Before the next commercial break, describe a food label. "What's a food label?" you may ask. When was the last time you read one while grocery shopping? I know, you don't shop for groceries. Parents shop for groceries. You simply go to the refrigerator or cupboard and grab whatever looks tasty. That's okay, but you will need to know about nutrition which leads to this FoodQuest/WebQuest. The purpose of this WebQuest is to introduce you to the Food Guide Pyramid and food labels. At the conclusion of this WebQuest you will be able to explain the items that are contained on a food label and their significance. You will also be able to plan a balanced meal based on the Food Guide Pyramid.

Your task is to examine food labels for nutritional content and classify them according to the Food Guide Pyramid. You will also plan a menu. Your final project will include:

A list of items from five different food labels
A table of ingredients from 5 food labels
A chart showing where the food labels fit on the Food Guide Pyramid
A day's menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks
Include a recipe from your menu

Answer the Skill Level and Concept Level questions while you are on your FoodQuest.

Skill Level

• What is a food label?
• What items are listed on a food label?
• When did the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act go into effect and why was it established?
• What is the food guide pyramid?
• What is a serving?

Concept Level

• Why is it important to understand a food label?
• How can a food label ensure that you consume the appropriate amount of vitamin B each day?
• How can a person on a low cholesterol diet benefit from reading a food label?
• How can the food guide pyramid help you plan your daily meals?

Application Level

• Plan a day's menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks utilizing the information you learned from the food guide pyramid and food labels.

You will be working in teams. Think of a team name that relates to nutrition like the Macaroni Marvels or Rhubarb Raptors.

1. Examine 5 different food labels.
2. Create a list of the items found on each label.
3. Make a table of the ingredients for each label.
4. Compare several different labels and where the food products fit on the Food Guide Pyramid.
5. After you complete 1-4, answer the Skill Level and Concept Level questions.
6. Plan a day's menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks that promotes good health and follows the recommended daily servings from the Food Guide Pyramid.
7. Find a recipe for one of your meals.
8. Prepare to share your findings and menus with the class. All members of the group must contribute to the class presentation.

Use the Websites in the FoodQuest for Health article.
 

When you read food labels you may have been surprised by what you found. You learned how the Food Guide Pyramid can help you choose daily servings from the food groups. Hopefully, you have learned the importance of eating well-balanced nutritious meals. You might like to look at somefood labels (on the left) that do not have any identifying information and guess the product or prepare one of the meals you planned.

Teacher Facilitated Extension

Grocery Bag Bonanza

Did you know that you can shop online and have groceries delivered right to your doorstep without leaving the comfort of your home? Take your students on a virtual shopping trip. Give your students a budget and let them shop for a week's worth of groceries. Have them print their purchases and total cost. Share the results of the excursion in class. What are the advantages and disadvantages of shopping online? Why might a storeowner prefer that you shop in person rather than electronically? NetGrocer is a site that allows you a try out without a login and password. To place an actual order you must have a membership. This is a great culminating activity or one that can stand-alone.