MyPlate: Exploring Optimal Nutrition

Brittany Clayton

MyPlate: Exploring Optimal Nutrition

Brittany Clayton

Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana

MyPlate: Exploring Optimal Nutrition
Brittany Clayton

MyPlate teaches you not only how to change your diet, but how to change your lifestyle.
Everyone’s bodies are different and need different amounts of what bodies need. Using MyPlate
helps you balance what your body needs with the things to help you make better lifestyle
choices. It also helps you figure out how much you should eat and at what meal.
One way to incorporate MyPlate in the classroom would be to take a few of the recipe
ideas from the site such as bugs on a log or butterfly bite and make them with the class. This
would teach the students ideas for a healthy snack and they can play with their food at the same
time. This also will cover snack time in the classroom which will make the children more
focused on their work.
Another way to incorporate MyPlate in the classroom would be to play some of the
videos such as The Fruit and Veggie Pokey and Best Bones Forever. Playing these videos will
teach children about staying active and choosing the right foods while having fun. You should
get up and dance with them and sing along to the songs to get the kids really into it. When they
go home, they will still be singing the song, as will you.
Another great thing that I found on the MyPlate website that would be good to
incorporate into the classroom is the games that are available to play. Having the kids learn by
play is the easiest and most effective way to teach because they don’t feel like they are learning,
rather that they are playing. When you enjoy what you are doing, you are more likely to choose
to do it.
After looking the MyPlate website, I learned many new things. I found some new ideas
for snacks and meals that I can make for my family. I have been trying to change our eating
habits at home and this website was a great source for helping to accomplish this. I also learned
that there are different things that determine how much of each food group you need including
age, sex and level of activity.
The MyPlate website is a great tool for anyone to use if they want to change their eating
habits and get healthier but aren’t sure where to start. After scrolling through the different age
groups and options you can learn new things you had no idea about before. Everyone can use a
little help when they are trying new things, and this is a great tool to use.
In conclusion, it’s important to teach nutritional information and resources at a young
age. Including children in their eating habits leaves them feeling empowered and teaches them
the importance of knowing what they are putting in their bodies. If they feel as if they are
included in making the choices and have fun while learning about it, they will be more
successful in making good nutritional choices.