Part I: SuperTracker

Step 1: Write down everything you eat and drink at every meal and in-between meals for 5 consecutive days. Carry your diary with you everywhere you go, and record everything you have to eat or drink BEFORE you consume them. Include everything you eat and drink ...... meat, fruit, cookies, soda, water, candy, fruit, fast food, wine, snack foods, etc. and the amount consumed and how it was prepared (baked vs. fried). DO NOT eat differently for this project. Choose 5 days of usual intake.

Eat how you normally eat! The assignment is not graded according to how much fish and broccoli you eat. It will be evaluated on how accurately and thoroughly you assess your diet. If you eat less than 8 foods in a day, include a note explaining that this is your usual intake.
SuperTracker.gov uses the USDA food group plan called My Plate. My Plate is a diet-planning tool that "sorts foods into food groups based on nutrient content and then specifies that people should eat certain amounts of foods from each group". (Whitney, 2016, pp. 42)My Plate uses 6 major food groups: Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, Protein, Oil and Dairy. Each food group has sub-categories.
One of the major challenges of this project is learning which foods are in each food group and learning to use standardized serving sizes in a meal plan. The following explanation of serving sizes in My Plate should be helpful:

1 PRO: 1egg, 1oz meat, fish or chicken (size of a matchbox)

2 PRO: 2 Tbsp. (Tablespoons) peanut butter: size of a ping pong ball

3 PRO: 3 oz. cooked meat: size of a deck of cards

1 DAIRY: 1oz cheese: size of 4 dice, 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) of milk or yogurt

1 GRAIN: ½ cup cooked pasta or rice: size of a computer mouse or a tennis ball

2 GRAIN: 2 slices of sandwich bread

For a complete list of foods in each food group look in Super Tracker under "My Plan".

A. Go to the 'supertracker' website.

B. Click on the "Create a Profile" tab on the right side of the SuperTracker home page.

1. Create a profile for yourself. Be sure to complete the entire process, all sections and submit.

2. After creating your profile, review the information in the "My Plan Info" tab. This screen will provide the information regarding your target food groups per day.

C. In the SuperTracker home page, now select the "Track Food and Activity" tab. It is at the top of the page.

1. Choose "Food Tracker" and start listing the foods you consumed in the day. The tracker will keep track for you.

2. You are typing the individual foods into the "Type in your food here" section and then click "go". You will complete this process for 5 days.

3. This will start a list of the foods you have recorded. Please be sure to select the most accurate food description and the most accurate serving size. They offer multiple versions of the same food as well as methods of individualizing your food via the tabs at the top of the page in the white line: "my favorite foods list", "my combo", "my recipe" tabs.

D. Now go back to the dark blue line and select "My reports".

1. Print and save a report (Note: you will need access to WORD or PDF to save these reports) for the 5 day period for each of the following:

a. Food Groups and Food Calories

b. Nutrients

c. Meal Summary

2. Incorporate each of these saved three reports into your final project to be turned in on the due date. (20 points)

Part 2: Assessing Nutritional Intake

Using the printed reports, answer the following questions and turn in with final project.

NOTE: You MUST repeat the questions first (10%) and answers the questions exactly.

There are 6 USDA food groups. Each food group has a list of foods in that group and serving sizes.

You can find this information in Figure 2.2 on pp 44-45 in our textbook or in Super Tracker "My Plan". You can also refer to the PowerPoint lecture in chapter 2.

E. Make 2 lists: one list of the FOOD GROUPS where the recommended intake was met or exceeded and one list of those that were not met. Now, list sample foods that you did or would eatfor each of the food groups

F. If you feel you met or exceeded the MYPLATE STANDARDS, document why you think you have been able to obtain this goal- is it a conscience effort, the way you were raised, etc. If you did not meet the standards, explain why not- your culture omits certain food groups, you are allergic to some food, health issues, etc.

G. How well did your diet meet the DRI's for the MACRONUTRIENTS? Make 2 lists: one of the macronutrients where the recommended intake was met or exceeded and one list of those that were not met. Now, list sample foods that you did or would eatfor each of the macronutrients

H. How well did your diet meet the DRI's for the MICRONUTRIENTS? Make 2 lists: one list of the micronutrients that were at or greater than 100% of the DRI, and one list of those that were less than 100% of the DRI. Now give sample foods that you would eat for EACH of the micronutrients that were less than 100% of the DRI. Include at least one food that is an excellent source of that micronutrients (at least 20%DV in one serving), serving size and amount for each micronutrient.

Part 3: Application-Meal Planning
I. Using your recommended total calories from your printed reports, list the food groups and your recommended daily number of servings of each group.

J. List 4 Dietary Guidelines (find the Dietary guidelines for Americans )in which you need to improve your diet and at least one achievable, realistic and measureable (ARM) action goals for each dietary guideline.

An ARM would be specific and measurable such as "I will include fresh orange slices, strawberries or bananas for breakfast for the next 5 days". NOT "I will eat more fruit". Include at least four ARM's

K. Plan a meal plan for yourself that meets all of your DRI's and your ARM goals . Include:

· A day's worth of meals; breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

· The number of servings for each food group for each meal and for the total in the day

· Include your portion sizes to match the number of servings from each food group in your meal plan. NOTE: See the Sample Menu Plan that follows

· Remember, the 4 Dietary Guidelines and your ARM goals identified above need to be included in your meal plan.

 Set up your meal plan in a table that looks like this:

L. Now, put your meal plan into Super Tracker and print the three reports again, but this time based on your new meal plan. Name and save these reports. Name them carefully so that you know they are based on your meal plan (Your first and last name, meal plan, name of report). Incorporate each of these saved three reports into your final project to be turned in on the due date.

a. Food Groups and Food Calories

b. Nutrients

c. Meal Summary

M. Explain how your new meal plan is a healthy choice. How does it relate to your four ARM goals? How did you change your diet to meet your DRI's for the nutrients? Give at least 3 improvements that you made to your diet