Build Your Plate Relay Activity Details

Objective: Apply knowledge of macronutrients by selecting appropriate foods to build a balanced meal under time constraints.

Description: Students race in teams to collect food cards from stations representing macronutrient categories and assemble a balanced plate. Encourages teamwork, quick thinking, and reinforces nutrient knowledge.

Materials:

• Food-category cards labeled Protein, Carbohydrates, Fats, Fruits & Vegetables
• Plate mats or printable plate outlines
• Relay station markers (cones or signs)
• Timer or stopwatch
• Clipboards & pencils for recording group answers

Setup (5 minutes):

1. Arrange four stations around the room, each dedicated to one nutrient category.
2. Place a pile of corresponding food cards at each station.
3. Mark a start line and a finish area (with plate mats & clipboards) at opposite ends of the room.

Time: 15 minutes

Instructions:

1. Divide students into teams of four. Each team lines up behind the start line.
2. On “Go,” the first student from each team runs to any station, chooses one card, returns to place it on their team’s plate mat, and tags the next teammate.
3. Repeat until each team has collected exactly one card from each category (protein, carbs, fats, fruits/veggies).
4. Once all four cards are on the plate mat, teams organize their cards to display a balanced plate (½ fruits & veggies, ¼ protein, ¼ carbs, plus a healthy fat).
5. When time is called, each team presents their plate and explains how their food choices fuel energy and maintain nutrient balance.

Differentiation:

• Supports: Provide picture-based food cards and sentence stems for students needing extra scaffolding.
• Extensions: Challenge advanced learners to suggest alternative foods, discuss macronutrient ratios, or propose substitutions for dietary restrictions.

Next up, students will reflect on their own meals and activities using the Nutrition & Activity Tracker.

Nutrition & Activity Tracker

Name: ________________________ Date: ________________

Part 1: Meal & Snack Log

1. Breakfast – What did you eat or drink?
   
   
   
2. Morning Snack – What did you eat or drink?
   
   
   
3. Lunch – What did you eat or drink?
   
   
   
4. Afternoon Snack – What did you eat or drink?
   
   
   
5. Dinner – What did you eat or drink?
   
   
   

Part 2: Physical Activity

Describe any physical activities you did today. Include the type of activity and how long you did it.

Part 3: Energy Reflection

For each part of your day, rate your energy level on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high), and explain your rating.

1. After Breakfast – Rate: _____
   Explain:
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. After Lunch – Rate: _____
   Explain:
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. After Snack – Rate: _____
   Explain:
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. After Physical Activity – Rate: _____
   Explain:
   
   
   
   
   
   

Part 4: Final Thoughts

1. Which meal or snack helped you feel the most energized today, and why?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Choose one healthy food or drink to try tomorrow to boost your energy. Explain your choice.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Use this tracker to notice how your food and activities affect your energy. Be ready to share one insight during our next discussion!