FORT WAYNE – Science Central will serve up some healthy fare for visitors with its next traveling exhibition, “To MyPlate and Beyond.”

Developed by Purdue University, the interactive exhibit illustrates the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s tool,” MyPlate,” that emphasizes the five food groups that are part of a healthy diet: fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy. It is slated to appear at Science Central from Jan. 18 to May 4, 2014.

Visitors to the exhibit will learn how easy it is to shop for food and grow their own, plan meals and eat together. The exhibit features tips and ideas for everyone to build a healthy plate, using interactive hands-on activities.

Participants will “travel” with Max and his dog, Munch, in a flying saucer as they explore simple reminders and other information about eating well. Included in the exhibit is a short quiz that will help visitors understand the exhibit’s key messages, such as making half of the food on your plate fruits and vegetables, switching  to fat-free or low-fat milk, and enjoying  your food, but eating less.

The exhibit was created by the Purdue Agricultural Communication Exhibit Design Center and specialists and faculty in the Department of Nutrition Science. The exhibit was constructed through funding provided by the American Dairy Association and Indiana’s Dairy Farm Families.

The exhibit’s run at Science Central is being sponsored in part by Heritage Food Service Group Inc.

“When the New Year arrives, everybody turns their focus to eating healthy and getting in shape,” said Science Central Executive Director Martin S. Fisher. “This exhibit arrives at the perfect time to help educate our community on how to eat the right foods to stay healthy.”

Science Central, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, has provided a hands-on fun learning environment for over 17 years.  Through our 120+ exhibits, school tours, distance learning programs and weekend public events, we bring the excitement of science and technology to nearly 140,000 children and adults annually. For more information, contact Science Central at 260-424-2400 or visit on the web.