Tasting Class: Pre-Kindergarten

Goal: To introduce students to fruits and vegetables and their health benefits

Objectives:
 Student will be able to identify a variety of fruits and vegetables and recognize that they help us grow
and stay healthy
 Student will be encouraged to try new fruits and vegetables.
 Students will touch, smell and taste at least one new fruit or vegetable.
 Students will have a chance to add movement to their day

Lesson Plan Outline:

BENEFITS OF FRUITS/VEGETABLES - Lesson 4, Pg 1
We have something very special to talk about and learn today. Show fruit and vegetable rainbow poster - Can
anyone tell me what types or foods are on this poster? That right fruits and vegetables! I love fruits and
vegetables because they are so tasty but they do other things for us:
 Does anyone know why we should eat fruits and vegetables? - They help our skin, give us
energy, keep us from getting sick, keep our bellies healthy, build strong bones, help us grow.
 Going color by color, ask student to identify the different fruit and veg that they see
 “All the colors of the rainbow help different parts of the body – eyes, skin, hair, healing from
cuts” (Can use other side of Eat like a Rainbow poster to show Super Color Shield to explain
how the different colors help in different ways)
 When you are healthy, you are strong and you can play for a long time. “It’s fun to be healthy!
Let’s say that together…It’s fun to be healthy!”
 Who here eats fruits and vegetables at home? What kinds?

PICKING A RAINBOW OF FRUIT AND VEGGIES – Adapted from Lesson 3, Pg 4

 “I brought my garden in with me today and I need help planting some fruits and vegetables, can
you help?”
 Lay out cardboard “garden” and hand out the “seeds” (laminated fruit and veg pictures)
 Have students “plant” a food (one student at a time) in the garden
 Ask students what they are planting. Is it a fruit or vegetable? What color? Have they eaten it
before? What do they taste like? What does it sound like when you eat it?
 How do you eat your fruit/veg? Smoothie? With yogurt? In a salad? With a sauce/dressing?
With dinner? With breakfast? As a snack? Dessert?

EAT LIKE A RAINBOW – Ribbon Dance

 Give each student a ribbon
 Explain that we are going to dance to a song that talks about how eating lots of fruits and
veggies is like eating the rainbow
 Ask them if they can think of any fruits/veg that match the colors of their ribbons
 Show students different ways they can move their ribbons

TASTING: Distribute one vegetable/fruit at a time before tasting, ask students how it smells, looks and feels.
When tasting ask how it tastes, and how it sounds when chewing it. Ask if they like it? If they do say, they are
taste champions. If they do not like them ask them to say that they “don’t like it yet” so there is time for them
to like it in the future.
  If they don’t like it, remind them that their taste buds change as they grow so they might like it next
time they try it
 If they don’t want to eat the food, ask them if they are willing to put it on their tongue
 Remind students to be polite if they do not like something, no “yuck’s” or “ew’s”

CONCLUSION
 Raise your hand if you are going to try to eat more fruits and vegetables
 Raise your hand if you are going to ask whoever takes care of you to buy more fruits and vegetables.
Which ones?
 Can you tell me why fruits and vegetables are good for us?
 What your favorite fruit/veg to eat?

MATERIALS:
 Eat like a Rainbow Poster
 Garden poster
 Laminated fruit/veg pictures
 CD and player, “Eat like a Rainbow”
 Ribbons
 Sliced fruits and vegetables
 Paper plates
 Gloves
 Napkins