middle SCHOOL LESSON
CALL AN AUDIBLE ON
MEDIA FOOD MESSAGES
OBJECTIVES:
1. Identify ways that the media influences food choices
2. Restaurant vs. Regular portion sizes
3. How to eat out in a more healthy way
INDIANA HEALTH & WELLNESS STANDARDS
(Grades 6-8).2.2 Discuss the influence of culture on
health behaviors.
(Grades 6-8).2.5 Examine how information from the
media influences health behaviors.
(Grades 6-8).5.6 Choose healthy choices over
unhealthy choices when making a decision.
(Grades 6-8).8.4 Explain ways that health messages
can be altered for different audiences.
TEACHER TALKING POINTS
Identify ways that advertisers influence food choices
• Introduce this topic to students by seeing if they can name which food/drink the slogan is trying to sell:
• Have it your way (Burger King)
• Mmm, mmm good (Campbell’s Soup)
• Snap, Crackle, Pop (Rice Krispies)
• Once you pop, you can’t stop! (Pringles)
• Obey your thirst (Sprite)
• Think outside the bun (Taco Bell)
• It’s the cheesiest (Kraft macaroni and cheese)
• Betcha can’t eat just one (Lay’s Potato Chips)
• Melts in your mouth, not in your hand (M&Ms)
• The San Francisco treat (Rice-A-Roni)
• A place where a kid can be a kid (Chuck E. Cheese)
• Teach students that advertising slogans are one way that companies get us to try
their products.
• On average, children spend 4-5 hours in front of the TV. or computer each day. That is
a lot of time to be exposed to these various messages.
• Other forms of advertising that companies use to influence us to buy their products are
magazine ads, billboards, television commercials, movies, radio, internet and grocery
store displays.
• Advertisers use things like animation, music, bright colors, celebrities and rewards to get
us to try their product.
• They try to make people feel like they need to buy the product in order to feel a certain
way. They want us to feel cool, healthy, athletic and thrifty by buying their product.
• The tricky part is that they don’t always tell the entire truth about a product.
Restaurant vs. Regular portion sizes
• Since the 1970s, portion sizes have grown steadily. The most noticeable increase in
portion sizes has been in restaurants. They are serving portions that are way too big to be
healthy and are more food than our body needs.
• Studies have shown that the more food we are served, the more we tend to eat.
• Americans are used to seeing and eating large portions of food. By focusing on smaller
portions, we can re-train our brains to eat more sensible portions of food and still
feel satisfied.
• Here are some portion size comparisons:
• A healthy Portion of pasta is 1 cup; the restaurant portion is usually 2½ cups of pasta
• A healthy portion of meat is 3-4 ounces; the restaurant portion is usually 8 ounces
• A regular size order of fries is about 2.5 ounces; the restaurant size is usually
5.5 ounces
How to eat out in a more healthy way
• When ordering a salad, ask for the
dressing on the side and dip your
fork into the dressing for a taste
with eat bite rather than dumping
the entire package on your salad.
• Order a salad, fruit slices or
vegetables instead of fries.
• Skip ordering things that
have the word “jumbo” or
“super size” in them.
• Get salad dressings, butter and
sour cream on the side.
• Put half your meal in a “to go” box or
“doggie bag” before you start eating.
• Skip the dinner rolls or tortilla chips.
STUDENT ACTIVITY –
Creating a Healthy Ad for an Unhealthy Product
Divide students up into groups of 4-5 and provide them with a box or package from an
unhealthy food choice (i.e. a bag of M&Ms, a box of cookies or an empty ice cream tub). Tell them that their job is to develop an ad that will make young people believe their product
is healthy.
This may take up to 30 minutes for them to work on.
After their time is up ask them to report to the class on their product and follow up with them
with questions such as:
• What did you use to make your slogan or print advertisement appealing to children?
• How do you want people to feel if they eat your product?
• Did you use an incentive to get people to buy your product?
FAMILY INFORMATION - Cooking Family Style
There is no doubt that eating out is convenient and can be fun for the family; however,
eating out often times leads to unhealthy food selections and can be expensive. In our hectic,
ever-changing world, eating dinner together as a family offers some great bonding time to
catch up with everyone. With some planning, eating at home can be enjoyable and healthy!
Get Involved
Having everyone in the family involved in the eating process makes the whole experience more
fun & meaningful for everyone and can lighten the load on the cook. Before dinner ask children
to help set the table, help chop vegetables or pour drinks. After dinner, designate helpers with
clearing the table and washing the dishes.
Plan Meals Together
• Set aside one day of the week to select recipes for the week. Depending on your family’s
schedule, select meals that make great leftovers or can be eating on the run, if needed.
Allow everyone’s input into selecting meal choices.
• Grocery shop for the entire week at once.
• Keep your plate colorful.
• Aim to ensure that each meal has at least one item from each of the food groups:
• Grains such as whole wheat paste, brown rice, whole wheat pizza crust
• Fruits such as apples, fruit salad, mandarin oranges in a green salad
• Vegetables such as steamed broccoli, green salad, baked potato
• Proteins such as lean meat cuts, grilled chicken, bean salad
• Dairy such as low-fat cheeses, a glass of milk, yogurt with fruit for dessert
Healthy Food Substitutes
• Bake, grill, roast, poach or broil foods instead of frying them or cooking them in a lot of oil or butter.
• Substitute low-fat dairy items for full-fat items.
• Use whole-grain pasta or pizza crusts instead of white.
• Substitute whole wheat flour for white flour.
• Substitute applesauce for half the butter in a recipe.
Tips for Family Weight Management
Overeating is easy to do and is one of the main contributors to the rising number of overweight
Americans. Eating at home can help control the amount and quality of food eaten.
• Serve low-calorie foods like salads, fruits and vegetables first. These foods have a lot of
water and fiber that help you feel full faster.
• Serve food from the stove or counter, not from the table. Studies have shown that people
tend to eat everything that is in front of them and this way you can control your portion sizes.
• Use smaller dinner plates. Try using a 7” plate rather than a 9” plate.
• Eat more slowly. It can take the brain up to 20 minutes to recognize that you are full.
• Allow second helpings only on vegetables and fruits. Place leftovers of everything else in the refrigerator immediately after serving the first.
LESSON PLAN EVALUATION
1. On average, children spend between 2-3 hours per day in front of the television.
___True ___False
2.A healthy portion size for a piece of meat is 3-4 ounces. ___True ___False
3.Salad, fruit slices or vegetables is a healthier side option than French fries. ___True ___False
4.Advertisers always tell the truth about the products they are selling. ___True ___False