Teach children about the food groups by having them create their own food pyramids. Explain the difference between the food groups. Give each child a large piece of paper with a picture of a pyramid divided into six sections. Follow the United States Department of Agriculture's food pyramid guidelines to determine which sections should be larger than others. Attach a picture of a sample food to each group so children can tell them apart. Pass out magazines. Ask children to cut out pictures of foods and glue them to the food group where they belong. Give suggestions and help the preschoolers sort all foods correctly.
Make tasting new foods enjoyable by telling preschoolers you're going to have a healthy foods party. Put out decorations and give children party hats. Cut up a variety of fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, zucchini and grapes -- and serve them with yogurt dip or hummus. Make ice pops by pouring 100 percent fruit juice into ice cube trays. Cover the trays with foil, then poke a wooden stick into each section of the tray. The foil will keep the sticks up while the pops freeze in the cafeteria freezer.
Help children learn what's healthy and unhealthy in their own diets. Give each child a food diary. Divide a piece of paper into sections for each meal time and snacks. Have each child draw pictures or write the names of everything they eat over the course of one day. Help children record what they ate during school and ask families to help children fill out the rest at home. The next day, ask children to count up how many servings they ate of each food group. And then discuss the types of foods and how that impact their growing bodies.
Preschoolers learn through practice and pretend, so have them play Restaurant with fake food. Help children come up with a menu, then divide them into groups. One group can be the customers who must choose a healthy meal from the menu, while the other group prepares the meal in the pretend kitchen. Children will also be delighted and enthralled to watch their teachers put on a skit. Act out the story of a girl who eats a sugary muffin in the morning. Show how she is sleepy and cranky all day. Next, pretend to be a girl who ate a breakfast of fruits and protein and is happy and full of energy all day.