Sugar challenge (a tool to learn about healthier food choice)
Preparations
Works in a best way if real packages of food are used: soft drinks, confectionary, chocolate bars, protein bars. Additionally, simple sugar cubes are needed. Usually it’s enough to have 1-2 kilograms of sugar cubes to implement the exercise. Teacher must be acquainted with basics of nutritional value reading from food labels and know, which choice is better and why. Please use information presented on this page in the menu section “Shaping thoughts” “Healthy eating” menu item.
Purpose of use
Helps students and teachers to start observing his or her eating choice, to get peers’ offers and ideas for different food, to see good and bad examples, learn about better choice, become interested in changes of one’s own eating behaviour.
How to implement
Students are divided into groups of 4-5 persons. Each of the person has brought with him certain food package. Groups are supplied with some amount of sugar cubes. Certain time limit has to be set, for instance – 10 mins. Teacher devotes some time to discuss how general amount of sugar is calculated using label information and other information sources on the package. Teacher has to assure that each group has equal number of packages on their tables. When the start is given, groups begin calculating total amount of sugar cubes in each package and building sugar blocks from exact amount of sugar cubes next to each package. The group wins if it finishes the exercise first and the number of sugar cubes is correct. Teacher has to be the one to assure control. Smart phones are recommended to use to proceed calculations. Please find the pictures No. 5 demonstrating the example of the results of such exercise.
