Food $ense Kids
Pineapple
Written by Marie Stosich, RD
Brought to you by the Utah Food $ense program
Part 1 of the Preschool Obesity Prevention: Family Mealtime and Overcoming Barriers
Objectives
Participant will:
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Participate in a cooking/food sensory experience and sample food.
Participate in a physical activity or game that reinforces food concept.
Identify food name through reading, writing or other activity.
Participate in a food exposure experience by doing an art, craft, or other activity.
Teacher Instructions:
*Background facts and information for the teacher is included on page 5-6.
This curriculum is to be used in a variety of ways. If time is limited, pick one food experience and one
activity to supplement. Each activity is to be approximately 10-15 minutes. Additional activities are
included in the lesson that can be substituted or included in the lesson as time permits.
Required Materials:
 Introduction materials - (whole pineapple or picture)
 Ingredients for recipes and materials for food demonstration
 Physical activity materials (page 3)
 Reading/writing activity materials (page 3)
 Art, craft and other activity materials (page 3)
 Take Home message (page 4).

Utah Food $ense – required paperwork for program.
Optional Supplemental Materials:
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Pictures of pineapple on page 7-8.
Preparation Required:
 Review lesson plan.
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 Review teacher background information (see page 5-6).
 Gather ingredients and materials needed to demonstrate the recipe (see page 4).
 Make copies of handout you wish to distribute (see page 4) – enough for all class participants to
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take home to families.
Make copies of pineapple puzzle and cut out shapes (see page 9). May want to use a slightly
heavier weight paper for this exercise.
Make copies of coloring page – enough for each student (page 10).
Buy popsicle sticks for use with the coloring page face mask (see page 3).
Utah Food $ense - Make copies of all required paperwork for lesson.
LESSON PLAN
Introduction
Time: 5 minutes
 Help the children guess the fruit you are going to talk about by giving them a few clues and asking
them to make guesses. Read each of the clues to them one at a time.
o This fruit is rough on the outside and shaped like a pinecone.
o This fruit is yellow and juicy on the inside.
o This fruit is grown in Hawaii.
 When the class guesses the fruit (or even if they don’t) show them what a whole pineapple looks
like either with a real pineapple or using a picture.
 Ask the class:
o Who has tried pineapple before? Was it fresh or from a can? Who likes pineapple?
o How does pineapple taste? Sweet, juicy
o How do pineapples grow? On a spiky plant; you get one pineapple per plant.
Objective 1: Participate in a cooking/ food sensory experience and sample food.
Time: 15 minutes
 Choose a recipe that will work for your lesson:
o Pineapple Smoothie
o Honey Roasted Pineapple
o Pineapple Fruit Dip
 Demonstrate how to combine the ingredients so that the children can see how to make the snack.
You can even let a few children help if you would like. Make sure they wash their hands
thoroughly before they touch any food.
 Handout a sample to each child in the classroom.
Objective 2: Participate in a physical activity or game that reinforces food concept.
Time: 5-10 minutes
 Ask the class: Does anyone know what parts of our bodies are our joints?
o Knees, elbows, knuckles etc.
 We have joints all over our bodies that help us move and play. Fresh pineapple has a part of it
called bromelin that helps keep our joints healthy and moving.
 Play the Simon Says pineapple joint game:
To play the game, say the simon says phrases below and have the children do the actions. Show
them how to do each action. Let them do the action for a few seconds and then read the next
movement for them to switch to.
o Simon says pineapple gives us healthy elbows. Can you bend your elbows?
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o Simon says pineapple gives us healthy knees. Can you stand up and bend your knees?
o Simon says pineapple gives us healthy knuckles. Can you bend your fingers all at once?
Make a fist and then open it back up.
o Simon says pineapple gives us healthy ankles. Can you sit down and move your ankles in
circles?
o Simon says pineapple gives us healthy wrists. Can you use your wrists to bend your hands
back and forth?
o Simon says use all of your joints to bend your body. Can you bend all the joints we have
talked about ?(You may need students to spread out for this one.)
Let children participate by coming to the front of the room and helping to call out the next actions.
After you are done playing the game have the children sit back in their seats.
Ask the class: What do pineapples help with in our bodies?
o Our joints! (elbows, knees, knuckles, ankles and wrists etc.).
Objective 3: Identify food name through a reading, writing or other activity.
Time: 10-15 minutes
 Help the children identify the food word by using the pineapple puzzle. Write the word pineapple
on the board and explain that this is how pineapple is spelled.
 Handout the pre-cut pineapple puzzles in baggies to each child and allow the children to try and
fit the pieces together on their desks.
 If you want you can help the children glue the pieces on a full paper when they figure out the
puzzle.
Objective 4: Participate in a food exposure experience through art, craft, or other
activity.
Time: 15 minutes
 Handout the pineapple coloring page to each child. Let them color the pineapple. Help them cut
out the holes for their eyes and cut the pineapple out from the paper. Attach the pineapple to a
popsicle stick and let the children use them as pineapple face masks.
Conclusion
Time: 5 minutes
 Ask the class: What was your favorite pineapple activity?
 Ask the class: What parts of our bodies do pineapples help with?
 Ask the class: Do you like the taste of pineapple?
 Ask the class: How are you going to eat pineapple at home?
Sources :
1. www.dole-plantation.com
2. www.dole.com
3. http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=188
This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, contact 1-800-221-5689
or visit online at http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/. In accordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited
from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs or
disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800)795-3572.
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RECIPES
Topic: Pineapple
Pineapple Fruit Dip
Ingredients
4 oz. fat free whipped topping
8 oz. low-fat strawberry flavored yogurt (or other flavor of choice)
1 fresh pineapple cut into chunks or 1 can pineapple chunks, drained
Directions
Combine whipped topping and yogurt in a medium bowl. Stir until well combined and smooth
consistency. Cut fresh pineapple into chunks. Serve each child a chunk of pineapple and a little dip.
This dip also tastes great with other fruit.
Pineapple Smoothie
Ingredients
1 can crushed pineapple with juice
1 C vanilla yogurt
1 medium bana
¾ C pineapple juice
¾ C strawberries (fresh or frozen)
Handful of ice cubes
Directions
Combine all ingredients into a blender. Cover and process until smooth. Pour into glasses and
serve immediately.
Honey Roasted Pineapple
Ingredients
8 thick slices of pineapple
¼ cup honey (or pure maple syrup)
2 tablespoons of cinnamon
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425F. Coat the baking sheet with cooking spray. Place pineapple on the
cookie sheet. Brush honey on each slice of pineapple. Sprinkle cinnamon on each piece of
pineapple. Place cookie sheet in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for a minute before
serving.
This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, contact
1-800-221-5689 or visit online at http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/. In accordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy,
this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs or disability. To file
a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410
or call (800)795-3572.
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Preschool Curriculum
Background Teaching Information
Pineapple
History:
Pineapples are native to South America and were first brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus as
one of the exotic souvenirs of the new world. In later centuries, the pineapple became a symbol for New
England sailors. If a sailor had a fresh pineapple displayed on his porch after his return home from sea,
this meant that the sailor had traveled from foreign ports and was ready to welcome visitors.
Although you may think of pineapples as a Hawaiian fruit, the pineapple did not always exist there. The
exact date when the first pineapple came to Hawaii is unknown, but James Drummond Dole was the one
to first see the vision of how successful commercial growth of pineapples could be. Although he was not
the founder of the industry, he was the most successful. He turned the pineapple growth of Hawaii into a
huge industry and an American household staple. Today the Dole® company still sells pineapple as well
as many other varieties of fruits and vegetables.
Source: www.dole-plantation.com
Nutrition:
Pineapple is a delicious nutritional snack at any time of the day. Pineapple can be eaten plain, added to
salsa, grilled, baked, added to stir fry, and rice etc. The possibilities are endless! Pineapple is a nutritional
powerhouse and contains the only known source of bromelin, an enzyme with anti-inflammatory
properties. Research shows that bromelin can help ease symptoms of osteoarthritis, reduce inflammation
associated with asthma, help heal injuries, and inhibit growth of cancer cells in the lungs and breast.
Because of its anti-inflammatory properties pineapple is often know as a “superfood for your joints”.
Pineapple is naturally fat and cholesterol free and high in vitamin C.
Selecting and Eating:
To select the best pineapple, first look at the leaves on the head of the pineapple. They should be fresh
looking and very green. Brown or wilted leaves indicate an old fruit. The next step is to test for weight.
The fruit should feel heavy indicating it is full of juice! Finally, smell the bottom end of the pineapple. If it
feels damp and smells of the tropics it will likely be a great tasting pineapple. Avoid selecting a pineapple
with soft or dark spots on the outside or an off smell. The ease of pulling out the leaves on the crown of
the pineapple does not indicate ripeness.
Eat your fresh pineapple as soon as possible for the best tropical taste. A cut pineapple can be
refrigerated for a few days or frozen for longer storage.
Source: www.dole.com and www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org
Growing:
To grow a pineapple you actually have to have a pineapple first. Believe it or not the top of the pineapple
called the crown is what is used to grow another pineapple. Pineapples grown from crowns take 18-24
months to produce a fully developed pineapple.
Fun Facts:
1. The pineapple was named by European explorers who thought it resembled a pinecone.
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2. Fresh pineapple juice can be used as a meat tenderizer. The enzyme bromelain found in
pineapples breaks down the meat and tenderizes it.
Additional Information:
4. www.dole-plantation.com
5. www.dole.com
6. http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/pineapple.html
7. http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=188
This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, contact 1-800-221-5689
or visit online at http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/. In accordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited
from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs or
disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800)795-3572.
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