Lesson Plan and Self Study Module

Lesson Plan and Self Study Module

Four Foods to Limit for a Healthier You

Topic: Four foods commonly eaten that should be avoided or limited to promote better health.

Target Audience

• Pregnant woman, parents and caregivers of children 1-5

Key Message

• There are foods in the American diet that are commonly eaten, but are not health promoting.
• These foods contribute to weight gain, diabetes, and sickness.
• These foods contain harmful toxins.

Rationale

This lesson is intended to bring to light the harmful effects of certain commonly eaten foods and to offer alternatives to these foods that are satisfying in flavor yet health promoting. By educating moms and caregivers of the hazards of these foods, the desired goal is that they will limit these foods in the diet and choose healthier alternates for life.

Objectives:

• To discourage consumption of pop on a daily basis
• To educate regarding the hazardous ingredients in these foods
• To educate regarding the high sugar content of these foods and their role in diabetes
• To encourage healthier food choices that will take the place of these foods

Goals:

• Client will consume and provide to family low fat milk and water as a daily beverage.
• Client will greatly limit their families’ consumption of fast food and junk food.
• Client will purchase and offer fruits, raw vegetables, baked sweet potato fries and homemade chicken nuggets in place of the unhealthier foods discussed in this lesson.

Materials

• Handout “Five Foods to Avoid in Your Daily Diet.”

• Handout “Hazardous Foods.”
• Optional- Food models and posters

Overview

1. Introductions/Ice Breaker
2. Narrative
3. Food #1- Fast food chicken nuggets
4. Food #2-Pop
5. Food #3-Nutrient poor snack foods
6. Food #4- Hot dogs
7. Evaluation

Methods

OPEN: Begin with a thought provoking question

Introductions: Introduce self and have them introduce themselves

1. Ice Breaker:What would you say if I invited you over to my house for lunch and set a beautiful plate in front of you with nice tableware and a lovely, decorative napkin, then I lit some candles,played some soft music and made sure you were comfortable, and then proceeded to load onto your plate a dollop of petroleum oil, some coal tar, a test tube of smelly chemicals, a pile of sugar and a sprinkling of some harsh salts!? In addition to that I added some type of mystery meat that looked like meat and smelled kind of like meat but you weren’t sure it really was meat. In fact, you’re not really sure what it is.

How would you feel, what would you do, would you eat it, would you feed it to your family?

Sample responses

• I would not eat it.
• Wow! What’s going on here?
• Are you trying to make a point?
• No thank you!

Affirm their answers

Narrative:This may seem like an extreme situation to you, but many of the foods you and your family eat on a regular basis are not that far off from what was on that plate. We are going to take a look at four commonly consumed foods that have similar ingredients to the above mentioned lunch. Chicken nuggets are meat, well sort of. Pop has 10 teaspoons of sugar in a can, (ten teaspoons make a nice pile on your plate!). Hotdogs contain sodium nitrite, a preservative salt that is also a toxin. Junk foods and popular snacky foods contain little nutrition, a lot of calories, unhealthy fats and toxic flavor enhancers. In addition, many children’s foods are brightly colored with artificial dyes that are derived from coal tar and petrochemicals. YUM!

Let’s take a look at food #1

1. Food #1- Fast Food Chicken Nuggets

• I had always assumed that a McNugget contains white chicken meat and breading deep fried to a golden crisp.
• After investigating, it was discovered that there are actually 38 ingredients that include sugar, cornstarch, corn flour, more corn starch (in the batter), more cornstarch as a fillerand partially hydrogenated corn oil (Trans fat). In fact a McNugget is 56% processed corn product.
• In addition chemicals are used as a preservative including one that contains aluminum.
• And one anti-foaming agent with a long name, as well as another to preserve freshness are both petrochemicals (chemicals from oil)

Offer an alternative: make your own at home with simple ingredients you are familiar with.

Serve homemade chicken tenders cut in fun cookie-cutter shapes with a light dusting of bread crumbs.

Consider store bought nuggets with simple and identifiable ingredients. (Read Labels)

1. Food #2 Pop

Question: How much pop do you drink per day? How much pop does your child drink per day?

Comment: Growing up in the stone ages when I did, pop was only allowed as a treat, once in a while on holidays or at birthday parties.

Facts:

• Pop provides a lot of calories but no nutrition. These are considered empty calories because they are calories without nutrients.
• Pop does not satisfy the appetite. Even after all those calories, your body still craves food.
• There is almost 10 teaspoons of sugar in an average can of pop.
• Many brands of sodapop still contain high fructose corn syrup, which is a concentrated sweetener suspected of contributing to diabetes.
• Consumption of pop on a daily basis contributes to obesity.
• Drinking pop contributes to tooth decay.
• A lifestyle of pop drinking can contribute to brittle bones later in life.

Question: Can you think of any alternative beverages you can offer your children with more nutrition?

Sample response: Milk, water, tea, juice

Try offering low fat milk, water, organic soy milk, almond milk, kefir, or occasionally naturally flavored seltzer, homemade lemonade, decaffeinated green tea, and diluted juices in place of pop. Reserve pop for special occasions.

Segway: What do you think of when I say the term “junk food?”

Sample responses: Candy, fast food, chips, cookies, hamburgers, fries, Cheetos

Well this leads us to the next food on the list……

1. Food #3: Low Quality Snack Foods: Chips, Cheetos, Fritos, Doritos, etc

• High in calories, nutrient poor
• High on sodium, (makes you crave sweets), can cause high blood pressure (even in kids)
• Contributes to obesity
• Takes away appetite for healthy foods
• Artificial flavors and colors used (chemicals)
• Many contain flavor enhancers like MSG-a neurotoxin

Offer a tray of crispy, crunchy raw vegies with a tasty dip, nuts such as almonds or cashews, low fat cheese with whole grain crackers, blue organic tortilla chips, crispy fruit with a yogurt dip, air-popped popcorn, a few olives, humus and whole grain pita wedges.

1. Food #4: Hotdogs

Hot dogs are a frequently eaten food by many children, yet they are one of those foods that should be eaten seldom or only on special occasions (if at all).

• Hot dogs pose a choke hazard for babies and small children
• Hot dogs contain fillers and questionable ingredients
• Hot dogs contain sodium nitrite as a preservative which is known to be a toxic substance
• Hot dogs contain artificial colors and flavors (chemicals)
• Hot dogs are high in saturated fat

Look for low fat turkey hot dogs that only contain natural nitrites from celery salt. Try offering egg, tuna, salmon or chicken salad on a bun or whole grain pita. Make sandwiches out of leftover turkey or chicken from last night’s dinner. Try a whole grain or lettuce wrap with leftover roast meat and cheese or just make it vegetarian with crispy vegetables and a light condiment.

Question: Can anyone think of another alternative to hotdogs that you can offer your children?

Continue with discussion as long as there are responses.

Any questions, concerns or comments on what has been discussed today?

1. Evaluation

Ask participants:

• So someone tell me what are 2 things your child can drink instead ofpop?
• What is a good alternative to hot dogs?
• What is one reason why you should make your own chicken nuggets?
• What is a good alternative to snack foods such as chips and Cheetos?

References:

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