The food was fake but the learning was real!

Juniors in Noelle Hartje’s health classes at Piscataway High School got a hands-on look at what it takes to build well-balanced meals. Using the "MyPlate" model and realistic food replicas, these scholars got a good dose of nutrition for their minds.

Small groups of students worked together to create 19 different meal and snack plates across 7 categories, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, vegetarian and vegan options, high-fiber snacks for energy, and healthy holiday and celebration meals. They took photos of their plates with their district-issued iPads to submit for credit, then returned the “food” to the “buffet” for their classmates to use.

Ms. Hartje also showed her students visual representations of how much sugar and fat are in different foods and drinks, so they could take that into account when preparing their plates.

By physically assembling these meals, our students are learning the art of portion control and how to diversify their diets for long-term health. We love seeing our students take charge of their wellness!