Ultra-Processed Foods…talk about a topic that is in the news regularly…this is it! To help students learn more about Ultra-Processed Foods, I’ve created a variety of activities around the topic including chat stations, a drag and drop food sort, a dilemma for students to investigate and even a flashslide and warning label follow-up. Pick and choose or do them all!

Set

• Begin by seeing what your students already know. One way to get them engaged, thinking and communicating is to assign Chat Stations.
• Divide your students into small groups and give them each a response form to record their answers. You can give each student a response form or one per group and rotate who records the answers. If rotating the recorder, then have students write their initials or names in the boxes they wrote based on the groups’ answers.
• Show students a prompt, one slide at a time, have groups discuss and record their answers. Once all have recorded answers on their form, move on to the next prompt. Repeat untill you’ve shown all the prompts.
• Now discuss their responses and work in the actual information if necessary. I’ve included a resource from the BBC where my answers were based.
• Explain to students that there are four levels of processed foods. They will learn more about the levels and the foods that fall into each category as they complete the Levels of Food Processing Sort Drag and Drop assignment, using linked resources.

Materials

• iPads or Laptops
• Projector & Screen
• Lunchable Labels (optional)
• Colored Markers or Pencils
• Scissors

Activities

• Now that students are familiar with ultra-processed foods and the levels, they are going to become food detectives.
• Introduce your students to the True Foods website which analyzes food products, gives a processing score and recommends healthier alternatives. You can show students all of this before assigning them a food.
• You will need to create a list of processed foods for your students to choose from as they complete the Food Detective Project using the website and their assigned food.
• After students have familiarized themselves with the website, assign them the Lunchables Dilemma. Just because Lunchable were pulled from the National School Lunch Programs doesn’t mean that parents aren’t still sending them in school lunches or providing them at home for meals and snacks.
• Introducs the dilemma by having students participate in the continuum. There is a continuum for individuals as well as small groups for you to choose from.
• For the Lunchable Dilemma assignment, you will need to have actual Lunchable Labels for students to access the nutrition information or use this Walmart link. You can use the Lunchable examples from the continuum or you can choose examples from the Walmart link for students to access the nutrition and ingredients link. Just note that sometimes product combos change and are no longer offered so be sure the examples you are using are still available.
• Once students have completed their investigation on Lunchables, they must conclude their findings by completing the FlashSlide with their final answer.
• Students quickly share their FlashSlides with the class which you can grade as they present, and see what the overall recommendations were to the dilemma.
• As a final and optional activity, have students create a warning label around the Lunchable they were assigned. After grading, the warning labels can be used to create a very interesting and informative bulletin board or wall display!

Attachments

• Chat Station Prompts
• Chat Station Response Form
• Ultra-Processed Foods BBC Resource
• Levels of Food Processing Food Sort_Drag & Drop
• Food Detective Project
• Lunchable Continuums: Individual & Small Group
• Lunchable Dilemma Case Study
• Luchable Dilemma FlashSlide
• Lunchable Warning Label