How to Teach Younger Children About the Meat & Beans Group

The best way to teach young children about the meat and beans group is by example. When you eat healthy they will follow your example and will tend to want to try new foods to be healthy also. Young children can learn by doing, so provide them with a craft, a story and a song to engage them in an interesting activity as part of your lesson on the meat and beans group.

Things You'll Need

• Copy of food pyramid
• "Jack and the Beanstalk" book
• "Jack and the Beanstalk" coloring page
• Crayons
• Dried beans
• White glue
• Cardboard

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Instructions

• 1

  Serve lean meats, poultry and fish often. Vary the meat items that you offer young children. Add beans and legumes to their diet by preparing foods such as pea soup.

• 2

  Give the children a copy of the food pyramid, and briefly explain to them what all the different sections are in the pyramid and how it's important to incorporate plenty of meat and beans into your diet. Explain that the protein food group helps the body to repair and build muscles. Tell them that protein helps the body fight diseases and gives the body energy.

• 3

  Read the story of "Jack and the Bean Stalk." Give each child a coloring page of a bean stalk and crayons, and encourage them to color.

• 4

  Give each child a piece of cardboard, glue and beans of various colors. Encourage them to glue the beans onto the cardboard, creating a multicolored mosaic picture.

• 5

  Sing the song titled, "Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley Grow." Stand as you sing the song, and encourage them to act out the words to the song.