Dear Parents,December 9, 2012 In health this semester, we have begun talking about nutrition labels, ingredients in our food and the additives that are often put into products we eat. Our 8 th graders will be participating in a project that will enable them to come up with healthy ways to make their favorite food. The goal of this project is to make students aware of what their food contains and healthier alternatives. In addition, they will be using the ingredients of their healthy alternative to make a nutrition label that describes the contents, and the amounts of each food. We will be sharing our finished products in health class and will be able to enjoy our individual food afterward if they would like. However, after talking with Nurse Hedges, and reviewing the rules of food in our school, I will be making the announcement that their can be NO NUTS, OR SHELLFISH in our ingredients. Furthermore, the students may not share any of their finished product with anyone else in class. If there are individual concerns about this project, please feel free to or call me to discuss. I am happy to make modifications if I know to do so prior to the due date. Thank you, Jen Schultz

Instructions for creating your food label online: Go to: or recipe-calculator.asp Step 1: Click Add an ingredient Search for the food, enter quantity and servings used Click “add food to today” Continue to add ingredients until all ingredients are included. Step 2: Go to “calculate nutrition info” Enter number of servings in your dish Click “calculate info” Print your label! Write your name and the name of your dish on the top of your label.

Instructions on how to write a recipe 1. Give your recipe a name. It doesn't need to be anything fancy-just something to describe the dish and distinguish it from similar recipes. 2. Specify the number of servings the dish will provide. This lets you, and those with whom you share your recipes, know when to double the recipe or cut it in half to suit the number of guests. 3. Indicate the pans and utensils needed to prepare the recipe. This will keep you from getting halfway through the recipe and realizing you don't have that 10-quart stock pot or lemon zester. 4. List the recipe's ingredients, in the order in which they're used. Make sure you list the amount of each ingredient needed, and specify whether frozen ingredients should be thawed, canned ingredients drained or fresh ingredients chopped. 5. Note the oven, broiler or grill temperature to be preset and whether a pan needs to be pre-heated on the stove. 6. Outline the steps involved in preparing the meal in chronological order. Start with the cutting, chopping, blending or pureeing of the ingredients and finish with putting the ingredients in a pan, pot or dish and placing it on the stove or in the oven. 7. Provide the cooking time, including any adjustments that need to be made during cooking or baking. Specify how long the meal should sit before serving. List any suggestions for finishing, garnishing and presenting the dish. 8. Indicate substitutions that can be made to vary the recipe. If the recipe can be adjusted to make it lighter or to avoid allergy-triggering ingredients, note that too.

Example of a brownie recipe Ingredients Soft butter, for greasing the pan Flour, for dusting the buttered pan 4 large eggs 1 cup sugar, sifted 1 cup brown sugar, sifted 8 ounces melted butter 11/4 cups cocoa, sifted 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup flour, sifted 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Directions Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan and bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it until it's mostly cool. SERVINGS: 16 (PER BROWNIE); Calories: 243; Total Fat: 13 grams; Saturated Fat: 8 grams; Protein: 3 grams; Total carbohydrates: 28 grams; Sugar: 22 grams Fiber: 1 grams; Cholesterol: 83 milligrams; Sodium: 82 milligrams Read more: How to Write a Recipe | eHow.com to Write a Recipe | eHow.com

Rubric: Cooking Up a Storm