the fruit will also help your brain function more efficiently, unlike junk foods, which are usually high in fat. Still getting tired? Take a brain break. Exercise pumps blood throughout your body, improves your memory capacity, and keeps your brain from aging prematurely. Your brain can thank you later!

Teachers will go through the information included in food labels using transparency of a food label.  Bring in a variety of food packages and teach students how to read food labels and why they need to pay attention to them when shopping with their parents.  Discuss which items are good for you and which items should be in small amounts and why.

Limit these nutrients:     Get enough of these nutrients:

Total Fat                        Dietary Fiber

Sat Fat                           Vitamin A

Trans Fat                        Vitamin C

Cholesterol                     Calcium

Sodium                           Iron

There should be examples of healthy and unhealthy foods:  high fat, high calorie, low fat and reduced calorie foods.

The students will then answer the questions on the worksheet for three of the food packages. 

Extension:  Make a chart to compare items in foods such as:  calories, fat, cholesterol, carbohydrate, fiber and protein.