About

Purpose

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce a new food to the children in your classroom. The more times children are exposed to new foods, the more likely they are to eat and enjoy these foods in the future.

Overview

In this lesson, children will help prepare a healthy snack.

Learning Objectives

  1. Children will complete the fourth of four squash tasting experiences.
  2. Children will prepare a healthy snack.

Teaching Objectives

  1. Teachers will model healthy eating behavior for children.

Teaching Tips

  • Encourage each child to take one bite of squash.
  • Remember that the more times children are exposed to a new food the more likely they are to develop a taste preference for it.
  • Children are more likely to try a new food if an adult models the behavior!

Prep Info

knife and cutting board

Equipment Required

materials

Materials/Supplies

* Optional

handwashing illustration

Before the Lesson

  • Earlier in the day, bake the spaghetti squash.
  • Immediately before the lesson, ask the children to put on their chef aprons, chef hats, and wash their hands.

An easy way to prepare baked spaghetti squash:

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cut squash in half, removing all seeds. Place squash halves in baking dish, cut sides down.
  3. Add ½ inch of water and bake in oven for 40–45 minutes or until squash is tender.

Activity

Introduction

Making the spaghetti squash will work well in one large group.

Remind children that anytime chefs make food, they wash their hands; and, great chefs always taste the food that they make.

Words to Use

Activity Description

Prepare the following recipe with the children in your classroom.

  1. Place the baked spaghetti squash on a table so that all children can see it. Demonstrate how to pull out spaghetti-like strands from the squash.
  2. Ask each child to scrape out a portion of strands with a plastic fork from the squash’s wall and place into his/her cup/bowl.
  3. Instruct each child to add a spoonful of pasta sauce.
  4. Encourage each child to try at least one bite of spaghetti squash.

Summary

Enrichment

Encourage children to participate in further dramatic play. During free play, encourage children to “bake” their own spaghetti squash at the kitchen station.

Attention Teachers!

Following this activity, please fill out the teacher’s weekly log form for this lesson.

Weekly Log

Attention Teachers!

Following this activity, please fill out the teacher’s weekly log form for this lesson.