My Healthy Plate
Mini-Lessons
Shilts MK, Neelon M, Algert S, Townsend MS. My Healthy Plate Mini-Lessons for Eating Smart Being Active. [Accompanies My Healthy Plate posters, handouts, placemat and meal cards; accompanies
curriculum Eating Smart Being Active for low-income families.] University of California Cooperative Extension. Copyright 2013, Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Reviewed by M.
Blackburn. Pilot tested by Estela Cabral de Lara and Santos Lopez. Graphic design by M Reed.
The University of California prohibits discrimination or harassment of any person in any of its programs or activities. (Complete nondiscrimination policy statement can be found at http://ucanr.org/sites/
anrstaff/files/107734.doc) Inquiries regarding the University’s equal employment opportunity policies may be directed to Linda Marie Manton, Affirmative Action Contact, University of California, Davis,
Agriculture and Natural Resources, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, (530) 752-0495. This project was supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Grant no. 2010-85215-20658
from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Human Nutrition and Obesity-93330. 09/27/2013 v1
My Healthy Plate | Educator Materials
Background
University of California Agriculture and Natural
Resources division has led the way nationally
in the development and testing of the “plate”
approach to nutrition education. Several years
ago, California Nutrition Specialists and NFCS
Advisors, developed and tested a graphic almost
identical to MyPlate. Advisors also developed and
pilot tested a “plate” intervention. Through this
work, the team determined that pictures of plates
containing real food would make it easier for
participants to understand the concepts of variety
and portion size.
Commonly eaten foods were identified from a
review of CA EFNEP 24-hr recalls (n=165). These
familiar foods were put into “plate” proportions
(½ plate fruit and vegetable, ¼ plate protein &
¼ plate grains) and adjusted based on feedback
from low-income adults (n=227). Professional
photographs were taken of 26 different meals
(breakfast, lunch and dinner) for adults and
children. A graphic designer incorporated the
photos with messages to create education materials
ranging from meal cards to posters. The education
materials and mini-lessons were pilot tested with
low-income parents (n-41) with young children.
Mini-Lessons
Five My Healthy Plate mini-lessons (10-15 minutes
each) have been developed to be used with
ESBA. The mini-lessons are learner-centered
and incorporate posters, meal cards, handout,
placemat, and goal sheet. It is recommended that
Introduction
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Meal Planning
Fruit & Veggies
the educator select the MHP mini-lessons most
relevant to the target audience. All five lessons do
not need to be taught. It is important however to
include the MHP Introduction lesson before any of
the other mini-lessons are delivered.
Eating Out
Kids
My Healthy Plate Introduction goes with any ESBA lesson
Meal Planning Made Easy goes with ESBA Plan, Shop, Save!
Eat More Fruit and Veggies goes with ESBA Vary Your Veggies... Focus on Fruit
Eating Out with My Healthy Plate goes with ESBA Make a Change
My Healthy Plate & Kids goes with ESBA Celebrate
ICON KEY
Objectives
ESBA
Duration
M aterials
Lesson Sequences
The MHP mini-lessons were integrated into the
existing EFNEP/ESBA Lesson Sequences for eight
1-hour classes with and without Food Tracker.
Posters
Five posters can be used in conjunction with the
MHP mini-lessons or stand alone. All the posters
come in two formats: digital and print. The 20
x 30” main concept poster will be printed in
English and Spanish and is intended to be given to
Main Concept
English
Main Concept
Spanish
collaborating agencies as promotional materials.
The three other posters will be printed 11 x 17” for
easy transport and use in class when a projector
for the digital version is not available.
Meal Planning
Main Concept Poster: English vs. Spanish
The content and wording of the two main concept posters in English and Spanish are not
identical. The foods are culturally relevant and
therefore different on the two posters. For both
posters, we looked for photos where the white
dotted lines showing MHP proportions could be
placed. This was difficult, because many foods
are mixed dishes. We selected the photo of the
chicken with beans for the Spanish poster because the white dotted lines are clear. We realize
that this photo does not include fruit. Additional
examples of MHP portioned meals with fruit
are placed along the bottom of the poster. The
Eating Out
Kids
message of MHP is to consume more fruits and
vegetables; but it is perfectly fine to have a plate
that is ½ vegetables without fruit.
The wording of the messages is different. The
original messages were tested with both English
and Spanish speakers. The addition of “healthy”
protein, “whole” grains & “lower fat” milk were
added later to the messages. Our Spanish
language review team thought that making these
changes could be a problem. In the interest of
deadlines and time needed for further testing
with clients, we kept the original messages for
the Spanish language poster.
Meal Cards
Fourteen meal cards were styled in recommended
“plate” proportions featuring foods that EFNEP
families eat. Meals include breakfast (eggs), lunch
(sandwich), dinner (chicken, fish, pork chop) and
fast food (pizza, taco, hamburger) options as well
as mixed (spaghetti, beef stir-fry) and Hispanic
dishes (sopa, torta, tacos, chicken). The meal cards
are 8.5 x 11” and printed on high quality, durable
heavy paper so they can be reused with each class.
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11
#12
#13
#14
My Healthy Plate | Participant Materials
Handout
A participant handout that mimics the Main
Concept poster was created to complement the
English
Introduction mini-lesson. Handouts are 8.5”x11”
and come as a pad of 50 tear-off sheets.
Spanish
Placemat
A placemat was developed as a fun meal planning
activity that parents can do with their child at
home. The child selects meal items and colors them
on the placemat in “plate” proportions.
English
The placemat is used in the Meal Planning minilesson and the Kids mini-lesson. Placemats are
11”x17” and come as a pad of 50 tear-off sheets.
Spanish
Goal Sheet
My Healthy Plate goal options sheet was
developed to assist participants in making specific
plans to use MHP at home. The Goals Sheet is
English
Spanish
used in the Fruit and Veggie mini-lesson and Eating
out mini-lesson. Goal sheets are 8.5”x5.5” and
come as a pad of 50 tear-off sheets.
Introduction Today we will talk about My Healthy Plate.
My Healthy Plate is a visual way of looking at
food porportions. Instead of measuring, serve
your plate to match the picture. This also works
for your child’s plate.
Refer to My Healthy Plate Poster.
My Healthy
Plate
Introduction
• Participants describe the
My Healthy Plate
proportions: ½ plate fruits
& vegetables, ¼ grains and
¼ meat or beans.
•Participants create a
My Healthy Plate.
Anchor
Distribute meal cards to participants.
Turn to a classmate. Share how your meal proportions
for dinner last night compare to the proportions in
the photos.
A dd
10 minutes
For Educator
Distribute My Healthy Plate handout.
The goal of My Healthy Plate is to serve
•½ of your plate with fruits and vegetables
•¼ of your plate with grains and
•¼ of your plate with meat or beans.
Use this mini-lesson
first. Use with any ESBA
lesson. Then follow with
other mini lessons in any
order. They are optional.
•My Healthy Plate poster
•My Healthy Plate meal
cards
•9-inch My Healthy Plate
model
For Participant
•1 9-inch paper plate
•Markers
•1 My Healthy Plate handout
My Healthy Plate works best when adults use a 9-10
inch plate, instead of the common 12-inch plate.
The 6-7 inch plate is for a child aged 3-5. This will
help with appropriate food portions.
My Healthy Plate | My Healthy Plate Introduction
v1
Definitions
Proportion
A part or share of the whole.
A large proportion of her plate
was fruits and vegetables.
Portion
An amount or helping of
food. He took a small portion
of spinach.
Background
Issue
•People (kids and adults)
serve themselves more if
given a larger plate.
•People eat more from larger
plates.
•People underestimate how
much they eat as meals get
larger. They underestimate
more with larger plates.
Solution
•Use smaller bowls, plates
and spoons to help with
appropriate portion sizes.
•Use a 9-10 inch plate for
adults and 6-7 inch plate for
children (3-5 years).
A pply
Make a sample of My Healthy Plate
model.
Show participants the sample.
You will be making your own My Healthy Plate.
Demonstrate as you explain how to create
My Healthy Plate. Distribute a 9-inch paper plate to
each participant.
1. Fold the plate in half.
2. Draw one line on the center fold.
3. Fold the plate in half again in the other
direction.
4. Draw another line on one of the other folds to
meet the line in the center of the plate.
5. Write “Fruits and Vegetables” on the half
section, “grains” on one of the quarter series and
“Meat/Beans” on the other quarter section.
Point to the words on your sample of My Healthy
Plate model or write the words on the board.
6. Now you have your own My Healthy Plate.
Away Do you want a reminder for home? If so, where
could you place your My Healthy Plate to help you
remember? Share your ideas.
A sample could be on the refrigerator, in the center
of the kitchen table, or taped to the cupboard/pantry.
v1
What are you having for dinner tonight? What
changes could you make so it matches
My Healthy Plate proportions?
My Healthy Plate Introduction | My Healthy Plate
Introduction We have just talked about the importance of
meal planning. Now let’s plan a meal using
My Healthy Plate messages.
A dd Tell me what you recall about My Healthy Plate
messages.
Review any messages that were not covered.
The goal of My Healthy Plate is to serve
•½ of your plate with fruits and vegetables
•¼ of your plate with grains and
•¼ of your plate with meat or beans.
Anchor
Display the My Healthy Plate
meal poster.
Meal
Planning
Made Easy
•Participants plan a meal
using My Healthy Plate.
Use with Plan,
Shop, Save!
15 minutes
For Educator
Turn to a classmate. Share what you see on the
My Healthy Plate meal poster.
A dd My Healthy Plate can be used to plan three meals
during the day. The My Healthy Plate Meal poster
shows examples of breakfast, lunch and dinner in
My Healthy Plate proportions.
Breakfast may not contain meat or a vegetable. Often
it does contain foods from other food groups like
milk, fruit and grains. The breakfast photo shows
how to add vegetables to your breakfast meal.
•My Healthy Plate meal
poster
•My Healthy Plate meal
cards
•9-inch My Healthy Plate
model
For Participant
•1 My Healthy Plate
placemat
•1 9-inch paper plate
•Markers
•Grocery store flyer/ad
•Scissors (optional)
•Glue stick (optional)
•ESBA shopping list
worksheet
Do you have any ideas of how to add vegetables to
breakfast?
My Healthy Plate | Meal Planning
v1
Other examples are
•Breakfast burrito with salsa and avocado
•Vegetable pizza
•Bagel with cream cheese and spinach or
tomato
•Vegetable juice as a beverage choice
•Bell peppers or onions added to country
potatoes
•Vegetable omelet
Lunch and dinner usually include foods from all
food groups—fruits and vegetables, grains, meat and
beans, and milk.
These meal cards are examples of lunch and dinner
meals using all food groups in My Healthy Plate
proportions.
A pply You will use My Healthy Plate and the grocery
flyer/ads to plan a nutritious meal for your family.
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, your choice.
Distribute 9-inch plates, copies of weekly flyers from
the grocery store, ESBA worksheet, and markers to
each participant.
Display the My Healthy Plate model.
Transform your 9-inch plate into a My Healthy
Plate.
v1
Meal Planning | My Healthy Plate
Take 7-10 minutes. Work in pairs. Plan a meal
using some sale items in the flyers.
Write or draw the meal items on your My Healthy
Plate and on the ESBA shopping list worksheet.
Optional: Have participants cut food items from flyer
and glue to their My Healthy Plates.
Away
Who would like to share a My Healthy Plate meal?
It is easy to use My Healthy Plate to plan healthy
meals for your family.
Distribute a My Healthy Plate
placemat to each participant.
The placemat is a fun meal planning activity you
can do with your children at home. Your children
can help select meal items and color them on the
placemat. You help write the selected meal items
on the menu. Use this time to talk about
My Healthy Plate messages with your children.
My Healthy Plate | Meal Planning
v1
Introduction Using My Healthy Plate is an easy way to learn
the amount of fruits and vegetables to serve your
family. Fruits and vegetables should cover ½
your plate.
Refer to My Healthy Plate poster to
show examples of making ½ your
plate fruits and vegetables.
Anchor participant.
Were you surprised by the amount of fruits and
vegetables you and your family need each day? Turn
to a neighbor and share the number of cups of fruits
and vegetables you should be eating each day.
One way to help you meet the recommendation
is to use My Healthy Plate for planning meals.
Eat More
Fruits and
Veggies
•Participants identify at
least one way to add more
fruit and vegetables to
meals using My Healthy
Plate.
•Participants plan a meal
using My Healthy Plate.
Use with Vary Your
Veggies... Focus on Fruit.
15 minutes
For Educator
•My Healthy Plate poster
•My Healthy Plate meal
cards including tacos (#4)
and chicken with beans
(#10).
A dd
Distribute all meal cards except tacos (#4) and
chicken with beans plate (#10).
What fruits and vegetables do you regularly serve
your family?
For Participant
•1 My Healthy Plate goal
sheet
•1 ESBA worksheet
Please look at the cards for ideas on serving fruits
and vegetables. Turn to a classmate. Share any new
ideas you got from the photos.
Now share your ideas with the class.
My Healthy Plate | Eat More Fruits and Veggies
v1
Where do you think beans fit on My Healthy Plate?
Beans can count as a protein or a vegetable if
another source of protein (chicken, fish, eggs, etc...)
is served in the meal.
#4
#10
Display meal cards tacos and chicken with beans.
These photos show how adding beans to a meal
can help make ½ your plate fruits and vegetables.
A pply Create a Meal Activity.
Think about My Healthy Plate and the meal cards.
Now plan a meal with ½ the plate fruits and
vegetables. Write the meal on page 3 of the
ESBA worksheet.
Please share your ideas with the class.
Away My Healthy Plate can help you serve more fruits
and vegetables to your family.
Distribute the My Healthy Plate
goal setting sheet.
Select one goal you would like to work on for the week.
• Use My Healthy Plate to plan 2 dinners this week.
• Plan a meal with your child using
My Healthy Plate.
• Use My Healthy Plate to plan 2 lunches this week.
Share your goal with the class.
v1
Eat More Fruits and Veggies | My Healthy Plate
Introduction We have talked about fat and fast food. Now
let’s talk about how My Healthy Plate can help
you enjoy eating out in a healthy way.
Refer to My Healthy Plate Poster
Review Tell me what you recall about My Healthy Plate
messages.
Review any messages not covered.
The goal of My Healthy Plate is to serve
•½ of your plate with fruits and vegetables
•¼ of your plate with grains and
•¼ of your plate with meat or beans.
Anchor You added
the fat grams for a fast food meal. Did
you include a hamburger, taco, or pizza? These are
common eating out options that can be high in fat
and low in fruits and vegetables.
A dd
Eating Out
with My
Healthy Plate
•Participants identify two
ways to use My Healthy
Plate when eating out.
•Participants select a
My Healthy Plate goal.
Use with Make a
Change.
10 minutes
For Educator
•My Healthy Plate poster
•Eating Out with My
Healthy Plate poster
•Meal cards #4, 5 & 9
For Participant
•1 My Healthy Plate goal
sheet
Display Eating Out with My
Healthy Plate poster and/or pass
around meal cards #4, 5 and 9.
My Healthy Plate | Eating Out with My Healthy Plate
v1
The photos show how you can enjoy these foods
with less fat and more fruits & vegetables.
Do you have other examples of how to apply
My Healthy Plate messages when eating out?
Other examples are:
•Share a hamburger or burrito
•Order a salad
•Order fat-free milk as a beverage
•Bring a piece of fruit from home
A pply Turn to a classmate. Share how you could use
My Healthy Plate when eating out.
Please share your ideas with the class.
Away
Distribute the My Healthy Plate
goal setting sheet.
Select one goal you would like to work on for
the week.
•Use My Healthy Plate to plan 2 dinners
this week.
•Plan a meal with your child using
My Healthy Plate.
•Use My Healthy Plate to plan 2 lunches
this week.
v1
Share your goal with the class.
Eating Out with My Healthy Plate | My Healthy Plate
Introduction My Healthy Plate can be used to plan and serve
My Healthy
Plate &
Kids
meals for your child. Fill ½ of your child’s plate
with fruits and vegetables, ¼ with grains and
¼ with meat or beans. Young children need the
same healthy foods as their parents do but in
smaller amounts.
My Healthy Plate works best when parents use a 9-10
inch size plate, instead of a 12-inch plate. The 6-7
inch plate is appropriate for a child, aged 3-5. This
will help with appropriate food portions.
Show the 9-10 and
6-7 inch paper plates.
Where would
your child’s favorite food fit into
Anchor My Healthy Plate?
OR
Do you think it would be easy or difficult to serve
your child in My Healthy Plate portions?
OR
How are the meals you usually serve your child like
My Healthy Plate? How are they different?
A dd
Display My Healthy Plate & Kids
poster.
•Participants discuss using
My Healthy Plate for their
children.
•Participants plan a meal for
a child using My Healthy
Plate.
Use with Celebrate.
10 minutes
For Educator
•My Healthy Plate & Kids
poster
•9-10 inch My Healthy Plate
model
•6-7 inch My Healthy Plate
model
For Participant
•1 6-7 inch paper plate
•1 My Healthy Plate
placemat
These photos show how My Healthy Plate can be
used to serve meals to young children. The poster
shows three adult plates (9-10 inches) and three
child plates (6-7 inches).
My Healthy Plate | My Healthy Plate & Kids
v1
A pply Turn to a classmate. Share your thoughts about the
poster.
Please share your ideas with the class.
Distribute a 6-7 inch paper plate to each
participant.
With a classmate, plan a meal for a child using My
Healthy Plate. Write the meal items on the paper
plate in My Healthy Plate proportions (½ plate
fruits and vegetables, ¼ plate grains and ¼ plate
meat or beans). Share.
Away My Healthy Plate can be used to plan and serve
meals for parents and children. You are an
important role model. Eat together and match
your plate and your child’s to My Healthy Plate
proportions.
Distribute a My Healthy Plate
placemat to each participant.
v1
The My Healthy Plate placemat is a fun meal
planning activity you can do with your child at
home. Your child can help select meal items and
color them on the placemat in My Healthy Plate
proportions. You help write the selected meal
items on the menu. Make time to prepare and eat
this meal with your child. Have fun!
My Healthy Plate & Kids | My Healthy Plate