WEEK 11 PARTIES AND HOLIDAYS In this lesson, you will learn: 1. How to choose healthier holiday and party foods 2. How to create healthier meals for holidays and parties. EDUCATOR
EDUCATOR GUIDE Materials: Dry erase board, chalk board or giant post-its Markers/chalk For each group: o 2+ cutting boards o 2+ knives Plates for each student Burner Medium pot Potato masher Large spoon Grill/ griddle/ large sauté pan (optional) Educator tips: At the beginning of class, ask students how their On your own assignment from last week went, and if anyone would like to share. Where applicable, ask students what they think of topics prior to reading bullet points from the curriculum (ex: what is party food like, tips for eating well at parties). Activities: 1. Creating healthy party food Write the list of options available at each party on the board/poster, so students can see the whole list. Ask them to choose which food options are the healthiest, and circle those. Also ask the students to brainstorm other healthy foods that could be served at these parties/ holidays. 2. Planning a party Have the students break into small groups to come up with a party plan for an upcoming holiday (or for a birthday). Everyone from LA Sprouts is invited. Ask them to come up with a menu of what they would serve. It is ok to have 1 or 2 special food items, but most of the menu should be made up of healthy foods that all guests will enjoy. They can also plan activities, music or decorations they would like to have. Have the groups present their party plans to the class.
3. Vegetable Pictionary (optional, only if extra time) Since we re talking about parties, let s play a party game! Split the class into 2 teams, and one member of each team will come up one by one to draw a picture of a vegetable, while the rest of the team guesses what it is. Each team should only guess when their team is drawing. The educator will whisper the name of a vegetable to the student who is drawing, and that is what he or she must draw. Students are allowed 1 pass if they think they can t draw that food, and they will be given another vegetable name to draw.
HOLIDAYS AND PARTIES Holidays and parties are a time when families and friends gather together to celebrate, and that usually means a lot of food. The foods that we eat during the holidays and at parties are not always healthy. Also, sometimes we eat until our stomach hurts, which is also unhealthy. We celebrate a lot of holidays and parties over the year, so all that unhealthy eating adds up! Party food can be: High in sugar (like candy, soda and cake) Low fiber (like white breads and desserts) Highly processed (like chips and candy) Non-nutritious (with little vitamins and minerals) There can be lots of food and lots of choices, like when food is served buffet-style. We don t always sit down and eat together at all holidays and parties, which can mean lots of snacking. Making party meals healthier Be creative and think about how to make food healthier at a party. If you are invited to a family party, you can bring a healthy snack or side dish to share with everyone, that way you know you will have something healthy to eat. Or if you have a birthday party, you can choose to provide healthier food at your party.
CREATING HEALTHY PARTY FOOD Here are some foods that are associated with holidays and other celebrations. What foods are healthier than others? Can you brainstorm healthy food options to replace the unhealthy ones? Birthday Party Frosted cake Pizza Soda or juice Piñata full of candy Chips and dip Veggie plate Water Holidays Tamales Turkey or Ham Mashed potatoes Pies and other holiday deserts Hot chocolate Salad Red apples, grapes Family Picnic Fruit punch Aqua frescas Carne asada Tortillas Chips and dip Cookies Candy Here are some tips to avoid eating too much: Use a smaller plate. Chew on sugar free gum or mint. This will leave you with a clean taste in your mouth and will keep your mouth busy. Drink lots of water. Eat slowly, and pay attention to when you start to feel full. Eat a healthy snack at home before going to a party. This way you will not be as hungry and won t be as tempted to make unhealthy choices. Only eat when you are sitting down. This will help you avoid mindless snacking.
BEAN DIP WITH PITA CHIPS Ingredients 1 tsp Olive oil 1 Clove garlic, minced 2 cups Cooked black beans, drained 2 Tbsp Water ¼ Red onion, chopped ½ Bell pepper, chopped ½ Jalapeno, minced ¼ cup Cilantro, chopped Squeeze lime juice (optional) Salt Time: 20 minutes Makes 4 servings Whole wheat pitas or tortillas Directions To make dip: 1. Heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 30 seconds. 2. Add the beans and water and mash until they are smooth. 3. Add all the other dip ingredients and mix. To toast pitas (optional): 1. Heat the grill/griddle, or heat the oven to 400 degrees. 2. To make the pita chips, cut the whole pitas into 8 wedges. 3. Put the wedges on a baking sheet, or directly onto the grill/griddle, and cook until crisp and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
FUN FACTS: It takes your stomach about 20 minutes to tell your brain it is full. So when you eat too fast, you ll already have eaten too much before you feel full. This is what happens when you get a bad stomachache from eating too much. You can prevent these kinds of stomachaches by eating more slowly. It takes the food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach. With two forks and a charge, a pickle will emit light. In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling. On your own: Write about a healthy food you saw at a party, either in your journal or online.