We try to encourage healthy eating with our students, but what does that actually look like? Nutrition lesson plans for high school students help to empower long-term healthy lifestyles that go past being able to recite the food pyramid for a test. Nutrition education is about the long-term benefits we can instill with our students.
Physical education aims to address the total health and wellness of students. Part of living a complete healthy lifestyle is understanding nutrition! Therefore, teachers seek to help students understand nutrition information so that they can make healthy food choices.
You might find a worksheet or two, but you want more than a few printable posters to hang in your gymnasium! That’s where finding nutrition activities for high school students that put together the complete picture of nutrition can be challenging!
Nutrition curriculum for high school students is about balancing science and real-world application. At the high school level, students can begin to explore:
We might be eager to jump right into food groups, dietary guidelines, and balanced diets, but we need to progress students through comprehensive nutrition lesson plans just like we do in any other topic or subject.
This E-book comes fully loaded with written and video lessons covering calories, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Starting with chemistries can be an excellent place to begin for any high school student. We can take a three-part approach with nutrition activities for high school students.
1) Written & Visual Materials: This is where students can get the more traditional nutrition education you might be familiar with. You can hand this portion out as a worksheet.
2) Video Resources: There are many gray areas and questions that come up for high school students when we talk about nutrition. This portion allows students to hear a nutrition expert talk about it and answer frequently asked questions.
3) Chapter Questions: A great way to make nutrition education interactive! Paired discussion questions that support the written and video resources can be used in various ways. For example, you can assign these questions for small groups or class discussions or ask students to submit their answers.
Here are four nutrition lesson plans for high school that introduce calories, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that you could use with your students in class!
Calories are not evil, and they do not need to be avoided. In fact, calories are essential because they are what our bodies convert to energy. In our previous lesson, we talked about what happens when bodies don’t get enough energy. But where IS the energy in food?
There are four chemistries (or types) of calories, and they may sound familiar – carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and alcohol. The first three chemistries are necessary for human health, but the last (alcohol) is not.
These chemistries are not exactly the same as the food groups we were taught when we were younger. Any given food (and food group) can be a combination of energy chemistries.
Looking at food in terms of chemistry instead of food groups is a little complicated at first. But it helps us understand foods that don’t fit cleanly in a food group (e.g., pizza).
And it allows us to get past “good” or “bad” food. Instead, we can look at a food’s chemistry and better predict how it will impact performance and health.
What our body sees when we eat?
Bodies don’t recognize food groups. When we eat a banana, our body doesn’t say, “Ah-ha! A fruit!”
Instead, it sees carbohydrates in the form of sugar, starch, and a little fiber. It also sees a little protein and fat, as well as a slew of vitamins and water.
Here are a few examples of the the energy in our food:
-Fruits: Water + carbohydrate (sugar, starch, fiber)
-Vegetables: Water + carbohydrate (little starch, mostly fiber)
-Beans / Lentils : Carbohydrate (starch, fiber) + protein + little fat
-Meat / Eggs / Fish: Protein + fat
-Grains: Carbohydrate (starch + some fiber) + some protein + little fat
-Milk/Yogurt: Water + Carbohydrate (sugar) + protein + fat
How many calories do we need?
Now that we have an understanding of “what” calories are, how do we figure out how many to consume? The human body has a wide range of energy needs so it’s difficult to put an exact number on it.
There are formulas and general recommendations, but there can be huge variances based on sex, age, height, muscle mass, and physical activity intensity and duration. Even factors like what we eat, how often we eat, and our mental health can impact energy needs.
But in general, boys between the ages of 13-19 need at least an average of 2000-3000 calories per day, and girls ages 13-19 need at least an average of 1600-2400. But it’s not uncommon for active, growing bodies to need more, and there can be tremendous day-to-day swings in energy needs based on activity.
There’s also nothing magical about the number. Bodies are incredibly flexible, and can easily adapt to increased and decreased intake without changing the body itself.
How do we assess if we are eating too little or too much? How do we do this in an easy and straightforward way that we can apply to our daily lives? In our next lesson, we will explore ways to listen to the body to determine our energy needs.
1: What are the 2 major classifications of nutrients?
2: Name at least 5 things that influence a person’s energy needs?
3: On average, how many calories do people need?
4: Name at least 3 signs of not getting enough energy?
5: What’s the primary indicator of someone’s body size?
6: How much does a person’s body weight change on average between the beginning of the day and end of the day?
7: What are at least 3 of the behaviors that might drive someone to eat beyond what their body needs?
8: What are at 2 signs of mild to moderate hunger?
9: What are 2 signs of extreme hunger?
Before we dive into the wide world of carbohydrates, let’s make sure we have a clear definition of what they are.
Popular culture refers to things like grains and sugars as carbs. However, carbohydrates refer to the chemistry that make up any plant-based food. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and sugars are all made of carbohydrates.
When we talk about carbs, we are referring to the chemistry of the food (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen).
All carbs are created from sugar molecules (glucose, fructose, galactose). What changes between the types of carbohydrates (sugar, starch, and fiber) are the number of molecules, and the complexity of the bond between the molecules, making them easier or harder to break apart.
As those molecules bind together in various ways, they form compounds we are more familiar with. These include things such as starch (found in potato, grains, corn, etc.), fiber (something we can’t digest), sugars (found in milk, yogurt, fruits and sweeteners like honey, syrup, cane sugar).
What They Do For Us?
There is a lot of confusion and concern about carbohydrates these days. So before we get any further, let’s be clear: Carbohydrates are not evil!
Carbohydrates are the perfect package of nutrients for the body and provide many benefits such as:
1) Energy – Our body can quickly break down and use energy from carbohydrates to think and move. Fat and protein take more time and effort, making them a lower quality fuel source. Our brain alone uses around 400 calories of carbohydrates per day (or approximately 120 grams).
2) Fiber – Found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Fiber cannot be digested. It keeps us regular in the bathroom, prevents disease, and stabilizes energy. It also keeps us fuller longer. Beneficial for gastrointestinaI health, disease prevention, and feeling fuller longer. You cannot get fiber from animal-based foods. Fiber, by definition, is a type of carbohydrate.
3) Antioxidants – Prevent against free radicals that can cause disease. You won’t find antioxidants in animal-based foods.
4) Protein – Plant-based proteins can meet all of our protein needs without the need to eat meat, but have to be appropriately paired for good nutrition (more on this in the protein chapter)
5) Vitamins and minerals – Carbohydrates provide a wide variety of nutrients, including b-vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin) used to convert food to energy and support our nervous system, calcium for our bones, iron to support oxygen transport in the blood, and folate to help us produce red blood cells.
Carbohydrates = Energy
As you can see, at the top of the list is the energy we can get from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the preferred fuel source for the body. Ideally, people should have at least 50-75 percent of their daily energy needs from carbohydrates – a mixture of fruits, vegetables, and grains.
When we eat something with carbohydrates, whether it’s a fruit, grain, vegetable, or sweetener like sugar, our body can quickly break down the molecules of carbohydrates and turn them into blood glucose (aka blood sugar).
The blood glucose is then transported to the muscles, brain, and vital organs to convert to energy (or ATP). Any unused glucose gets stored for later, and when those storage spots are full, it can convert it to body fat for later use. In other words, energy now, and energy for later.
MYTH BUSTING: Before anyone panics when they see body fat, let’s dispel another myth. The myth that carbs convert to body fat more than other nutrients is not true. Our body is constantly putting nutrients in and out of storage. It never “throws” them away. This is a natural and normal part of human physiology and not something unique to carbs and blood glucose. They are NOT more likely to become body fat than any other nutrient.
Different Types of Energy:
One of the benefits of carbohydrate-rich foods is that they can give you energy quickly. So if you’re trying to fuel up to train, study, or go about your day, carbohydrates should be the food of choice.
The downside is that because carbohydrates are digested and absorbed quickly when we eat a meal that is purely carbohydrates, we tend to feel hungry sooner. Conversely, when we eat foods with more protein and fat, we feel fuller longer, as these take longer to break down.
For example, a plate of pasta with salad is filling, but it likely won’t keep you full as long as a plate of pasta with chicken and salad.
Sugars provide energy the fastest. However, because sugar is broken down and absorbed quickly, it leaves us looking to replace energy faster than when we consume starch. If we add fiber to the equation, we get even more sustainable energy. Add protein and fat, and we get the most sustainable energy.
However, you don’t need chemistry to explain that to you. You can feel the difference when you drink a can of soda vs. eating a turkey sandwich. Both have the same carbohydrate content, but where those carbohydrates comes from, and what it’s paired with, makes all the difference.
What Comes Next?
As you can see, there is a lot of overlap when it comes to talking about carbohydrates. Hopefully, you can see that carbs are good for us, and provide us energy to fuel our lives. The next question that almost inevitably follows, is how to decipher between “good” and “bad” carbs?
So, let us be clear. Carbohydrates are not “good” or “bad” – they’re just different chemistries with different purposes. Instead of looking at carbohydrates as good and bad, you will notice that we have talked a lot about sugar, starch, and fiber.
In our next chapter, we will break down the three types of carbohydrates in more detail. We will talk about where to find them, and what they do for us! Understanding the chemistry allows you to better plan and balance your meals for health and performance.
1:What are the main types of carbohydrates?
2: Which food groups contain carbohydrates?
3: What functions do carbohydrates serve in the body?
Protein is the second nutrient we’ll explore on our nutrition journey. Recall that we started by understanding the importance of nutrition for growing bodies and unpacked some of the ways our body communicates its needs.
From there, we explored the idea of energy – what it is and where it comes from. We took a deep dive into the body’s primary energy source – carbohydrates. And now it’s time to figure out what’s up with protein.
Does it live up to the media hype? Like the other macronutrients (carbohydrates and fat), our body uses protein as energy. But it’s valuable for other functions as well. Additionally, depending on where you get your protein, there are some considerations for your daily routine.
Where It’s Found?
Remember that when we talk about “protein,” we’re not just talking about food groups. We are talking about the chemical compounds found within foods.
Protein can be found in animal-based foods like beef, chicken, pork, fish, eggs, yogurt, milk, and cheese.
Protein can also be found in plant-based foods like nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, tempeh, and tofu. Lastly, grains like oatmeal, quinoa, wheat, and rice have protein as well, albeit smaller amounts.
What It Does?
Protein is a crucial nutrient for humans that goes beyond energy. Proteins are made of chains of amino acids. Amino acids are often called the building blocks of life – and for a good reason.
Our bodies break down those chains and use the amino acids to support growth and development, biochemical reactions, the immune system, and neurological functions. Amino acids also transport nutrients, send biochemical messages, create structures, and repair muscles.
If we don’t get enough protein over time, humans can develop a serious condition called “protein-calorie malnutrition.” In our modern world, it’s not common unless someone is severely restricting their food or avoiding all protein sources. But in developing countries where food is scarce, it’s more common.
While protein is important, protein has been glorified beyond what’s needed for health and performance. Most people in the United States get more protein than they need each day.
How Much We Need?
Protein needs are personally driven, and are typically based on weight, age, as well as the type, intensity, and duration of the training you do.
For those who are inactive, the recommendation from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) is around .8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram (.3 to .5 grams per pound).
For those who are active, ISSN notes that needs often increase to 1.4 to 2 grams per kilogram (.6 to .9 grams per pound) to support repair.
Those who are more intensely active or doing intense power or strength training, tend to be on the higher end of the scale. Needs also might fluctuate day to day, and season to season depending on training.
To put that in perspective, a 150-pound athlete would need between 90 and 150* grams of protein per day. It’s possible to get that from food depending on appetite needs and food availability.
Let’s break that down further, meal by meal:
Breakfast – 1 cup greek yogurt (12 grams)
Snack – 2 eggs (14 grams)
Lunch – 1 cup beans (15 grams) with 4 oz chicken (28 grams)
Snack – 1 cup greek yogurt (12 grams)
Dinner – 4 oz chicken (28 grams)
= approximately 96 grams
Simply add three, 8 oz glasses of milk (7 grams of protein), and you’ve got another 21 grams of protein pretty easily.
Health Benefits Of Protein Rich Foods:
There are 21 amino acids that are the building blocks of life. Nine of those amino acids are called “essential” because our bodies cannot make them and therefore they must come from our food. When we eat an animal source of protein, we get all of the essential amino acids within that food – no questions asked.
When we eat an animal source of protein, we get all of the essential amino acids within that food – no questions asked.
However, plants do not contain all of the essential amino acids in one package. Instead, different plants have different packages of amino acids. To get everything you need, you have to pair proteins for the full package.
For example, when we eat beans along with a grain such as rice, we get two different subsets of amino acids. Similarly, peanut butter on bread would provide the right combination of different amino acids for your body.
However, amino acids are not the only benefit of protein-rich foods. There’s also a wealth of nutrients in protein-rich foods in varying amounts. These include:
-Iron for oxygen transport
-Vitamin B12 for our nervous system and red blood cell production
-B-vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6) provide a variety of functions in metabolism as well as our nervous system
-Magnesium helps build bones and supports muscle function
-Zinc can support your immune systems
In addition to vitamins and minerals, most animal sources of protein also contain fat, in the form of saturated fat. Fat is an essential nutrient for human health as it supports hormone development, and provides flavor and satisfaction.
Saturated fat however, in large amounts, over a long period of time, is not great for heart health. That doesn’t mean animal proteins need to be avoided. It’s a matter of balancing higher fat protein options (bacon, sausage, ribs, hot dogs) with leaner options (chicken, turkey, fish, eggs). We’ll learn more about the types of fat and how they support the body in the next module.
1: Which food groups contain protein?
2: How does protein support the body?
3: How much protein do we need?
4: What are the missing / limited nutrients in a plant based diet?
People often misunderstand fat in our food. Just like the other macronutrients (carbohydrates and protein), our body uses dietary fat for energy, but it also supports our health in surprising ways. And just like the other nutrients, depending on where you get your fat, there are some important things to know.
People often misunderstand fat in our food. Just like the other macronutrients (carbohydrates and protein), our body uses dietary fat for energy, but it also supports our health in surprising ways. And just like the other nutrients, depending on where you get your fat, there are some important things to know.
What Is Fat?
Dietary fat is found in varying amounts in most foods – plants and animals. Just like carbohydrates, there are subcategories or types of dietary fats – unsaturated fats, saturated fats, and trans fats.
Unsaturated fats can be further divided into more subcategories (see chart). What’s important to know is that the chemical structure of each is different and as a result, have varying impacts on the body.
Why Do We Need It?
Your body uses fat for a variety of functions – regardless of what type we eat. Dietary fats are a dense source of energy for the body – a small volume contains a large amount of energy. But fats are tough for the body to digest and turn to energy, so they’re not an ideal fuel source if you need energy quickly.
Beyond energy, fats of all types serve important functions such as:
-Transport, absorb, and store vitamins A, D, E, and K
-Contribute to sex hormone production and corticosteroids
-Form the outer layer of every cell on our body (aka, the phospholipid bilayer)
-Reduces inflammation in the body which helps recover from sport (Omega 3 fatty acids – a type of unsaturated fat)
-Form much of the brain
-Taste amazing and help us feel satisfied
-Takes long to digest so we feel fuller, longer
Where It’s Found?
Fats are found in plant and animal foods. In general, the fat found in any given food is not just one type. For example, food is rarely pure unsaturated fat. Instead, it’s a combination of saturated and unsaturated sources.
Plant fats and fish fat tend to contain more unsaturated fats. Examples include nuts, seeds, olive oil, olives, avocado, salmon, tuna.
Animal fats and tropical plants tend to have more saturated fat. Examples include beef, pork, chicken, cheese, cream, coconut oil, palm oil.
Trans fats are unique. They are made of “partially hydrogenated” oils. They are not naturally found in foods.
Humans created them years ago to improve the texture and shelf life of processed foods like cookies, cakes, peanut butter, as well as some fried foods. Most trans fats have been removed from our food system, but here and there, you find a few companies still using partially hydrogenated oils.
What Do The Types Matter?
The human body needs dietary fat, but it prefers a balance of fat types for our overall health. When too much of our dietary fat comes from saturated and/or trans fat, it can impact our heart health in the future, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes for some people.
In general, most of the fat we eat each day should come from plants and fish or “unsaturated” sources. It’s completely ok to have saturated fats, but it’s best to keep them a bit smaller part of what we eat.
Trans fats have no benefit for the human body and have been shown to be harmful in large amounts. It’s best to avoid them when possible, but understand that a little now and again won’t harm you.
How Much Do I Need?
The amount of fat you need each day varies based on how much energy you need overall. As you recall from previous articles, daily energy needs change a lot depending on height, weight, age, physical activity, and so much more. Tracking and/or limiting what you eat based on precise numbers is not recommended, as it’s very difficult to predict changing needs.
Our body (and health) care more about the average of what we eat over time – not daily perfection. It’s better to follow your personal cues (link to article about that).
But if you must have a number, in general, the guideline is that 25% of your daily energy comes from fat. For someone eating around 2000 calories per day, that’s approximately 55 grams of fat in total from unsaturated and saturated fats. Ideally, saturated fat is 5-6% of total energy or around 13 grams.
Again, those are not hard and fast rules. That doesn’t mean if you’re above or below these numbers, something will happen to you. Instead, it’s a reference point.
But one way in which the numbers can be helpful is when you look at the food label. Often seemingly “healthy” foods can be very high in saturated fat depending on how it was made.
For example, you pick up a bag of chocolate-covered dried bananas – sounds amazing, right? You might assume it would give your body more nutrition than a cookie while still satisfying that sweet tooth.
When you looked at the label though, you are shocked to see that a tiny serving had over 20 grams of saturated fat! That’s when you notice the bananas were fried with palm oil. So in that instance, you are better off enjoying a cookie than the deceptive health product. Tricky!
It’s much easier to think about fat in terms of food balance. In general, the goal is to try to choose plant or fish fats more often than animal fats while not relying too much on fried foods and processed foods for your energy each day.
Tips to add more unsaturated fats to your routine:
-Enjoy a handful of nuts/seeds between meals
-Add nuts/seeds to meals (yogurt, salads)
-Add avocado to sandwiches and salads
-Add a side of guacamole to snack/meals
-Use guacamole instead of mayo on sandwiches
-Enjoy salmon occasionally
-Enjoy tuna salad sandwiches
Dietary fat is found in varying amounts in most foods – plants and animals. Just like carbohydrates, there are subcategories or types of dietary fats – unsaturated fats, saturated fats, and trans fats.
Unsaturated fats can be further divided into more subcategories (see chart). What’s important to know is that the chemical structure of each is different and as a result, have varying impacts on the body.
Why Do We Need It?
Your body uses fat for a variety of functions – regardless of what type we eat. Dietary fats are a dense source of energy for the body – a small volume contains a large amount of energy. But fats are tough for the body to digest and turn to energy, so they’re not an ideal fuel source if you need energy quickly.
Beyond energy, fats of all types serve important functions such as:
-Transport, absorb, and store vitamins A, D, E, and K
-Contribute to sex hormone production and corticosteroids
-Form the outer layer of every cell on our body (aka, the phospholipid bilayer)
-Reduces inflammation in the body which helps recover from sport (Omega 3 fatty acids – a type of unsaturated fat)
-Form much of the brain
-Taste amazing and help us feel satisfied
-Takes long to digest so we feel fuller, longer
Where It’s Found?
Fats are found in plant and animal foods. In general, the fat found in any given food is not just one type. For example, food is rarely pure unsaturated fat. Instead, it’s a combination of saturated and unsaturated sources.
Plant fats and fish fat tend to contain more unsaturated fats. Examples include nuts, seeds, olive oil, olives, avocado, salmon, tuna.
Animal fats and tropical plants tend to have more saturated fat. Examples include beef, pork, chicken, cheese, cream, coconut oil, palm oil.
Trans fats are unique. They are made of “partially hydrogenated” oils. They are not naturally found in foods.
Humans created them years ago to improve the texture and shelf life of processed foods like cookies, cakes, peanut butter, as well as some fried foods. Most trans fats have been removed from our food system, but here and there, you find a few companies still using partially hydrogenated oils.
What Do The Types Matter?
The human body needs dietary fat, but it prefers a balance of fat types for our overall health. When too much of our dietary fat comes from saturated and/or trans fat, it can impact our heart health in the future, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes for some people.
In general, most of the fat we eat each day should come from plants and fish or “unsaturated” sources. It’s completely ok to have saturated fats, but it’s best to keep them a bit smaller part of what we eat.
Trans fats have no benefit for the human body and have been shown to be harmful in large amounts. It’s best to avoid them when possible, but understand that a little now and again won’t harm you.
How Much Do I Need?
The amount of fat you need each day varies based on how much energy you need overall. As you recall from previous articles, daily energy needs change a lot depending on height, weight, age, physical activity, and so much more. Tracking and/or limiting what you eat based on precise numbers is not recommended, as it’s very difficult to predict changing needs.
Our body (and health) care more about the average of what we eat over time – not daily perfection. It’s better to follow your personal cues (link to article about that).
But if you must have a number, in general, the guideline is that 25% of your daily energy comes from fat. For someone eating around 2000 calories per day, that’s approximately 55 grams of fat in total from unsaturated and saturated fats. Ideally, saturated fat is 5-6% of total energy or around 13 grams.
Again, those are not hard and fast rules. That doesn’t mean if you’re above or below these numbers, something will happen to you. Instead, it’s a reference point.
But one way in which the numbers can be helpful is when you look at the food label. Often seemingly “healthy” foods can be very high in saturated fat depending on how it was made.
For example, you pick up a bag of chocolate-covered dried bananas – sounds amazing, right? You might assume it would give your body more nutrition than a cookie while still satisfying that sweet tooth.
When you looked at the label though, you are shocked to see that a tiny serving had over 20 grams of saturated fat! That’s when you notice the bananas were fried with palm oil. So in that instance, you are better off enjoying a cookie than the deceptive health product. Tricky!
It’s much easier to think about fat in terms of food balance. In general, the goal is to try to choose plant or fish fats more often than animal fats while not relying too much on fried foods and processed foods for your energy each day.
Tips to add more unsaturated fats to your routine:
-Enjoy a handful of nuts/seeds between meals
-Add nuts/seeds to meals (yogurt, salads)
-Add avocado to sandwiches and salads
-Add a side of guacamole to snack/meals
-Use guacamole instead of mayo on sandwiches
-Enjoy salmon occasionally
-Enjoy tuna salad sandwiches
1: How does dietary fat support the body?
2: What are the different types of fat in the diet and where are they typically found?
3: Which type of fat may negatively impact heart health?
