Activity Idea:	Kids Create Their Own Snack Bar Menu
Source:	Healthy Kids Challenge, A La Cart Snack Fun booklet
Description:	Kids create their own snack bar, then choose a name for the snack bar and market it.
Grade:	4-5
Supplies: Flipchart or blackboard with marker or chalk Paper and pencils MyPlate icon

Directions:

1. In the classroom, talk about how healthy snacks give energy to think, learn, and grow. They are a part of a healthy diet!
2. Let students know that they will be building their own (pretend) healthy snack bar!
3. Have the kids decide the most important things they need to think about in making healthy choices for their snack bar. Write the following decision-making factors on the board, discuss their importance, and then have the kids rank order the factors in the order of importance.
   • What kids like to eat
   • Cost
   • Sugar and fat content of the snack
   • Serving size of the snack
4. Have students work in teams or as a class. Using the MyPlate icon, have the class identify healthy snack choices THEY like in each of the food groups. If they need help getting started, use ideas from your school’s wellness policy healthy snack list or consider the following: fresh fruits, fruit cups, low fat yogurt, low fat popcorn, peanuts, (other nuts), low fat cheese sticks, whole grain crackers, bagels, English muffins, graham crackers, pretzels, animal crackers, dry cereal, trail mix, mini waffles or pancakes, ½ sandwiches, mini tortilla roll-ups or wraps, peanut butter and crackers, mini pizzas, salsa and fat free chips, fresh veggies and low fat dressing.
   • List their choices on a flipchart or blackboard. Note: Some foods may be perceived as healthy, but are in fact higher in sugar or fat. A field trip to the grocery store might be the next step after this activity!
   • Talk with students about how all foods can fit with healthy balance.
   • Discuss how to plan healthy balance, e.g. plan healthy balance with smaller serving sizes and/or fewer choices of higher sugar and fat foods.
5. As a group, decide the name for the healthy snack bar and how to market it to the school kids!

*As a math enhancement to this activity:

• Have students assign prices to their menu items.
• Practice purchases. Have students practice adding prices and giving back change.
• Determine the percentage sales tax. Calculate sales tax for different purchases.

This activity is found on page 33 of the A La Cart Snack Fun booklet. For more activity ideas like the one above, check out HKC resource materials. See the Online Store for descriptors and to view the Table of Content and booklet sample pages.