Learning Objectives
- Understand Explore the connection between diet, lifestyle, and overall health outcomes.
- Evaluate personal dietary patterns and identify opportunities for improvement through maintaining a food diary.
- Develop critical thinking and decision-making skills related to food choices and nutrition.
Instructions
- Provide participants with a comprehensive food diary template or digital tracking tool. You can all created together from scratch! Make sure to include: 3 meals and 2 snacks per day, water intake, and any other area you all decide you want to have (Ex. Specific area to record soda intake).
- Explain the purpose of the activity and emphasize the importance of accurate and detailed record-keeping.
- Encourage participants to track not only what they eat and drink but also factors such as meal timing, portion sizes, and emotional or environmental influences on eating habits.
- Offer additional resources or readings on advanced nutrition concepts such as macronutrients, micronutrients, and dietary guidelines (Ex. Nutrition YUNGA badge PDF, YouTube videos that you have previously seen).
Debrief
- One week later, facilitate a guided discussion to review the participants' experiences with maintaining the food diary.
- Encourage participants to share any insights or observations they gained from tracking their dietary intake.
- Guide the conversation towards a deeper understanding of balanced nutrition and its impact on overall health by asking questions such as:
• How did maintaining the food diary for a week influence your awareness of your eating habits?
• Were there any surprises or patterns you noticed in your dietary patterns?
• How do you think your current dietary choices align with recommendations for a balanced diet?
- Prompt participants to reflect on areas where they could make changes to improve their dietary habits and overall well-being.
- Discuss strategies for setting realistic goals and implementing sustainable dietary changes, considering individual preferences, lifestyle factors, and cultural influences.
- At the end, try to make everyone make a public commitment in front of their peers so they can all help each other make sure they keep their promises
Materials
1. Detailed food diary template or printable worksheet for each participant
2. Nutrition resources or references on healthy eating
3. Pens or pencils for writing
