Lesson 9:

Making Healthy

Choices

TOTAL TIME REQUIRED: 150 minutes / 3 sessions

Session 1: Getting Started 10 min;

 Activity I “The Power of Choice” 

 40 min (Health/Science)

Session 2: Activity II “Fruit Imposters” 

 20 min (Health/Science);

 Activity III “Melon Fruit Salsa” 

 40 min (Health)

Session 3: Reflect 40 min (English Language Arts)

Key Message:

Make half your plate fruits and 

vegetables. Read the food label to 

make choices that are lower in solid fats, 

added sugars, and sodium (salt). 

Subject Connections:

Science, Health, English Language Arts

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to...

• Summarize a variety of nutritious food

 choices in the Fruit and Vegetable 

 Food Groups.

• Identify foods that are higher and lower in

 sodium, added sugars, and solid fats.

• Summarize the benefits of limiting the

 consumption of solid fats, sodium, 

 and added sugars.

• Differentiate between fruit drinks 

 and 100% fruit juice.

Supplies:

• 1 large mixing bowl, serving spoon,

 8-oz plastic cups, spoons, napkins

 (per student)

• Access to sink with warm, running water 

 and soap

• Garden Journals

• Student handouts (pp. 87-89):

 1. The Power of Choice

 2. Fruit Imposters

• Dig In! posters – All six of them

Featured Fruits and Vegetables:

Cantaloupe

Provide enough samples for tasting as 

required by recipe in sidebar on p. 59.

Additional Foods:

The recipe on p. 59 serves 12; adjust as 

needed: chopped melon, cucumber, green 

bell pepper, cilantro or fresh mint, lemon or 

lime juice. Optional: jalapeño pepper, wholewheat pita chips. Provide water (and cups) 

for students to drink as they taste the foods.

LESSON OVERVIEW:

In this lesson, students discover how solid fats, sugars, and sodium can be 

added to fruits and vegetables during processing and how to make informed 

and healthy choices. Students will prepare a Melon Salsa that tastes sweet 

without having any sugar added to it.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: How can I make a healthy choice? Which fruits and 

vegetables should I eat more of? How can I inspire others to make healthy 

choices too? 

TEACHING PROCEDURE:

GETTING STARTED (10 minutes)

1. Ask students to think about what makes certain foods healthier choices 

than others. Are there certain food choices within the Fruit and 

Vegetable Groups that people should eat more often than others? 

(For example, an apple versus an apple pie, carrot sticks versus onion 

rings fried in solid fat.)

2. Encourage students to consider what may happen to fruits and 

vegetables as they are processed. (Refresh from Lesson 8.) What sort 

of ingredients might be added to foods during this step? Let students 

hypothesize and suggest answers. The following activity will explore this 

further.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES 

Activity I. The Power of Choice (40 minutes, Health/Science)

1. Ask if anyone has heard of the term “calories.” Explain that calories are 

a measure of the amount of energy that the body gets from foods, just 

as grams and pounds are a measure of weight. Ask students if they can 

think of any ways the body uses the energy from food. (The body needs 

energy for processes like keeping your heart beating and digesting food. 

It also uses energy to fuel physical activity like running and jumping. Kids 

use energy for growth.) Explain that the body needs the energy it gets 

from foods and drinks to be healthy. But, when the body takes in too 

many calories (energy), it stores the calories as fat. Foods high in solid 

fats and added sugars are often higher in calories. Balancing the energy 

the body gets from food with the energy used in physical activity is 

important for keeping a healthy body weight.

56 Dig In! • Grades 5-6 • http://teamnutrition.usda.gov
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Serving Size 1 cup (228g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 250 Calories from Fat 110

 % Daily Value*

Total Fat 12g 18%

 Saturated Fat 3g 15%

 Trans Fat 3g 

Cholesterol 10%

Sodium 470mg 20%

Total Carbohydrate 31g 10%

 Dietary Fiber 0g 0%

 Sugars 5g 

Proteins 5g 

Vitamin A 4% • Vitamin C 2%

Calcium 20% • Iron 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. 

Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on 

your calorie needs:

 Calories: 2,000 2,500

Total Fat Less than 65g 80g

 Saturated Fat Less than 20g 25g

Cholesterol Less than 300mg 300mg

Sodium Less than 2,400mg 2,400mg

Total Carbohydrate 300g 375g

 Dietary Fiber 25g 30g

For educational purposes only. This label does not meet the labeling 

requirements described in 21 Code of Federal Regulations 101.9.

Servings Per Container about 2

30mg

LESSON 9

SERVING SIZE

LIMIT THESE NUTRIENTS

GET ENOUGH OF 

THESE NUTRIENTS

FOOTNOTE WITH

DAILY VALUES (%DV)

AMOUNT

 OF CALORIES

PERCENT (%)

 OF DAILY

 VALUE

2. Explain that every food group contains foods you should eat more of 

than others. Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories, added

sugars, and solid fats – which makes them healthy choices. However, 

sugar and solid fat is sometimes added to fruit and vegetable foods 

during processing or preparation. This can make these foods higher in 

extra calories that the body does not need.

3. Sugar is sometimes added to canned and frozen fruits and to fruit drinks. 

Ask students if they can think of any examples. (For example, sweetened 

applesauce, fruits canned in heavy syrup, or raisins with a candy coating.) You 

can find added sugars by looking at the ingredients list on the food package. 

Some other names for added sugars are: high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, 

sucrose, dextrose, fructose, lactose, maltose, honey, anhydrous 

dextrose, brown sugar, confectioner’s powdered sugar, and corn 

syrup. If one of those is listed among the first three ingredients, you can be 

sure that added sugar is a major ingredient. For canned fruits, look for fruits 

that are canned in 100% juice or water and not syrups. 

4. Solid fats, such as butter, lard, and shortening, are sometimes added 

when vegetables are prepared (such as frozen vegetables with sauces 

or cheese, or vegetables that are fried in solid fat like some French fries). 

Eating too much solid fat is not good for your heart.

5. Sodium, also known as salt, is often added to foods during processing. 

While the body needs some salt, almost everyone eats more salt than 

the body needs. Too much salt plays a role in high blood pressure, which 

makes it harder for the heart to do its job. Ask students if they can think 

of any processed vegetable foods that can be high in salt. (For example, 

soups, French fries, olives, canned vegetables, tomato juice.) When 

choosing canned vegetables, it helps to look for foods labeled “low 

sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”

6. Now that students know why it’s important to eat fruits and vegetables 

that are lower in solid fats, sodium, and added sugars, ask if they have 

any ideas on how they can make better choices. Accept all answers. 

If no one suggests reading the food packaging ingredients list or 

Nutrition Facts label, ask students if anyone has ever noticed and 

looked at one before (or if they recall it from previous lessons). Hold up a 

container of packaged food (for example, a can of soup), and point to the 

Nutrition Facts label and ingredients list. 

7. Next, distribute the handout The Power of Choice (pp. 87-88) 

and divide the class into pairs. Direct the class to look at the first label 

(Applesauce With Sugar). Invite students to share what information 

they notice and explain what they think it means. Can students identify 

any of the following from the label? 

Serving Size: Ask for students to look for the words “Serving Size” 

on the label. In this example, the serving size is 1/2 cup. How many 

servings would it be if they were to eat everything in the package? 

The information on the label is based on one serving. Explain that if 

they were to eat more, they would need to multiply the nutrient 

information by the number of servings they ate.

Dig In! • Grades 5-6 • http://teamnutrition.usda.gov 57
LESSON 9 Calories: Next, have students find the number of calories in a single 

serving of the sweetened applesauce and the unsweetened applesauce. 

Calories are a measure of the amount of energy the food provides. The 

sweetened applesauce has more calories than the unsweetened applesauce, 

because it contains added sugars, which add calories to the food. Ask 

students to look for sugars in the ingredient list. Note: Added sugars are 

not noted on the Nutrition Facts label, but can be found in the ingredients 

list. “Sugars” on the Nutrition Facts label reflects a combination of both 

added sweeteners, such as table sugar, as well as naturally occurring 

 sugars in the fruit or vegetable.

Solid Fats: Students can tell the amount of solid fats in the food by 

looking at the grams of saturated fat and trans fat on the label. These 

are two types of solid fats. For trans fat, look for foods that have 0g of 

trans fat. For saturated fat, the label also provides the percent daily 

value (%DV). The %DV is a number that tells you if there is a lot or a little 

of something in a serving of the food. A %DV of 5% or less is low; 20% 

or more is high. Choose foods that are low in saturated fat. 

Sodium: Have students find the %DV for sodium. Which foods 

are lower in sodium?

Activity II. Fruit Imposters (20 minutes, Health/Science)

1. Ask students to share foods they eat that are fruits or that they think 

contain fruit. Explain that not all foods with fruity names or pictures of 

fruit on their packaging actually contain real fruit. Some may have none 

or only a small amount of fruit. Such products may contain fruit flavorings 

that make them taste like a fruit, but they do not belong to the Fruit Food 

Group. These foods also tend to be high in added sugars. Ask students 

how they can spot these imposters. Allow students to share their ideas. 

2. Explain that they can look at the ingredients list to see if fruit is the first 

ingredient. If it is, that means the product contains more fruit than any other 

ingredient. The food label on beverages should note what percentage of 

the drink is actual fruit juice. Look for products that are 100% juice. 

3. Remind students that if a food has a sugar as one of the first three

ingredients, it is high in added sugars. These foods provide extra calories 

but few nutrients. One should limit eating such foods to every now and 

then; not every day.

4. Distribute the handout Fruit Imposters (p. 89). Have students work in 

pairs to identify the fruit imposters. They will need to study the labels and 

ingredients list. 

5. Ask students to share their findings. Which snack has the real fruit?

(Option 2) Which snack has the most added sugar? (Option 1) Which 

snack has the most calories per serving? (Option 1) 

EXTENSIONS

Lunch Line Promotions

Work with the cafeteria food service staff 

to add images and signs in the food line 

highlighting different fruits and vegetables.

Garden Ads

Create posters to display around the school 

promoting what’s growing in the garden, to 

inspire the rest of the school to try more 

fruits and vegetables. Include facts, colorful 

images or photographs of fruits and 

vegetables, and some favorite ways to 

eat them. It’s also a great way to spread 

the word about the garden to get 

support, and volunteers! ( p. 100)

Community Action

Visit other schools to allow for your 

students to peer-teach other students 

how to garden and how to eat more 

fruits and vegetables. Support your 

community by hosting a food drive 

focusing on fruits and vegetables to 

donate to a local food pantry or 

homeless shelter. Check to see if 

the pantry will accept donated 

produce from your garden.

IMPORTANT FOOD 

SAFETY STEPS! 

Please see p. 4 for a reproducible handout 

to post in a visible location in your classroom. 

It is important that you follow these steps to 

keep yourself, your students, and any 

parents or volunteers safe and healthy. 

Hand Washing:

All persons participating in the food 

preparation activity (teachers, students,

volunteers, parents) should wash hands

before and after preparing, handling, or

sampling foods. 

58 Dig In! • Grades 5-6 • http://teamnutrition.usda.gov
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LESSON 9 Activity III. Melon Fruit Salsa (40 minutes, Health)

 *Allergy Alert! See p. 2 for more information on food safety 

and allergies before starting this food preparation activity. 

Prepare: Collect, wash, and chop ingredients for Melon Fruit Salsa recipe 

(see sidebar). Adapt amounts to suit class size (serves 12). Provide ingredients in 

separate bowls, but have a large bowl (enough to accommodate at least 3 cups) 

to mix the salsa in, along with a large spoon. Serve recipe to students in small 

plastic cups with spoons and with whole-wheat pita chips.

1. Tell students that they will get to prepare and taste a simple recipe 

 featuring cantaloupe (or any other melon growing in the garden). 

2. First, have Garden Teams assist you in collecting melons or ripe fruit from 

 the garden, along with any herbs, that are ready for harvest. ( p. 105)

3. Next, have students wash their hands following proper procedures 

(see p. 5). Offer a few pieces of melon for students to taste and invite

them to write their observations in their Garden Journals. Prepare the

melon recipe by chopping up and deseeding the melon and other

ingredients in advance and then ask for student volunteers to combine 

the ingredients following the recipe (see sidebar).

4. Scoop 1⁄4 cup of the melon salsa into individual cups for each student

to enjoy. Ask students to comment on the flavors of the herbs 

and other ingredients and how they enhance one another without 

the need for added salt or sugar.

REFLECT (40 minutes, English Language Arts)

1. Have students revisit the Fuel Up With Veggies ... and Zoom 

to the Finish (p. 76, Lesson 4) and re-track their eating habits 

for 2 days. Ask students to reflect in their Garden Journals on 

their journey with fruits and vegetables. Ask: Have your habits 

changed? Do you eat more fruits and vegetables at meals? What 

were your biggest obstacles in trying new vegetables or fruit? How 

did you overcome them? 

2. In what other ways can students continue to inspire healthy change 

and plant good ideas throughout their school? What tips can they 

share with their friends, family, and community? Have students 

write their ideas then share them with the rest of the class.

GARDEN HARVEST

The best part about planting 

fruits and vegetables is harvesting 

and eating them! Have your 

Garden Teams check the fruit and 

vegetables growing in the garden to 

see if any of them are ready to 

harvest. ( pp. 104-105) Use them 

in the melon tasting activity. 

DIG DEEPER!

Study the packaging for a fruit-flavored drink 

or snack. Ask students to reflect and report 

back about any imagery or text on the package 

that may mislead someone to think the product 

contains fruit or 100% fruit juice. Remind 

students to look at the ingredients list and 

Nutrition Facts label to see what a product 

actually contains and how healthful it is.

Look for food advertising at school. How 

do your students think the ads influence food 

choices? How can fruits and veggies be 

promoted at school?

Recipe

Melon Fruit Salsa

Serves: 12 as a snack

Serving Size: 1⁄4 cup

 Note: Check p. 2 for Important Food 

Safety Steps and Allergy Reminders.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes 

Serves: 12

Serving Size: 1⁄2 cup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups honeydew, cantaloupe, or watermelon, 

 seeded, chopped 

• 1⁄2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped

• 1⁄2 cup green bell pepper, seeded, chopped

• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or mint, chopped

• 1⁄4 cup lemon or lime juice

• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely chopped 

 (optional, as it adds spice)

• 3 cups whole-wheat pita chips (optional)

Directions: 

1. In a medium-size bowl, stir together all ingredients.

2. Taste and season with lemon or lime juice. 

3. Serve alone or with whole-wheat pita chips.

Supplies:

• 2 baking pans

• spatula

Dig In! • Grades 5-6 • http://teamnutrition.usda.gov 59