Your brain needs a balanced diet to work well.

In this activity, students will create a balanced snack while discussing the way the snack provides brain fuel. After participating in this activity, students will be able to explain that a balanced diet helps their brain to work well.

Step by Step:

Start by listening to ‘Feed Your Brain’ from the Every Body Has a Brain soundtrack.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/every-body-has-a-brain/id403630644

Song: Feed Your Brain

Say: "Your brain needs a balanced diet to do its jobs. When your brain is doing its job, you are thinking and moving and feeling good."

Optional: Ask, "What other things does your brain help you do?"

Your brain needs a good supply of energy. It gets energy from food like healthy grain and fruits and vegetables.

Your brain also needs some protein from beans, nuts, meat, eggs or milk. Today we are going to make a snack that includes all of the things your brain needs!

Choose one of the snacks listed below to make with your students. You can also print the attached recipe cards.

Recipes:

[Teacher or Parent to print recipes on file cards]

1. Hummus

Hummus is a dip or spread that is usually made with garbanzo beans and garlic. Beans are a good source of complex carbohydrate and protein. Beans also have fiber, which is good for overall health.

To make hummus with kids, you will need:

• Rubber spatula
• Garlic press
• Citrus juicer
• Can opener

Plus one of the following:

• Blender
• Drinking glass with flat bottom
• Stick mixer with mixing bowl

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of garbanzo beans
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of tahini or sesame seed paste
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Makes about 2 cups.

What kids can do, with help:

• Squeeze lemon
• Measure ingredients
• Use a garlic press to mince garlic
• Place beans in blender or mixing bowl
• Place other ingredients in blender or mixing bowl
• Stir ingredients in the blender or mixing bowl

Instructions:

Supervise measurement of all ingredients. You may wish to pair students and give each group a task. When all ingredients are measured and placed in blender or mixing bowl, have a student push the button on the blender or mixer. Note that if you use a hand mixer, the consistency of the hummus will be less creamy. You may need to mash some of the beans after mixing.

Encourage students to taste the hummus with cracker, chips or carrot sticks.

2. Blueberry and almonds on toasted oats

To make toasted oats with kids, you will need:

• Burner (stove or portable griddle)
• Skillet
• Wooden spoon

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of old fashioned or quick oats
• 2 cups of blueberries
• 1 cup of sliced almonds

What kids can do, with help:

• Measure ingredients
• Place ingredients on plates

Instructions:

Toast either old-fashioned or quick oats. To toast oats, take 1 cup at a time into pan. Cook in a dry pan on medium-high heat. Stir the oats occasionally until they are golden brown. Cool oats before serving.

Place oats in bowls. Put blueberries and sliced almonds on top of oats with a small scoop or tablespoon. Students may eat this toasty snack with spoons or fingers.

Other ideas:

• Pomegranate seeds and sunflower seeds on plain yogurt
• Avocado slices with multi-grain crackers

Further Exploration:

Use the following Songs, Stories and Games from Every Body Has a Brain to further explore this learning objective:

• Feed Your Brain
• Memory Match
• Hiding Hippos