Capture the Breakfast Bag

What you will need

• One large resealable zipper storage bag
• Pictures of food that can be eaten for breakfast (e.g. bananas, berries, apple, whole grain bagel, whole grain bread, whole grain cereal, milk, chocolate milk, fruit milkshake, yogurt, peanut butter, eggs)
• One bib per student (one colour per team), plus one extra bib in a different colour to identify the “scout”
• Cones or other objects to designate two zones (offense and defense)

Note for game facilitator : the breakfast must include at least one source of carbohydrates (e.g. fruit, whole grains, bread) and at least one source of protein (e.g. dairy products, eggs, nuts, peanut butter).

Suggestions for what to put in the bag

• Banana and whole grain bread (to be transformed into a balanced breakfast with cheese, milk, egg, peanut butter, etc.)
• Egg and chocolate milk (to be transformed into a balanced breakfast with a bagel or whole grain bread, berries, etc.)
• Whole grain bagel and apple (to be transformed into a balanced breakfast with cheese, yogurt, milk, egg or peanut butter, etc.)

Additional challenge: you can add constraints to make it more challenging. For example, you can require the breakfast to be something that can be prepared quickly, or to be appropriate for someone allergic to eggs, etc.

How to play

• During the warm-up, explain to students what a balanced breakfast looks like.  If possible, show them the images from the carousel.
• Divide the group into two teams. Each team will have a turn playing offense or defense.
• Place the unbalanced breakfast bag in front of the defending team's zone. This team has to protect the breakfast bag by tagging players from the other team and eliminating them from the game.
• The offense team has to try to capture the bag.
• The offense team designates a “scout” to protect the team. This is the only person on their team with the power to tag members of the defense team and eliminate them from the game.
• To capture the bag, a player from the offense must enter the defense team’s zone, where they cannot be tagged until they pick up the bag.
• Once a player successfully brings the bag into the offense team’s zone without getting tagged, the team can open the bag. They'll see two pictures of food and must come up with other foods to make a balanced breakfast. The team then chooses someone to run to the food picture pile and bring back an appropriate food picture. The pile should be located outside the two zones.
• Switch the roles of the teams (offense/defense) and then restart the game.
• Teams earn points for the following:
  • Successfully capturing the bag: 1 point
  • Creating a balanced breakfast: 1 extra point

Cool down

• Each team talks about their strengths and weaknesses. They then try to figure out how to overcome their weaknesses.
• Bring the conversation back to the following questions:
  • Why is it important to eat breakfast? Possible answers: so you can fill up on energy since you haven't eaten since the night before; so that it's easier to pay attention and stay focused at school; so that you have energy to do things in the morning.
  • What nutritious foods do you like to eat in the morning? Possible answers: fruit, milk, yogurt, cheese, whole grain cereal and bread, eggs.

To find out what the Learning Goals, Educational Aim and Focus of Development of this resource are, visit the Let's Talk About Breakfast program page.

Our personal tips

Breakfast should be eaten at home, but lots of people don't have time in the morning. Here are some tips you can give to students: get out of bed a little earlier, make milkshakes with your family, or set the table for breakfast the night before!

If a student says they don't feel hungry in the morning, suggest eating something light (like yogurt) and bringing a bigger and more substantial morning snack to school, or just going to bed and waking up earlier.

Help kids develop healthy eating habits by exposing them to positive experiences. This means saying positive things about food and focusing on nutritious foods. When you talk about food that is less nutritious, avoid putting negative labels on it (e.g. junk food).