Grades 3–5
Serving sizes and portions
Fun Fact:
Look at the Label
Understanding nutrition facts (W.4.7)
Rice packs in more
carbohydrates than
potatoes for the same
serving size. So if you’re
looking for that extra
carbohydrate blast for
your muscles, power up
your plate with more rice.
Consumers today can choose from a wide variety of
affordable, tasty, convenient, and healthful foods provided by
farmers and food producers. With that variety also comes the
need to read labels and make informed decisions about what
to eat and when. In advance, collect a class supply of empty
food packages that include a nutrition label. Display one label
so that all students can view it. Point out the sections labeled
serving size and servings per container. Discuss how the label not
only shows serving size, it also lists calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium,
carbohydrates, and protein, as well as vitamins, calcium, and iron.
Explain to students that some foods are fortified, meaning that vitamins
and minerals that aren’t normally in the food are added (for example,
some orange juice is fortified with calcium and vitamin D). Ask
students to discuss why this information is important to a consumer.
Next, give each student a food package and a copy of the
recording sheet. Have him use the label to complete his sheet. After
each student is finished, assign each child a partner and have
the twosome compare the nutritional information on their labels.
Encourage them to compare which item has a better nutritional value.
Then challenge students to compare the calories, sugar, saturated fat,
and trans fat with the vitamins, fiber, and unsaturated fat. Is the food “worth” the calories
students would spend on it? Is the nutrition content
substantial? Is this a food students can eat often or is it
l
Look at the Labe
a “sometimes” food?
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Extend the learning: Have students look up prices for
some of the foods. Then have them compare the price
with the nutritional content. What foods yield the most
nutrition for the money? (W.4.7)
®
Feed the Future, www.all m is made possible, in part, by a
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Name
Understanding Nutrition Fact Labels
Look at the Label
Use your Nutrition Facts label to answer the questions.
My label is for ___________________________.
1. What is the serving size? ___________________________
2. How many servings are in the package? ___________
3. How many calories are there in a serving? ___________
4. How many total grams of fat are in a serving? ___________
5. Which vitamins, if any, are in this product? ____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
6. Is this a product you could eat often or just occasionally? ________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
©2012 Alliance to Feed the Future, www.alliancetofeedthefuture.org. Text and design by The Education Center, Inc.
The development of this curriculum is made possible, in part, by a grant from Farm Credit.
Name
®
Understanding Nutrition Fact Labels
Look at the Label
Use your Nutrition Facts label to answer the questions.
My label is for ___________________________.
1. What is the serving size? ___________________________
2. How many servings are in the package? ___________
3. How many calories are there in a serving? ___________
4. How many total grams of fat are in a serving? ___________
5. Which vitamins, if any, are in this product? ____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
6. Is this a product you could eat often or just occasionally? ________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
©2012 Alliance to Feed the Future, www.alliancetofeedthefuture.org. Text and design by The Education Center, Inc.
The development of this curriculum is made possible, in part, by a grant from Farm Credit.
®
Grades 3–5
Serving sizes and portions
Fun Fact:
Perfect Portions
Sorting foods into proper portions
The average person in
Italy eats more than 51
Give each child a copy of the portion size pattern (scroll
pounds of pasta every
down) and two paper plates. Review with students the portion
year. The average person
in North America eats
chart at the top of their page. Ask volunteers to tell about a time
about 15½ pounds of
they have eaten portions that are too large, especially when Po
rtion pasta per year.
Size C
students weren’t hungry anymore. Point out that snack foods
h
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are okay to eat occasionally, if the portion size is controlled.
hart a
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Next, have each student label one plate “Proper Portions” s 1 ccuuppcpeasta
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Extend the learning: Have students compare the too-large
portion sizes with the proper portion sizes and determine the
difference. What steps can they take to control portion sizes?
How can 100-calorie packages and similar products help?
2
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©2012 Alliance to Feed the Future, www.alliancetofeedthefuture.org. Text and design by The Education Center, Inc.
The development of this curriculum is made possible, in part, by a grant from Farm Credit.
®
Portion Size Chart and Cards
One Serving
1 cup pasta
1 cup cereal
1 cup rice
3 cups popcorn
112_ cups juice
3 oz. meat
3 oz. chicken
3 oz. fish
1 12_ oz. cheese
1 tbsp. butter
1 12_ cups orange juice
3 cups of spaghetti
2 tbsp. peanut butter
1 waffle
1
_
2 bagel
1 pancake
1 slice bread
1 12_ oz. swiss cheese
3 cups popcorn
1 slice of bread with
1 tsp. butter
2 cups rice
10 oz. hamburger
1 apple with 5 tbsp.
peanut butter
3 oz. grilled chicken
2 bagels
1 cup breakfast cereal
12 oz. fish fillet
1 whole wheat waffle
3 cups breakfast
cereal
1 blueberry pancake
3 oz. tuna
1
_
2
©2012 Alliance to Feed the Future, www.alliancetofeedthefuture.org. Text and design by The Education Center, Inc.
The development of this curriculum is made possible, in part, by a grant from Farm Credit.
®
Name
Serving Size
Multiplication
How Much Is in the
Container?
Cheesy
Crackers
Solve.
1
2
Cheeseyrs
Crack
Shredded
MOZZARELLA
Cheese
3
Margarine
4
Orange
Juice
5
Peanut
Butter
6
OATMEAL
7
Snack
Crackers
8
Chicken Nuggets
serving size: 9 crackers
servings per container: 4
_____ crackers x _____ servings = _____ crackers
in the box
1
serving size: 1 _2 oz.
servings per container: 6
_____ oz. x _____ servings = _____ oz. of cheese
in the package
serving size: 1 tbsp.
servings per container: 32 _____ tbsp. x _____ servings = _____ tbsp. of margarine
in the container
serving size: 8 fl. oz.
servings per container: 6
serving size: 2 tbsp.
servings per container: 16
_____ fl. oz. x _____ servings = _____ fl. oz. of juice
in the bottle
_____ tbsp. x _____ servings = _____ tbsp. of peanut
butter in the jar
1
serving size: _2 cup
servings per container: 18
serving size: 20 pieces
servings per container: 6
serving size: 3 oz.
servings per container: 24
_____ cup x _____ servings = _____ cups of oatmeal
in the container
_____ pieces x _____ servings = _____ pieces in
the bag
_____ oz. x _____ servings = _____ oz. of chicken
nuggets in the bag
©2012 Alliance to Feed the Future, www.alliancetofeedthefuture.org. Text and design by The Education Center, Inc.
The development of this curriculum is made possible, in part, by a grant from Farm Credit.
(5.NF.B.6)
®
Answer Key
1. 9 crackers x 4 servings = 36 crackers
in the box
2. 1 1/2 oz. x 6 servings = 9 oz. of cheese
in the package
3. 1 tbsp. x 32 servings = 32 tbsp. of margarine
in the container
4. 8 fl. oz. x 6 servings = 48 fl. oz. of juice
in the bottle
5. 2 tbsp. x 16 servings = 32 tbsp. of peanut
butter in the jar
6. 1/2 cup x 18 servings = 9 cups of oatmeal
in the container
7. 20 pieces x 6 servings = 120 pieces in
the bag
8. 3 oz. x 24 servings = 72 oz. of chicken
nuggets in the bag
©2012 Alliance to Feed the Future, www.alliancetofeedthefuture.org. Text and design by The Education Center, Inc.
The development of this curriculum is made possible, in part, by a grant from Farm Credit.
®
Grades 3–5
Serving sizes and portions
Just the Right Size
Portion control, writing to inform (W.3.2b; W.4.2b; W.5.2b)
In advance, obtain an empty extra-large food or drink carton.
To begin, show the class the food carton and have students
imagine that it is full. Ask students if they would tend to eat (or
drink) the entire portion because that is the way it is served.
Discuss how when food or drink is served in large portions,
we often tend to overeat. Often these large servings consist of
several portions, enough for two or three people! On the flip
side, large portions can be the best value for the consumer.
Have each child choose one food item that is
typically sold in an extra-large portion. Divide
students into small groups to brainstorm ways
to make sure to eat the correct portion size
without overeating. For example, students might
suggest pouring the serving into a bowl or plate,
sharing a large serving among several people,
or dividing portions to eat later. Direct each
child to write a letter to herself reminding herself
of these options, including facts about the health
benefits of eating proper portion sizes. Invite
volunteers to read their letters aloud.
Fun Fact:
Kansas, the largest
producer of wheat in the
United States, produces
enough wheat each year
to bake 36 billion loaves
of bread and enough to
feed everyone in the world
for about two weeks.
©2012 Alliance to Feed the Future, www.alliancetofeedthefuture.org. Text and design by The Education Center, Inc.
The development of this curriculum is made possible, in part, by a grant from Farm Credit.
®