At a time when obesity is an epidemic, it is crucial to teach children to eat healthy. The food pyramid was designed to provide an easy and effective way for the public to learn to eat in a healthy manner. Lately, the food pyramid has gone through various revisions. Luckily one revision has provided a specific food pyramid for children.

The food pyramid for children is based on colors that stand for food groups. Spend time teaching children the importance of each food group by designing fun activities. Use your creativity to inspire children to appreciate the importance of eating healthy. You can also consider using some of the ideas below:

Daily Pyramid Tracker
Create a food pyramid sheet that shows each food group for each child. Laminate the sheet. After each meal, allow the child to cross off the number of servings of each food group that he ate.

Grocery Game
While grocery shopping, allow children to select the food for certain food groups. For instance, let the child pick all of the fruit at the grocery store. This will allow the child to become familiar with different food groups.

Pyramid Snacking
Encourage children to take ownership of healthy choices by picking snacks that are within the food pyramid.

Food Knowledge
Before each meal name a food category and ask a child to name a food within that group. For example, you could say grains and the child would respond bread. This repetition will allow the child to learn the food groups.

Draw a Food Pyramid
Allow children to draw a food pyramid with their favorite foods categorized in each food group. You can hang this in their room to remind them of healthy things to eat.

Play I Am Eating A Healthy Meal
Start out by saying, "I'm going to eat a healthy meal and I am taking" Then you name a type of food and its category from the food pyramid. The next person will have to say everything that you said and add another type of food and category. A sample turn could go like this: "I am going to eat a healthy mean and I am taking an apple because it is a fruit." The next person would say, "I am going to eat a healthy meal and I am taking an apple because it is a fruit and a carrot because it is a vegetable."

Pyramid Chef
When cooking engage children by allowing them to cross off the different food groups that are used in the recipe. This will encourage both you and the child to pick healthier meals.

Build a Food Pyramid
Use a triangular pattern to make a pyramid that is three-dimensional. Allow the child to draw the food pyramid on the blank pyramid.

Little Pyramid Chef
Allow children to make healthy recipes from different ingredients on the food pyramid. Some ideas are peanut butter apples, banana nut muffins, and stew.

Write a Story
Children are extremely imaginative. Give children sheets of paper to write stories about eating correctly by using the food pyramid as their resource. Take time to share each story.

Grow A Garden
Encourage children to like fruits and vegetables by allowing them to grow a garden. If you do not have room outside, you can place seeds of their favorite food or vegetable in a plastic cup.

Online Resources
There are various websites (including the website at the United States Government of Agriculture) that provide activities for children. Since websites change continuously, they are not specifically listed here. However you can search for the terms "food pyramid activities for kids" to find more resources.

Learn more about this author, Shirley Glaze.
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