Our Scouts take part in the Know What You Are Eating challenge.  The challenge is for our Scouts to identify how much they are eating, based on the size of the plate or glass. 

Studies show that portions in the U.S. are twice the size they were 20 years ago, unfortunately, so are the people.  Restaurants in particular serve enormous portions and we have gotten used to eating more and more every year.  In fact, we often feel shortchanged when we do not get an enormous amount of food, and part of the problem is the size of the plate.

We challenge our Scout to see and understand just how much they are eating.  To do this, we have our Scouts pick out what they would like to eat and put it on a small to medium plate.  We ask them to take whatever they want.  Once they have made their choice, we serve them the food – on a much larger plate.  Like most people, our Scouts often feel like they get a raw deal!  Another way to do the challenge is to give Scouts small plates to fill up and then take the plates away and send back with larger plates.  People fill a plate, no matter what size it is!  Another way to do the challenge is for the Scouts to try it at home, seeing how much less they eat when they eat off a smaller plate. 

Not only do people eat more off a larger plate, they tend to feel less full when eating off a larger plate.  People report feeling full after cleaning a smaller plate, but they do not feel full after eating the same amount from a larger plate.

The same is true of drinking glasses.  People feel like getting a lot when a glass is filled to the top, even if it is smaller.  People generally fill a large glass to the brim.  In the case of water, that’s great, but in the case of pop, youth are getting much more sugar than they need.  Enormous drinks are popular at convenience stores and restaurants nationwide.  Sometimes the calories in one of those drinks is more than you should get in a day!  Our Scouts need to understand before they pay for an enormous drink just what they’re getting for it – incredible amounts of sugar and possible health problems.

Child obesity is an epidemic and we assist parents their goals to raise happy, healthy children.