1 of 4 NUTRITION

THE QUEST TO BE OUR BEST

VOYAGE TREK 1 Grade 7

The Path to Fruits and Veggies

Time Required: 

Three 40-minute sessions

Sample timing:

First Session – Investigate

Second Session – Challenge: Make a Plan

Third Session – Evaluate and Reflect

Supplies: 

Notebooks, pens, pencils, laptops or computers 

(optional), Student Printable: Reaching 

Produce Peak, graph paper or spreadsheet 

software.

Standards:*

Students will...

Science

•	Understand that energy is a property of many

substances and is transferred in many ways.

(National Academy of Sciences, Content

Standard B)

•	Understand that cells require nutrients, which

they use to provide energy for the work that

cells do and to make the materials that a cell 

or an organism needs. (National Academy of

Sciences, Content Standard C)

Math

•	Solve real-world and mathematical problems

involving the four operations with rational

numbers. (7.NS.3)

English Language Arts

•	 Conduct short research projects to answer a

question, drawing on several sources and

generating additional related, focused questions

for further research and investigation. (7.W.7)

*Sources: Science education standards: National Academy of 

Sciences, Math and English Language Arts education standards: 

Common Core.

Subject Focus: Science

Lesson Overview:

Do your students really know what “healthy eating” is? Most

middle schoolers can tell you that vegetables are good for

you and that cookies are not. However, they don’t necessarily

comprehend why that’s the case; how different foods affect their

bodies; and what food choices to make at school, home, and

when eating out.

In this lesson, students will use investigative questions to examine

their own eating habits and explore why fruits and vegetables are

integral to good health. Then, they’ll brainstorm ways to eat more

fruits and vegetables, and take part in a challenge to increase their

fruit and vegetable intake. By the end of the lesson, students will

understand the reasons fruits and vegetables are good for their

bodies, will have personal nutrition goals, and will take the first steps

toward a lifetime of good health—eating more fruits and veggies!

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to...

•	Set goals to eat more fruits and vegetables.

•	Describe why fruits and vegetables are part of a healthy meal

pattern, and set personal goals to include more of these foods 

in their diet.

•	 Explain the importance of choosing healthy foods and

beverages.

•	Define the terms “nutrient dense” and “calorie” as they relate

to food and beverage choices.

•	 Track and analyze daily fruit and vegetable consumption.

•	 Create a graph to represent data results.

Questions for This Trek

1.	 What are my current eating habits? 

2.	 What is a nutrient? How can

nutrients help me do what I like to 

do, but do it better?

3.	 What is a calorie?

Nutrition Voyage — The Quest To Be Our Best: Grade 7 http://teamnutrition.usda.gov

U.S. Department of Agriculture • Food and Nutrition Service • July 2012 • FNS-438-A • USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
1 Investigate

1. What are my current eating habits? Tell students they

are about to embark on an expedition. To begin, they

will use their notebooks as Food Journals to record 

everything they eat and drink for one day, including all

meals and snacks. Remind them to eat the same foods 

they would typically eat, and write them down. The

purpose of the activity will soon be revealed!

Help your students keep a Food Journal by offering the

following tips:

•	 What to write down. Students should keep track of 

everything they eat and drink in a day, including snacks,

dressing on a salad, butter on toast, and cheese or lettuce 

on a sandwich. Separate the entries by meal to keep the

journal organized.

•	 Organize! Suggest creating a table to keep information 

organized. For example, they may want to have the day

and date, “What I Ate” and “Amount” across the top row,

and a vertical column showing the time of day, such as

“Morning,” “Midday,” “Evening,” and “Snacks.”

•	 Measure amounts/portion sizes. Encourage students

to record amounts (for example: “1 apple” or “13 baby

carrots”). Students may use measuring cups and spoons

to measure their portion sizes of foods like cereal, rice,

and pasta. If they are not sure, they may estimate.

They may also wish to draw a picture of their plate, beverage,

or snack for each meal if there is room on the page.

Keeping a Food Journal

2. What is a nutrient? How can nutrients help me do 

what I like to do, but do it better? Ask students what 

they think the purpose of the assignment was. Explain

that they are embarking on a challenge to discover what

types of foods they are eating, and how often. Foods

provide the body with energy and nutrients that it uses to

grow and stay healthy. (See the Know Your Nutrients

box on the next page.) “Essential” nutrients are vitamins,

minerals, and other substances our body needs from

foods. Eating foods from each of the five food groups

(Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy) 

provides our body with the nutrients it needs to be

healthy. Did students eat from all five food groups each

day? Ask them to check their Food Journals. 

3. What is a calorie? Ask if students have ever heard the

term calorie. Calories are a measure of the energy that

	 foods give us to grow and play. We use energy from

foods to make our bodies work and for physical activity

like running and jumping. If we eat and/or drink more

energy (calories) than we use in physical activity and body

processes (like breathing and our heart beating), we store 

the extra energy as fat in our bodies.

	 Explain that to maintain a healthy weight, a person must

balance the calories he or she eats and drinks with the 

calories his or her body uses for physical activity and

body processes. A professional athlete, for example,

would need more calories because he/she is more

physically active. 

4. How do nutrients and calories fit together? Discuss 

how some foods and beverages are nutrient-dense. 

Nutrient-dense foods provide many essential nutrients,

such as vitamins and minerals, without many extra calories

from solid fats and added sugars. Vegetables, fruits, whole 

grains, seafood, eggs, beans and peas, unsalted nuts and 

seeds, fat-free and low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese, and

lean meats and poultry are nutrient-dense foods.

	 Explain that solid fats and added sugars add extra calories

to some foods and beverages. Solid fats are solid at room

temperature, like butter, stick margarine, chicken fat, and 

beef fat. Added sugars are those added to a food during 

preparation or processing, such as sugar added to make 

cakes and cookies. Foods high in solid fats and added 

sugars provide many extra calories.These foods are not

nutrient-dense, because the good-for-you nutrients have

been “diluted” by extra calories.

	 Foods high in solid fats include pizza, full-fat cheese,

sausages, and hot dogs. Examples of foods and

beverages with many added sugars include soda, energy

drinks, sports drinks, and candy. Some foods, like cakes,

cookies, some candy, and ice cream, contain many added

sugars and solid fats. Choosing nutrient-dense foods most

of the time helps us grow, be healthy, and feel our best.

5. Where are the solid fats and added sugars in the 

food and beverages I consumed?

Look for examples of nutrient-dense foods and extra

calories in students’ journals. Point out those foods that

contain solid fats and added sugars. Emphasize that

making healthy food choices can help

students look and feel their best.

TREK1 Grade 7 The Path to Fruits and Veggies / 2 of 4

Instructional Steps

Continue

U.S. Department of Agriculture • Food and Nutrition Service • July 2012 • FNS-438-A • USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Nutrition Voyage — The Quest To Be Our Best: Grade 7 http://teamnutrition.usda.gov
TREK1 Grade 7 The Path to Fruits and Veggies / 3 of 4

Know Your Nutrients Nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Briefly discuss how the body uses each of these nutrients:

Carbohydrates are the body’s main energy source.

Sugars and starches are forms of carbohydrates. Some

sugars are found naturally in foods like fruits and milk.

Other sugars are added to foods, such as the highfructose corn syrup in regular sodas. Most carbohydrates

are consumed in the form of starches, which are found in 

grains, beans and peas, potatoes, and corn. 

Proteins are nutrients the body uses to grow, repair itself,

and fight disease. Proteins also provide energy. Muscle,

skin, bone, and hair are largely made up of proteins.

Proteins are found in meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, nuts,

seeds, beans and peas, soy products, and dairy foods.

Fats serve as an energy source, promote healthy skin

and growth, and help the body absorb some vitamins.

Solid Fats are ones that are not liquid at room

temperature. Some common solid fats include butter, 

beef fat, chicken fat, pork fat, stick margarine, coconut 

oil, palm oil, and shortening. Foods high in solid fats 

include full-fat and whole dairy products, ground

beef, bacon, sausages, and many baked goods (such

as cookies, doughnuts, crackers, and pastries). Most

Americans eat too many solid fats, which provide extra

calories and few nutrients. Eating too many foods with

solid fats increases the risk of heart disease.

Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature. Some

common oils include canola, corn, olive, safflower,

soybean, and sunflower oils. A number of foods are

naturally high in oils, such as nuts, olives, some fish, and

avocados. Replacing solid fats in the diet with oils can

help keep the heart healthy.

Vitamins do not provide energy, but help to regulate

body processes such as metabolism, digestion, and

the immune system. Vitamins commonly found in food

include Vitamins A, C, D, E, and K, and the B vitamins (for

example: thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin).

Minerals include nutrients such as calcium, iron, potassium, 

and zinc. Some of these nutrients help the body regulate

processes, while some become part of body tissues.

2 Challenge: Make a Plan 

6. Introduce the Student Printable: Reaching “Produce 

Peak,” which helps students track the amount of fruits 

and vegetables they eat, with the goal of increasing that

amount over time. Help students use their Food Journals

to complete Day 1 of the chart. Ask: How often did at

least half of their meals consist of fruits and vegetables?

Did they eat any fruits or vegetables as snacks? How

many medals did they earn for the day?

Remind students: Fruits and vegetables are “nutrientdense” and contain nutrients like potassium, dietary fiber,

vitamins A and C, and folate. Most are low in fats and

calories, too. For a healthy expedition, make sure to fill half

your plate with fruits and veggies so you can do what you

like to do, but do it better! Moving forward, have students

use the Printable to track the amount of fruits and

	 vegetables they eat. Students gather medals when

50 percent or more of their plate contains fruits and/

or vegetables. A maximum of one bonus medal per day

is earned if they consume a fruit and/or vegetable as a

snack. If they try new fruits or vegetables, they receive a

bonus medal for each item they tried. Remind students

that deep-fried vegetables do not count (for example:

potato chips, French fries), and they may count 100%

fruit juice as fruit, but not sweetened fruit drinks.

7. Brainstorm ways to eat more fruits and vegetables. 

Divide students into four groups—breakfast, lunch, 

dinner, and snacks. Invite groups to brainstorm ways to

incorporate more fruits and veggies into their categories

so that at least half of each meal/snack consists of fruits

and vegetables.

Challenge Check-In

•	Check in midweek. Are students on their way to meeting their goals? Create a master spreadsheet

using chart paper or spreadsheet software to analyze the results.

•	Invite the breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack teams to regroup and brainstorm additional strategies 

for their categories. Students can discuss what has and hasn’t been working for them and share their

ideas with the class.

Continue

U.S. Department of Agriculture • Food and Nutrition Service • July 2012 • FNS-438-A • USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Nutrition Voyage — The Quest To Be Our Best: Grade 7 http://teamnutrition.usda.gov
8. Group share. Have the groups make posters or write

blog posts sharing their ideas and recipes. Encourage

groups to research and include foods that are new to 

them, especially in the Dark-Green Vegetables, Red 

and Orange Vegetables, and Beans and Peas

vegetable subgroups, which are generally

underconsumed. (For more ideas, visit: http://www.

choosemyplate.gov and select “Sample Menus and

Recipes.”)

9. Engage other classes! Invite students to challenge

another class to see which group can earn the most 

medals over the course of 1 week. If everyone in the class

were to make half of their plates fruits and vegetables

at every meal for the entire week, how many medals

would that be? Set that as a benchmark and encourage

students to set their own personal goals as well. 

10. At the end of the competition, have students tally

the total number of medals they have earned, both

individually and as a class. Then, compare: Which

class earned the highest total number of medals? Which

class earned the most medals for trying new fruits and

vegetables? Award nonfood prizes for each category,

such as allowing the class extra free reading time, the

opportunity to listen to music, or provide coupons for a

yoga class or an opportunity to use a rock-climbing wall,

if possible. Finally, throw a Fresh Foods Party to which 

students can bring in any new fruits and vegetables they

tried during the challenge to share with the class.

11. Record. Invite students to reflect on their own fruit and

vegetable intake in their journals. Prompt them with

questions in the following areas:

Personal insight: Did you meet your personal goals? How

did eating more fruits and vegetables make you feel?

What are your favorite fruits and vegetables, and how

can you eat more of them? What new ones did you try?

Energy level: Do certain foods boost your energy levels

while others don’t? How do you feel when you eat too

many sweets or drink too much soda?

Long-term impact: Are you inspired to keep looking

for ways to eat more fruits and vegetables? Why or

why not?

12. Share. Have a discussion during which students share

their reflections, challenges, and any further questions

they would like to explore.

TREK1 Grade 7 The Path to Fruits and Veggies / 4 of 4

Evaluate

4 Ref lect

End of Trek

Extension Ideas

•	Start a class blog to enable students to document and share what they’ve learned.

•	 Visit http://www.choosemyplate.gov and click on “SuperTracker & Other

Tools” in the top menu bar. Have students calculate the exact amount of fruits and

vegetables they need using the Daily Food Plan calculator or the SuperTracker.

•	 Have students compile their favorite vegetable and/or fruit-focused snack and

meal recipes into a classroom recipe book. Make copies for every student to bring

home to their families.

3

U.S. Department of Agriculture • Food and Nutrition Service • July 2012 • FNS-438-A • USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Nutrition Voyage — The Quest To Be Our Best: Grade 7 http://teamnutrition.usda.gov
NUTRITION

THE QUEST TO BE OUR BEST

VOYAGE TREK1 Grade7

Reaching Produce Peak

As you complete your Food Journal, track where you stand with 

your trek on the Path to Fruits and Vegetables! 

Review your Food Journal to see what you 

ate for each meal and snack. Estimate what 

percentage of each meal were fruits and 

vegetables (for example: 25 percent, 

50 percent ...). Color in the plate to show that 

percentage. Add in your snacks, and list any 

new foods you tried.

Example 50%

Now, review your filled-in “plates” 

for meals. Each time it is 50 percent 

or greater, give yourself a medal. 

You also earn a bonus medal if 

you have fruits or vegetables for 

snacks, and for each new fruit or 

vegetable you try! 

Example:

Breakfast

Lunch Dinner

Medals Earned

3

Fruit/veggie snacks: 

New fruits/veggies:

Start

 Be trek smart! 

In your quest to do your best, 

choose fruits and vegetables 

at meals and snacks.

Week Total

carrots

banana,

kiwi

Breakfast

Lunch Dinner

Medals Earned

Day 2

New fruits/veggies:

Fruit/veggie snacks: 

Day 3

Breakfast

Lunch Dinner

Medals Earned

Fruit/veggie snacks: 

New fruits/veggies:

Day 5

Breakfast

Lunch Dinner

Medals Earned

Fruit/veggie snacks: 

New fruits/veggies:

Breakfast

Lunch Dinner

Medals Earned

Day 6

Fruit/veggie snacks: 

New fruits/veggies:

Day 7

Breakfast

Lunch Dinner

Medals Earned

Fruit/veggie snacks: 

New fruits/veggies:

Day 1 Fruit/veggie snacks: 

Breakfast

Lunch Dinner

Medals Earned

New fruits/veggies:

Day 4

Fruit/veggie snacks: 

New fruits/veggies:

Medals Earned

Breakfast

Lunch Dinner

What I Ate