NAME ____________________________________ PER. _____
MY PYRAMID COMPUTER LAB DIRECTIONS
1.
Get on the internet. Log on to www.mypyramid.gov.
2.
On the Home Page, look at the blue bar on the left. Select “Inside the
Pyramid”.
3.
Click on the orange band. Fill in the following spaces.
Grains: Make ________ your grains ____________.
Click on “Learn More”. Scroll down.
List 3 of your favorite foods from the grain group.
________________, _________________, _____________________
Click on “View Grains Food Gallery”. Click on next to view the pictures
of the foods.
4.
Close the food gallery and go back and click on the green band. Fill in the
following spaces.
Vegetables: ______________ your veggies.
Click on “Learn More”. Scroll down.
List 3 of your favorite foods from the vegetable group.
________________, _________________, _____________________
Click on “View Vegetables Food Gallery”. Click on next to view the
pictures of the foods.
5. Go back and click on the red band. Fill in the following spaces.
Fruits: _______________on fruits.
Click on “Learn More”. Scroll down.
List 3 of your favorite foods from the fruit group.
________________, _________________, _____________________
Click on “View Fruits Food Gallery”. Click on next to view the pictures
of the foods.
6.
Go back and click on the blue band. Fill in the following spaces.
Milk: Get your _________________-rich foods.
Click on “Learn More”. Scroll down.
List 3 of your favorite foods from the milk group.
________________, _________________, _____________________
Click on “View Milk Food Gallery”. Click on next to view the pictures of
the foods.
7.
Go back and click on the purple band. Fill in the following spaces.
Meat and Beans: Go lean on ______________.
Click on “Learn More”. Scroll down.
List 3 of your favorite foods from the meat and beans group.
________________, _________________, _____________________
Click on “View Meat and Beans Food Gallery”. Click on next to view
the pictures of the foods.
8.
Go back and click on the yellow band. Fill in the following spaces.
Oils: Know your _______________.
Click on “Learn More”. Scroll down.
List one type of oil ______________________.
List one food naturally high in oil __________________.
List one common solid fat _______________________.
9.
The food groups are color-coded. List the name of each food group.
Orange is for
___________________________.
Green is for
___________________________.
Red is for
___________________________.
Blue is for
____________________________.
Purple is for
____________________________.
Yellow is for
____________________________.
To answer these questions, you will have to THINK. You can’t just
copy them from the website!!
Why are some colored bands on the pyramid wider than the others?
________________________________________________________
The person climbing the steps on the side of the pyramid is supposed
to remind us to _____________________ everyday.
10.
Go back to the home page. Look to the left and scroll down to find “My
Pyramid Plan”.
11.
Enter your age ____ (write it here too.)
Select your sex: circle male / female
Enter your weight _____ pounds (write it here too.)
Enter your height ____ feet, ____ inches (write it here too.)
Select your physical activity: circle
Less than 30 minutes
30 to 60 minutes
More than 60 minutes
Click “submit”.
12.
Does a message appear that starts with “Please Note…”? ____
If no, copy your requirements below in step 13.
If yes, does it say your weight is lower / higher (circle one) than may be
healthy for your age and height? Click at the right to see your food
plan.
13.
Look above the colored chart in the small black writing and fill in the
blank in this statement:
“This plan is a ________ calorie food pattern.”
How much food from each food group does the chart say you should
have each day?
Grains _____________ oz.
Vegetables _________ cups
Fruits _____________ cups
Milk _______________ cups
Meat & Beans _______ oz.
Below the chart are your goals for the different types of grains and
vegetables to eat.
Look at the yellow band for Oils and Discretionary Calories. Look for
the small black writing. Fill in the blank to complete this statement:
“Limit your extras (extra fats and sugars) to __________ Calories.”
14.
Look at the blue bar on the left. Select “Menu Planner”. Fill in the fields
asking for name, age, gender, weight, height, physical activity. Submit.
15.
Look at the top of the blue chart to see how many calories you should eat
in a day. Also look to see how many cups and ounces of each food group
you should eat in a day. Notice the colored food groups that will become a
bar graph.
16.
At the top left, find the “Start Menu Planning” box. Type in the name of a
food and hit search. When a list comes up, select the food. Choose the
amount and serving size. Choose the meal. Hit “add.” Watch what
happens to the bar graph and which food group is affected. Below the bar
graph notice the calories line graph moves. The computer also keeps
track of the list of foods you have typed in your day’s menu.
17.
Add more foods and watch what happens.
18.
Go to the home page. Scroll down. Click on the icon that says “My
Foodapedia”. Type the name of a food in the bar and hit search. Select a
food from the list. Look at the serving size. See how many calories the
food has. Change the serving size and see how the number of calories
changes. Click on “compare two foods”. Select a different food and see it
shown on the screen and how it compares to your first food.
IF YOU HAVE EXTRA TIME, look around in the mypyramid website or go to the
home page, click on the “Kids 6-11y” on the blue bar at the left. Play the
“Mypyramid Blast-off” game (Click on the purple picture of the astronaut.)
CONGRATULATIONS! You are well on your way to knowing all about My
Pyramid! You could spend more time in the website to find out even more…BUT
WAIT!!! By now, you should have learned:
 The name of each food group and its color in the pyramid.
 Some common foods in each group.
 Approximately how many calories YOU need each day to
maintain your present weight.
 How much food from each food group you need each day.
 How many discretionary Calories you can have each day.
 Why the pyramid picture has a person walking up the stairs.
 …and much more!
FACS-M-NW-1-NUTRITION, M-NW-2-FOOD AND WELLNESS ISSUES