Reviewing the Standard Food Groups

Reviewing the Standard Food Groups

This is not a review of Canada's current guidelines but an exploration of a possible way of sorting foods.

Up until recently, Canada's Food Guide used the standard 4 food groups.

Let's see if we can remember them....

Multiple Select

What are the standard food groups?

• grains, dairy, meat, vegetables/fruit

• grains, dairy, meat, vegetables, fruit

• grains, dairy and dairy alternatives, meat, vegetables/fruit and meat alternatives

• candy, candy canes, candy corn and maple syrup

Grains

breads, rice, pasta, pitas, crackers, etc.

Dairy and Dairy Alternatives

Milk, cheese, yogurt, almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, dairy-free cheese, etc.

Meats and Meat Alternatives

Pork, chicken, beef, fish, deer, nuts, beans, seeds, etc.

Open Ended

Which food group have we not discussed yet?

Fruits & Vegetables

Leafy greens, onions, zucchini, squash, peppers, tomatoes, apples, oranges, mango, etc.

Poll

What is your favourite food group?

Meals and snacks are rarely from a single food group.

For example, this snack includes a serving of fruit and a serving of a meat alternative.

Let's see if you can name the food groups in the next few meals.

Multiple Select

Which food groups can be found in a plate of spaghetti and meatballs?

• Grains

• Dairy & Dairy Alternatives

• Meat & Meat Alternatives

• Fruits and Vegetables

Multiple Select

Which food groups can be found in a plate of salad with croutons?

• Grains

• Dairy & Dairy Alternatives

• Meat & Meat Alternatives

• Fruits and Vegetables

Multiple Select

Which food groups can be found on a plate of breakfast? (cheese omelette wrap, apple & orange slices)

• Grains

• Dairy & Dairy Alternatives

• Meat & Meat Alternatives

• Fruits and Vegetables

Multiple Select

Which food groups can be found on a plate of french toast and syrup?

• Grains

• Dairy & Dairy Alternatives

• Meat & Meat Alternatives

• Fruits and Vegetables

There are some food items that don't fit into any of these food groups.

Water, for example.

Multiple Select

What other foods don't fit into these standard food groups?

Sometimes called "sometimes foods" these sweet treats contain so much sugar or salt that they don't fit into a standard food group.

That includes the sweets with fruits, dairy and nuts.

Poll

So why do you think they invented food groups?

• To help people eat a variety of foods.

• To help people eat a variety of nutrients.

• To help people stay healthy.

• Because it is healthier to eat a variety of foods.

Next time we will explore nutrients- what they are, why we need them, how we get them.

Spoiler Alert: Knowing about nutrients will help you to better understand Canada's current Food Guide

Now let's go and explore how to use the data you collected on your Food & Drink Record to make your first graph using Google Sheets!