What this lesson teaches
This activity helps children explore food labels to identify essential nutrients. Learning to analyze food contents encourages informed dietary choices and fosters a lifelong appreciation for nutrition.
Health Awareness
Can you finish nutrition detective investigations in about 30 min?
Nutrition Detective Investigations
You will explore food labels to identify essential nutrients.
Duration30 min
Age GroupAges 11–12
DifficultyBeginner
SubjectHealth
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What you need
How the activity runs
The learning connection
Engaging with real food labels utilizes dual coding theory, allowing children to connect visual information with verbal details, helping them remember nutritional information better.
Try it with your learner
1. Gather 3 food items from your pantry with nutrition labels (like biscuits, cereals, or juices). 2. Cut out the nutrition labels or take photos of them. 3. Create a table on paper to record the nutrients: Protein, Carbs, Fats, Vitamins. 4. Examine each label and fill in the table with corresponding amounts per serving. 5. Discuss with your family why some nutrients are healthier than others. 6. Share your findings and create a 'Nutrition Detective' poster highlighting what you learned!