National 4-H CurriculumBU-07146

Foods Youth Activity Guide

Name___________________________________________________________________________

County __________________________________________________________________________

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Note to Project Helper Congratulations, a young person has asked you to be his or her helper. Your role as a helper is very important to the total educational experience of the young person. Not only will you be providing encouragement and recognition, you will also be the key person with whom the young person shares each of the experiences outlined in this activity guide.

The “Fantastic Foods” curriculum series is designed to help youth have fun in the kitchen as they prepare different foods, do fun experiments, and go on fact-finding missions. The curriculum is designed about six major categories: healthy food selection, smart food purchasing, food safety and science, food preparation, food preservation, and careers and food around the world.

A total of five pieces are available in the “Fantastic Foods” curriculum series. The four activity guides, Six Easy Bites, Tasty Tidbits, You’re the Chef, and Foodworks have been designed to be developmentally appropriate for grades 3-4, 5-6, 7-9, 10-12 respectively, but may be used by youth in any grade based on their project skills and expertise. The fifth piece, the Project Helper Guide, has been designed to provide you with some additional background and some tips on helping youth through the activities in their guide. In addition to the printed guides, youth can go to the fun new web site where they can download recipes from across the country and around the world. To access the web site, go to www.youthlearningnet.org and click on the computer that has Fantastic Foods on its screen. The web site also has lots of additional resources for project helpers.

The Experiential Learning Model The experiential model and its five steps are used in eachactivity in this guide as a means to help youth gain the mostfrom the experience.

The five steps encourage the youth to try to do the activity be-fore being told or shown how (experience). As the helper, you’ll want to help the youth describe what they experience and their reaction (share). You can use the questions listed at the end of activity to help the youth:

• discuss what was the most important about what they did (process);

• relate the life skill practiced to their own everyday experiences (generalize); and

• share how they will use the life skill and project skill in other parts of their lives (apply).

Acknowledgments:“Tasty Tidbits” was written by Susan Barkman and Amy Wright, Purdue University, along with a curriculum design team composed of Foods and Nutrition specialists Bill Evers and Charles Santerre and Extension educators Nancy King, Anne Wilcox, Joanne Lytton, Peg Ehlers, Dianne Roell Paris, and Barbara Bowman, and volunteers Cara Gibson, Lyneen Burrow, Ruth Palmer, Linda Jones, and Deanna Engleking.

Editing and production coordination was done by Frank Koontz, Purdue University Agricultural Communications. Illustrations were done by John Metzinger and page layout and design by Pro Design, Lafayette, IN. Photographs were done by Mike Kerper, Purdue University Agricultural Communications; Richard Myers-Walls, Purdue University Center for Instructional Services; Susan Barkman, Purdue University.

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Overview .......................................................................................4Achievement Sheet ......................................................................5

Bite 1 Once You Swallow .............................................6 Dietary Guidelines ..............................................................6 MyPyramid.gov ..................................................................7 1a The gritty on grains ....................................................8 1b Here come the veggies! ...........................................10 1c Better wedges ..........................................................12 1d Fit it in! .....................................................................14

Bite 2 Money Talks ......................................................16 2a How much is it?........................................................16 2b What’s in a name? ...................................................18 2c Check ‘em out! .........................................................20 2d Make your own!........................................................22

Bite 3 Play It Safe ........................................................24 3a Green fuzzy stuff ......................................................24 3b Make your own yogurt..............................................26 3c Reheating leftovers ..................................................28 Bite 4 Kitchen Magic ...................................................30 Cooking terminology ........................................................30 4a Baking better batters ................................................32 4b Twisting twisty pretzels ............................................34 4c Easy cheesy lasagna ...............................................36 4d Biscuit or “cookie” ....................................................38

Bite 5 Eat It Later .......................................................40 5a Frozen cookies.........................................................40 5b Who needs blanching? ............................................42 5c Pizza freeze .............................................................44 5d Going bananas!........................................................46

Bite 6 Imagine That ....................................................48 6a Colors and reactions ................................................48 6b Taste testing .............................................................50 6c Italian pasta..............................................................52 6d Swedish meatballs ...................................................54

Glossary ......................................................................................56Year 1 Record Sheet ...................................................................57Year 2 Record Sheet ...................................................................58Measuring Math ..........................................................................59

For suggested exhibit requirements and

lots of cool recipes check out the

Fantastic Foods website at

www.youthlearningnet.org(click on Fantastic Foods)

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Having Fun with Fantastic Foods!Are you ready?Are you ready to do fun experiments, prepare flavor-filled recipes, and go on fact-finding missions? That’s what “Fantastic Foods” is all about. You’ll have fun learning about different food ingredients, food characteristics, and food safety issues.

Your project manual is divided into six “bites”: Once you swallow, Money talks, Play it safe, Kitchen magic, Eat it later, and Imagine that. In addition to the activities in the manual, there are exciting recipes and interesting food facts on the website. Check out www.youthlearningnet.org and click on the computer that has the word “Fantastic Foods” on its screen. There is also a list of ideas that you can use as an exhibit at your county or state fair.

Use the achievement sheet to plan your activities. After completing an activity, write the date completed and have your project helper initial it. You also need to fill out the record sheet at the end of the book.

Your project helperYour project helper is an important part of your experience in the Foods project. This person may be your project leader or advisor, a neighbor, a family member, a friend, or anyone who has the interest to work with you to complete your activities. You need to involve your helper as you work with each activity and answer the questions. They are there to give you support and help you be successful.Write the name and phone number of your project helper here:

My project helper____________________________________________________________________Phone_____________________________________________________________________________E-mail______________________________________________________________________________

Action DemonstrationsAn action demonstration is a fun way to share what you have learned with others. The key is getting your audience involved in doing what you are doing, not just showing them. An action demo can be given anywhere there are a lot of people, like a county or state fair or a shopping mall.

An action demo can be on almost any topic. Here are some questions to ask yourself when choosing a topic.■ Is it something that can be done in 3 to 5 minutes?■ Is it something that would interest the general public?■ Is there something “hands-on” for the audience to do?■ Can the supplies for the “hands-on” activity be used over and over again or will they have

to be replaced every time? (Note: If they have to be replaced, this will add to the cost.) Your demonstration should last about 3-5 minutes and you need to be able to do it over and over again with many different people. There is no prepared speech in an action demo, it is a 2-way conversation. Your goal is to involve the audience and you can do this by having them:■ Do what you are doing. ■ Play a game.■ Answer questions. ■ Do a hands-on activity.

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“Tasty Tidbits” Achievement Sheet Each year, you should complete a minimum of three (3) activities, each from a different “bite” category. Within the two year project period, you should have completed at least 6 activities, at least one activity from each of the six “bite” categories. Write the month, day, and year beside each of the activities you completed. Get your project helper to initial that you have discussed the activity with them. In addition, you need to do an action demonstration at the club/school or county level.

Title of Action Demonstration Given__________________________ Location_____________________

Name___________________________________________________________________ Age_______

Club/School __________________________________________________________________________

I certify that this youth has completed all requirements for Level B of the Fantastic Foods project and is ready to move on to Level C.

Project Helper’s Signature________________________________________ Date_________________

Date Completed Helper Month/Day/Year Initial

1a The gritty on grains ____/ ____/ ____ _____1b Here come the veggies! ____/ ____/ ____ _____1c Better wedges ____/ ____/ ____ _____1d Fit it in! ____/ ____/ ____ _____

2a How much is it? ____/ ____/ ____ _____2b What’s in a name? ____/ ____/ ____ _____2c Check ‘em out! ____/ ____/ ____ _____2d Make your own ____/ ____/ ____ _____

3a Green fuzzy stuff ____/ ____/ ____ _____3b Make your own yogurt ____/ ____/ ____ _____3c Reheating leftovers ____/ ____/ ____ _____

Once You Swallow

Money Talks

Play It Safe

Kitchen Magic

Eat It Later

Imagine That!

Date Completed Helper Month/Day/Year Initial

4a Baking better batters ____/ ____/ ____ _____4b Twisting twisty pretzels ____/ ____/ ____ _____4c Easy cheesy lasagna ____/ ____/ ____ _____4d Biscuits or cookies ____/ ____/ ____ _____

5a Frozen cookies ____/ ____/ ____ _____5b Who needs blanching? ____/ ____/ ____ _____5c Pizza freeze ____/ ____/ ____ _____5d Going bananas! ____/ ____/ ____ _____

6a Colors and reactions ____/ ____/ ____ _____6b Taste testing ____/ ____/ ____ _____6c Italian pasta ____/ ____/ ____ _____6d Swedish meatballs ____/ ____/ ____ _____

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A Close Look at MyPyramid for KidsBe Physically Active Every DayThe person climbing the stairs reminds you to do something active every day, like running, walking the dog, playing, swimming, biking, or climbing lots of stairs.

Choose Healthier Foods from Each GroupWhy are the colored stripes wider at the bottom of the pyramid? Every food group has foods that you should eat more often than others; these foods are at the bottom of the pyramid.

Make Choices That Are Right for YouMyPyramid.gov is a Web site that will give everyone in the family personal ideas on how to eat better and exercise more.

Eat More from Some Food Groups Than OthersDid you notice that some of the color stripes are wider than others? The different sizes remind you to choose more foods from teh food groups with the widest stripes.

Every Color Every DayThe colors orange, green, red, yellow, blue, and purple represent the five different food grops plus oils. Remember to eat foods from all food groups every day.

Take One Step at a TimeYou do not need to change overnight what you eat and how you exercise. Just start with one new, good thing, and add a new one every day.

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One of the dietary guidelines is to choose a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains. There are many different grains, including wheat, corn, rice, oats, rye, and barley. Each grain has four parts.• Husk - the outer covering that cannot be eaten.• Bran - outer layer that protects the soft insides; contains

fiber, B vitamins, and minerals.• Endosperm - largest inner part; contains starch and protein.• Germ - smallest inner part; contains fat, protein, B vitamins,

vitamin E, and minerals.

Foods such as white bread and macaroni are made from milled grain products. Milled means that the bran and germ from the grain kernel were removed. When the bran and germ are removed, many nutrients are also removed. To make up for this loss, bakeries sometimes add back the vitamins and minerals. When they do this, the label on the bread or baked goods will say “enriched.”

If you see a food labeled “whole grain,” the bran, endosperm, and germ are all included. Because nothing has to be added back to whole grain foods, they are a better source of the grain’s vitamins and minerals.

Next time you go to the grocery store, look for some whole grain foods. Go a step further and look at the ingredient lists of some foods in your cabinets. Look for these names: whole wheat, whole barley, whole oats, cracked wheat, graham flour, whole cornmeal. Now let’s bake up a batch of whole wheat lemon-banana muffins.

1. Spray a muffin tin pan with vegetable cooking spray. Set oven to 400ºF.

2. Stir the flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, and baking powder together in a large bowl and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, mix the buttermilk, eggs, oil, and grated lemon peel.

4. Pour this into the flour mixture and stir just enough to make the flour moist. Then fold in the chopped bananas.

5. Spoon batter into a muffin tin, filling each three-fourths full.

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until light brown. Cool. Serves 6.

1a. The gritty on grains

Supplies• 2/

3 cup flour

• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder• 3/

4 cup buttermilk

• 2 eggs• 2 tablespoons oil• 1/

2 teaspoon lemon peel, grated

• 3/4 cup banana, chopped

• vegetable cooking spray

Project skill:

Making whole wheat muffins

Life skill:

Processing information

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1. What was the most difficult thing about making muffins?

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2. What part of the grain kernel is in your muffins?

_______________________________________________

3. Describe how you can tell what is in a food product by

reading a label. ____________________________________

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4. How will reading the label affect what foods you will buy in the

future? _________________________________________

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FiberDietary fiber is a compound that is found only in fruits, vegetables, and grain products. It is present in two different forms, soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber helps the body get rid of waste and cleans out the digestive tract. Sources of insoluble fiber are whole wheat foods, cauliflower, green beans, root vegetables, and fruit skins. Soluble fiber is related to health concerns. It may lower blood cholesterol levels and help regulate blood sugar. Sources of soluble fiber are oats, peas, beans, apples, and oranges.

How much fiber do you need? For anybody younger than 20, the recommended number of grams is your age + 5. If you are 12, your daily recommended amount of fiber is 12 + 5 = 17 grams. It’s very easy to increase your intake of fiber. Make whole grains, fruits, and vegetables a part of your diet every day. At least twice a week, eat a meal that includes beans and peas. Start this and you will be on your way to making fiber a part of your everyday life.

Extra biteTry this twist of a snack. You’ll need:

• whole wheat tortillas • cut up lunch meat (ham, turkey, corned

beef, chicken)• cheese and any type of vegetables you want

Put your filling on the middle of the tortilla. Roll

up and microwave for 20-30 seconds. Enjoy!

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One of the dietary guidelines is to choose a variety of fruits and vegetables daily. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables provides vitamins, minerals, fiber, water, and other substances that are important for good health. Diets high in fruits and vegetables may lower the risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, and even cancer.

Maybe you’d rather eat vegetables raw than cooked. Try a raw marinated veggie salad for a change.

1. Choose the veggies you want in your salad. Slice, dice, shred, and prepare the raw veggies.

2. Combine the veggies in a large bowl. Toss gently to mix.

3. Pour the Italian dressing over the veggies and combine gently.

4. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator four hours or overnight. Turn occasionally.

1b. Here come the veggies!

Project skill:

Making a vegetable salad

Life skill:

Making healthy lifestyle choices

Supplies• 1/

3 cup commercial Italian or light

salad dressing• 4 cups of any combination of

veggies: - broccoli, broken into flowerets - cauliflower, broken into flowerets - carrots, sliced - celery, diced - mushrooms, sliced - water chestnuts, sliced - radishes, sliced - cucumbers, halved and sliced - olives, sliced - red and/or green peppers, cut

in strips - red cabbage, shredded

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1. How did you prepare your raw veggies?

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2. What combination of raw veggies did you choose?

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3. How can you use your raw veggie salad to help friends and fam-

ily make healthy lifestyle choices?

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4. What fruits and vegetables do you plan to eat tomorrow?

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Extra biteTry your hand at making a melon boat.

• Cut a melon in half.• Remove the seeds and scoop out balls of fruit. Set them

aside.• Carve the edges of the melon in a zig-zag pattern.

• Fill with the melon balls and other fruits you and your

family enjoy. (Try strawberries, blueberries, fresh pineapple chunks,

orange sections, grapes, pitted cherries, banana slices,

peach wedges.)• Sprinkle lemon juice over the fruits so they won’t brown.

• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready

to serve.

Dip it!In addition to making a raw veggie salad, you can make a dip for raw vegetables. Try this ranch-flavored veggie dip.

Supplies• 1 eight-ounce carton fat-free

dairy sour cream OR 1 eight-ounce tub cream cheese

• 1 eight-ounce carton plain fat-free yogurt

• 1 envelope ranch dry salad dressing mix

• cut up raw veggies of your choice

1. Put the sour cream or cream cheese, yogurt, and dressing mix in the bowl.

2. Stir together. If you are using cream cheese, beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

3. Serve with raw veggies.