by Jorge Blackwood

Created on: June 11, 2010

The Food Pyramid has been around for a long time. From 1956 until 1992 the United States Department of Agriculture asserted that there were four basic Food Groups. The four basic food groups consisted of:

(1) meats, poultry, fish, dry beans, peas and eggs.

(2) Dairy Products such as milk and yogurt;

(3) Grains and wheat products

(4) Fruits and Vegetables.

Over time the food pyramid has been revised after research has been done to determine what foods are necessary for the health and well-being of children. Denmark revised their food pyramid in 1978 and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) adopted the same food pyramid   in 1992 which was formally called the “Improved American Food Guide Pyramid,” and thus replaced the earlier

food groupsclassification system.  The new classification consists of

(1)    Grains

(2)     Vegetables

(3)     fruits

(4)     Milk

(5)     meat& beans

(6)    Oils

The first category is Grains, and the pyramid suggests that kids eat at least three ounces of whole grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice or pasta every day. You can have your child participate in the preparation of a meal containing grains. Depending on the age of the child you can bake whole grain breads or muffins. Your child can help prepare other grains meals such as oatmeal cookies or hot oatmeal cereal.  With instant oatmeal packets kids can make that in the microwave oven. Kids can also assist in making rice cereal with milk and sugar.  Kids can also assist in making pasta meals such as macaroni and cheese or spaghetti or a noodle casserole.  

The second category is Vegetables and the pyramid suggests that kids consume more dark green vegetables, or orange vegetables or a variety of dry beans and peas. Cooking ideas for vegetables is fairly simple; you can have your child assist with the baking of carrot cake or muffins, zucchini bread. Tempura vegetables (which are vegetable pieces or slices coated with an egg and flour batter) such as carrots, broccoli, potatoes, green beans, onion rings to name a few.   

The third category is Fruits, and the pyramid suggests that kids consume a variety of fruits. These fruits can be fresh, frozen, canned or dried. Also the pyramid suggests that kids limit their intake of fruit juices. Cooking ideas for teaching kids about the food pyramid would incorporate

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