The first step to a Mindful Body is a lesson on Mindful Eating Habits. We eat to give our body energy to do all of the things we want to do. The food we eat, and the way we eat it, changes the way that our body works, including the way we think. Our body works together, so foods that are good for one part of the body will also help other parts of our body too. This is why it is important to have a balanced diet, because a balanced diet makes a balanced and Mindful Body. The Mindful Body runs best on healthy energy so that it can work its very best to help us do all the things we want to do.

What kinds of foods do you think give you healthy energy? How often do you eat these foods? Take a minute to think about this. You can write down your answers, or share with the class if asked by your teacher.

What kinds of foods probably don’t give you health energy? How often do you eat these foods? Take a minute to think about this. Your teacher might ask you to write your answers down or share with the class if you

A lot of the time, we think that healthy foods all taste gross, so we don’t want to eat them. There are a lot of ways to eat healthy in a way that tastes good too. Do you have any healthy recipes or foods that you really like?

Our activity today is to draw our favorite healthy food and write out how to make it (or where to get it) so we can share it with the class.

If there is enough time in class, your teacher might let everyone share their favorite healthy snacks and recipes out loud with the class. But remember, everyone likes different things, and it is okay for people to like foods that you might not like very much. The important part of this activity is to be respectful of everyone’s favorite healthy foods. You never know, you might actually like them if you try them!

Lastly, even though certain foods are very healthy on their own, they also have to work together with other healthy foods to make our Mindful Body. This is just like the body’s different parts have to work together all the time. This means eating fruits, veggies, grains, protein, and dairy (if you aren’t allergic) or something that gives you similar nutrients.

Student’s Tip: Try making one of the recipes you learned about today with your parents at home! One of the best ways to remember what you learned is to teach it to someone else.

Teacher’s Tip: Teachers might consider making a booklet of the recipes shared for the kids to take home. Teachers might also want to provide resources for learning about a balanced, healthy diet. A sample resource is choosemyplate.gov.