Meet the Five Food Groups Learning Sheet

Corn is not a vegetable it is a grain.

Thanks for sharing your comment. Actually corn is a vegetable but when it gets processed into items like tortillas and grits and popcorn, it moves into the grains category. A little confusing but when you eat corn on the cob, you are eating a vegetable

Oh tomatoes are not vegetables to they are fruit.

You are so right. Tomatoes are a fruit. But the USDA has placed them in the vegetables food group and we follow their guidelines.

Also, there are other foods that we consider to be vegetables but by scientific definition are actually fruits. This is how I explain the reason they are included in the vegetable group to my young students: If you were making a fruit salad would you put tomatoes in it? Where in the grocery store do you find tomatoes - with the vegetables or fruits. I think it is more important for them to understand the typical use of the food rather than the scientific determination.

I've just started teaching my 3 - 6 year old students about nutrition and Lindas comment has given me some confidence in the way I explain that although some foods are in different groups it's more important to understand there uses. Thank you Linda

I share Cristy's view about corn. The vegetables are generally foods that are eaten

for vitamin and minerals. Corn is largely starch like the grains.