Activity 4 focuses on one of the Eight tips for healthy eating, Eat lots of fruit and veg. Activity 4 EXTENSION provides the opportunity to help children explore two more of the tips, Eat more fish and Base meals on starchy foods, as well as reinforcing the Eat lots of fruit and veg tip.
The aim of this session is for children to:
-Increase their knowledge about the number of dishes which can be made with fish.
-Understand that they should eat a starchy food with every meal.
-Plan their own meals which include fish, a starchy food and vegetables.
You will need:
-The eatwell plate image
-Individual food group cards
-Fish dish game cards - cut out
-Fish dish boards
Listen and respond
Show the children The eatwell plate image and remind them that it shows us what we need to eat to be healthy. (Activity 2 session looks at the The eatwell plate in detail).
Ask the children:
-What does this picture show us? (The foods we need to eat to stay healthy.)
-How many food groups does it have? (5)
-Why do you think the groups are different sizes? (To show us how much to eat from each food group.)
Show the Fruit and vegetable group from the Individual food group cards and ask the children if they can remember how many foods from this group they need to eat each day. Ask for some examples.
Pointing at The eatwell plate image, ask the children which other group is the same size as the Fruit and vegetable group (Bread, rice, potatoes and pasta group). Show the Bread, rice, potatoes and pasta group from the Individual food group cards. Ask the children to name some of the foods in this group. Explain that we need lots of these foods to stay healthy so we should eat one of these foods with every meal, i.e. breakfast, lunch and evening meal
Look at the Meat, fish, eggs, beans group card from the Individual food group cards. Ask the children to name the foods they can see. Explain that we need some foods from this group each day. Point out the types of fish displayed in this group. Ask children for other example of fish, perhaps ones they have tried or eaten.
Show the Fish dish cards (fish meals). Explain that the dishes are all meals containing fish. Look at each meal and ask the children to identify the fish, starchy food (from the Bread, rice, potatoes and pasta group) and fruit or vegetables (to help towards their 5 A DAY).
Have a go (children working in groups of four)
Give each child a Fish dish board. Place the Fish dish game cards face up in the middle of the table. Each child can take a turn to roll the die. If they roll an even number, they can choose an ingredient for the dish on their Fish dish board. If they do not get an even number, they must wait to try again. The winner is the first child to get all the ingredients to make their fish dish.
During the task, initiate discussion with the children and reinforce the following Eight tips for healthy eating messages:
-Eat more fish - 2 portions a week
-Base meals on starchy foods - eat these foods with every meal
-Eat more fruit and veg - eating some with every meal will help you get to your (at least) 5 A DAY.
Why not make some fish dishes with your children using our pre-school step-by-step photo recipes?
Marvellous Mackerel pâté
Fancy fish fingers
Fantastic fish cakes
Splendid seaside salad
To go to these recipes, click here.