Printable Food and Nutrition Teaching Worksheets

Over tweleve million children go to sleep hunger every night. For those of us that are priveleged to have a choice of what we take into our bodies, we take this for granted. "You are what you eat!" This series of worksheets works to stress the importance of quality nutrition.

  1. Acrostic Poem
  2. Bank On It!
  3. Cryptogram
  4. Do The Research!
  5. Group Creative Writing
  6. If I Were A.... ?
  7. KWL
  8. Maze
  9. Reading Comprehension
  10. Venn Diagram: Comparing Foods
  11. Vocabulary Quiz
  12. Vocabulary List & Definitions
  13. Word Chop
  14. Word Search

Nutrtion Teacher Resources

  1. Food, Nutrition Teaching Theme
  2. Nutrition Lesson Plans
  3. Nutrition Sites
  4. The Biochemical Guessing Game!
  5. The Dissolution Solution!!

Food Bulletin Boards

  1. Bread
  2. Breads
  3. Chop Sticks
  4. Fish
  5. Milk Man
  6. Pancake Stack
  7. Sandwich
  8. Shopping Cart
  9. Sweets
  10. Turkey
  11. Water

Writing Paper

  1. Chef
  2. Chef's Special


What is Food and Nutrition?

Food isn't just sustenance, it's what some of us live for! We like it so much that we eat it several times during the day; but why do we need to eat food? And what kind of food should we be eating? Do you think eating chocolate for every meal is enough? Can we survive on a diet of fruit alone?

Plants are the only species that can make their food, but humans and animals have to eat food for energy to do their daily activities. Eating a healthy balanced diet is extremely important for building energy. A healthy, balanced meal prevents you from getting sick frequently and builds strength!

What is Food?

We get our energy from eating food. Our body breaks down the food we eat and turns it into energy. Calories are the energy we can get from a particular food item. We use energy all the time, even when we're sleeping. Our body needs the energy to keep our heart beating, and our cells working. If you don't eat enough food, you won't have enough energy. If you eat too much food, your body will convert the extra calories into fat. The amount of food we eat depends on how much energy we need. For example, going to school daily requires a lot of energy, so you want to eat a lot when you get home.

What are Nutrients?

Food does not just give your body calories. It also gives nutrients. Your body needs these nutrients to function. Different types of foods have different types of nutrients in them. That's why you need to eat a healthy balanced diet.

Proteins

Our bodies have a lot of protein in them, but we also need more if we want our muscles to grow. You can get protein from both vegetables and meat. Foods like eggs, nuts, lean meat, and fish have protein.

Water

Did you know that our bodies are almost 60% water? That means you need to drink a lot of water daily. The ideal recommended amount is at least 2 liters daily. This is because your body needs water to digest food and maintain a stable temperature.

Vitamins

There are many different types of vitamins that your body needs to survive. Each food has different types of vitamins in it. Vitamin E is useful for helping your body make more red blood cells. Vitamin D makes your bones stronger by helping your body absorb calcium. There are many other vitamins like Vitamin A, K, C, and B-Complexes that our bodies need to perform different functions.

Minerals

These are just as important as vitamins because your body needs them to function. Many different functions are carried out through minerals. Your body needs them to keep your heartbeat stable and to make hormones. One of the most well-known minerals is calcium.

You can get this just from drinking a glass of milk daily. Fruits and vegetables have a lot of minerals in them. Iron is another important mineral that your body needs to make red blood cells- you can get iron from eating red meat and green leafy vegetables.

Fats

Your body needs fats! They're a good source of energy and keep your body warm. There are different types of fats in different foods. There are healthy types of fat like the kind you can get from fish and nuts. But there are also unhealthy types of fat that you should avoid- like the kind found in junk food. This fat can build up in your body and lead to heart problems.

Carbohydrates

Just like fat, carbohydrates are a great energy source for your body. They are a very important part of your daily diet. The most common sources of carbohydrates are sugars and starches. Foods that have starches in them include potatoes, wheat, and rice. Some vegetables also have starch in them.

You can get natural forms of sugar from foods like fruits and honey. Another type of sugar is refined sugar, made from processing sugar cane or corn. Processed sugar can be bad for you, like the kind found in chocolates. This is because it's full of calories.

Fiber

We need fiber to digest food! It is also a carbohydrate, but it does not provide energy. Our bodies need some cholesterol, but too much cholesterol is bad for your organs, especially your heart. Fiber helps keep cholesterol levels low in your body.

Eating a Balanced Diet

All the nutrients mentioned are part of a healthy diet for children. Sadly, you can't eat chocolate every day. It doesn't have the nutrients you need to help your body grow. Eating different types of foods can be fun.

Every food has a unique flavor and texture that can make your meal times interesting. They also have different combinations of nutrients you need to have a healthy body. Scientists recommend eating lots of fruits and vegetables because these are full of good nutrients- vitamins and minerals- that your body needs to carry out important functions.

Proteins and other dairy products like cream and butter should be eaten in moderation. Same with carbohydrates. This is because your body needs proteins, calcium, and carbohydrates for daily functioning. Fats are only supposed to be eaten in small amounts, so they should be a small part of your daily diet.

It would help if you avoided processed and packaged foods because they don't have any nutrients in them. They are full of calories and sugar that can increase cholesterol and sugar levels in your body. This is why eating snacks and sweets are unhealthy. It is not part of a healthy balanced meal. If we start eating a healthy balanced diet, our bodies will be healthy and grow faster.