Appendix 4: Additional Ideas for Intergenerational Nutrition-Related Activities

Family Meal Conversations:

• Winning Conversation Cards: This is a resource from the University of Wyoming to promote conversations during Family Mealtime. The Winning Conversation Cards are from "WIN the Family," "Wellness IN the Rockies" -- www.uwyo.edu/wintherockies

Shopping Together:

• Consider organizing an actual food shopping "field trip."
• Field activities such as scavenger hunts can be designed to deliver select food and nutrition content lessons.

Using Technology to Learn Together:

• Family members can work together to create nutrition trivia quizzes for other families.
• Work together to explore and use websites to help count calories and help make healthy food choices.

Farm-to-Table Activities:

• If the nutrition education program is conducted at a site that has access to fresh fruits and vegetables, here are some ways to draw attention to the virtues of fresh fruits and vegetables:

• Conduct taste tests to see is families can distinguish between freshly grown local produce versus older, perhaps pre-packaged produce.
• Include local produce items in snacks offered during program sessions.

Food Appreciation:

• Taste testing (blindfolded) -- can be done as a fun and friendly competition.
• Farm fresh vs. non-farm fresh fruits and vegetables
• Whole milk vs. low fat milk
• Distinguishing between multi-flavored jelly beans
• Other: (Use your imagination)

Learning about MyPlate
(USDA's Food Guidance System)

• Working alone or in small or large groups, participants can list and color in food that fit into each of the 5 segments of the MyPlate Coloring sheet (see Appendix 7).
• Discuss the 5 basic food groups, relative portions, etc.