Nutrition Related Group Games

  1. The object of this game is to act out preparing a food or recipe. Either the teacher can act out the activity and the children can guess, or the children can do the charades. Here are some suggestions for charades:

    • Baking a Cake
    • Making a Salad
    • Making a Sundae
    • Popping Corn
    • Cleaning an Oven
    • Setting a Table
    • Peeling a Banana
    • Stuffing a Turkey
    • Washing Dishes

  2. The object of this game is for the students to correctly guess the ingredients, which make up a particular recipe. They may have eaten a variety of foods, but have little knowledge of the various food items that go into a particular recipe. Here are some examples of recipes that contain many ingredients. It is a good idea to write out the recipes in advance.

    • Chicken Soup
    • Baked Ziti
    • Tossed Salad
    • French Toast
    • Meatloaf
    • Lasagna

    Place a pot in the front of the room. Give each child a piece of paper and a pencil. Choose one of the foods above and ask the children to write down one ingredient he or she thinks goes into making that recipe. The teacher will ask each child to name the ingredient. If it is correct, they place their paper in the pot. After each child has given their ingredient, the teacher will tell the children if any ingredients are missing. If any are missing, ask the children to guess the missing ingredients. When the recipe is complete, the teacher can review the ingredients and discuss the preparation.

  3. One person is chosen to be "IT". The group stands in a circle. The person who is "IT" stands in the center, points to anyone in the circle, and names a food group (bread, fruit, vegetable, meat, milk). The person picked must name a food in that group within three seconds. If he or she cannot name a group, they sit down. As the games continues, the person who is "IT" must keep moving quickly around the circle. Children should take turns being "IT."

  4. In advance, make a list of paired food items. Write the name of each item on a 8x11 piece of paper. Here are some suggested pairs:

    • Bread and Butter
    • Corned Beef and Cabbage
    • Cheese and Crackers
    • Milk and Cookies
    • Icing and Cake
    • Hamburger and French Fries
    • Salt and Pepper
    • Spaghetti and Meatballs
    • Lettuce and Tomato
    • Rice and Beans
    • Peanut Butter and Jelly
    • Meat and Potatoes

    Gather all children with their backs facing the leader. Tape a sheet of paper onto each child's back so they do not know their own word. The child must try to find the person with the mate to his/her word by asking questions. No player can ask another what their word is.

  5. Line up an array of food items that have a variety of smells. Try to use at least one food from each group of the Food Guide Pyramid. For example:

    • Lemon Juice
    • Tomato Sauce
    • Hard Boiled Egg
    • Raw Onion
    • Green Pepper
    • Strawberries
    • Cheese
    • Salad Dressing
    • Tuna Fish

    Children have to close their eyes and try to guess what is in the cups by smelling. They then can talk about the food and name the food group it belongs in.

  6. Gather various food items such as:

    • Orange
    • Onion
    • Banana
    • Grapes
    • Apple
    • Lettuce
    • Garlic
    • Carrot
    • Peach
    • Pepper
    • Kiwi
    • Tomato

    Place each item in a separate small bag. Pass the bag around and have each child silently touch the item. Guesses can begin after all children have had an opportunity to touch each food.

  7. Tape a picture of a food item on the back of a child. He/she should not see what the food item is. The child turns around and shows the other children the picture. The child then has to ask questions of the group until he/she can guess what food is on his/her back.

Taken from "Healthy Heart Snack Choices," a facts sheet from the Cornell Cooperative Extension; Cornell University, Plainview, New York