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Fuel Lab

Concept preview · Printable starter soon

A nutrition card game for ages 8–18: draw foods, build plates, meet activity challenges, and follow digestion rules—nutrient jobs without diet culture.

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What you can do today

This page is the playable design brief for Fuel Lab. Rules and sample cards are ready to teach from; a printable starter deck is next. Physical boxed kits are manufacturing specs—not an online store yet.

From Science Kit Planner—the free, NGSS-tagged kit planner and classroom resource hub at sciencekits.online.

What students practice

Nutrient jobs and digestion stories that hook MS-LS1—not calorie shame dressed up as a game.

  • Goal 1

    Name nutrient jobs (protein, carbs, fats, fiber, water, vitamin/mineral helpers)

  • Goal 2

    Build a plate that meets an activity challenge without shaming any food

  • Goal 3

    Follow a simplified digestion path from mouth to cells

  • Goal 4

    Connect food molecules to cellular energy (MS-LS1-7 hook)

  • Goal 5

    Read Nutrition Facts measurables: fiber (soluble/insoluble), cholesterol, sodium, added sugars

  • Goal 6

    Spot added-sugar aliases and ingredient splitting on a mock label (Label Detective)

Safety rails

  • No weight, BMI, or “burn to lose” framing—ever.
  • No “junk food” moral labels; Medium may discuss nutrient density (helpers vs energy) as tradeoffs.
  • Cholesterol and sodium are label literacy—not reasons to shame animal or packaged foods at the table.
  • Paper cards only—no tasting required. Real allergies are a teacher/family call.
  • Glossary treats calorie as an energy unit only—not a scoring target or daily limit game.

How to play

2–4 (or small lab groups). About 20–30 minutes per round so a lab group can finish before the bell.

Setup
5 food cards and 1 plate target each. Food cards, plate targets, activity challenges, one digestion rule face-up, scratch paper for scores.
Win
First player to 12 points wins; or end when the draw pile runs out and highest score wins.
  1. 1

    Deal

    Foods + a shared activity

    Deal each player 5 food cards and 1 plate-target card. Flip one activity challenge and one digestion rule face-up for the table. Set spare challenges aside.

  2. 2

    Draw

    Add a food each turn

    On your turn, draw one food card. Optional house rule: trade one card with a neighbor. Aim your hand at the face-up activity’s nutrient needs.

  3. 3

    Build

    Lay down a plate

    Play 2–4 food cards whose tags together cover the activity needs (or match your plate-target in Easy mode). Say one nutrient job aloud as you play.

  4. 4

    Digest

    Honor the digestion rule

    If the face-up digestion card’s condition applies, meet it before the plate scores. Treat stages as science story—not student tasting or lab acid demos.

  5. 5

    Score

    Valid plate earns points

    Score 1 point per food card spent. Completing the activity challenge adds +2. Optional Label Detective draw: spot sugar aliases on a mock ingredients list for another +2. Discard spent foods; draw back up to 5. First to 12 wins (or highest score when the draw pile ends).

Easy & Medium modes

Same decks—different guidance. Pick a mode for the group, or let tables choose independently.

Easy mode

Younger players & first nutrition units

Nutrient icons on food cards, picture cues on challenges, and guided plate targets so students practice jobs without getting stuck.

Medium mode

Middle school and up

Fewer icons: players justify nutrient jobs aloud, meet multi-tag challenges, read label highlights (cholesterol, sodium, fiber types), and use two-step digestion bonuses.

Nutrient jobs

The vocabulary players practice when they justify a plate—jobs, not judgments.

  • Protein

    Builds and repairs muscles, enzymes, and many body parts.

  • Carbohydrates

    Quick fuel for brains, muscles, and busy school days.

  • Fats

    Longer-lasting fuel; helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

  • Fiber

    Helps food move through the digestive tract; often from plants. (See soluble vs insoluble on the measurables list.)

  • Water

    Carries nutrients, cools the body, and keeps cells working.

  • Vitamins

    Helpers for growth, immunity, and many chemical reactions.

  • Minerals

    Helpers for bones, blood, nerves, and fluid balance (e.g. calcium, iron, sodium, potassium).

Nutrition Facts measurables

Plate tags stay simple. This denser list mirrors what shows up on a US Nutrition Facts panel—so cholesterol, fiber types, sodium, and added sugars have a clear home.

Cholesterol lives under fat-related (a sterol reported with fats)—not as a plate “need.” Fiber stays a core plate tag and expands into soluble / insoluble detail here.

Energy

How much fuel a serving provides—tracked as a unit, not a Fuel Lab score.

  • Calories (kcal)

    kcal

    Energy in a labeled serving of food or drink.

    In play: Glossary / facts panel only—never a win-condition currency in Fuel Lab.

Fat-related

Total fat plus saturated / unsaturated / trans detail, and cholesterol (a sterol reported with fats).

  • Total fat

    g

    All fats in the serving—includes saturated, unsaturated, and any trans fat.

    In play: Maps to the Fat plate tag; use subtypes for Medium label talk. · Plate tag: Fat

  • Saturated fat

    g

    Fat molecules with no double bonds in the carbon chain; more common in many animal fats and some tropical oils.

    In play: Label literacy—not a “ban this food” mechanic.

  • Unsaturated fat

    g

    Fats with one or more double bonds (mono- and polyunsaturated). Common in many plant oils, nuts, seeds, and fish.

    In play: Often the “lasting fuel + vitamin helper” story on plant-oil and fish cards.

  • Trans fat

    g

    Fats with a trans double-bond geometry. Industrial partially hydrogenated oils are strongly linked to heart disease risk and are largely phased out of the US food supply; labels may still show 0 g.

    In play: Science fact card—not a moral food list. Teacher stretch only.

  • Cholesterol

    mg

    A waxy sterol the body uses in cell membranes and hormones. The liver makes cholesterol; animal foods can also contribute dietary cholesterol reported on the label.

    In play: Category: fat-related / lipids—not a plate “need” tag. Plants have essentially no cholesterol. Pair with fat talk, not food shame.

Carb-related

Total carbohydrate, fiber types, total sugars, and added sugars—the label’s carb stack.

  • Total carbohydrate

    g

    Sugars, starches, and fiber counted together on the Nutrition Facts label.

    In play: Plate tag Carb covers the energy job; fiber and sugars nest underneath. · Plate tag: Carb

  • Dietary fiber

    g

    Carbohydrate the human enzymes do not digest for fuel; supports digestive movement and can steady how other carbs land.

    In play: Core Fuel Lab plate tag—keep practicing it on plant foods. · Plate tag: Fiber

  • Soluble fiber

    g

    Fiber that dissolves in water (think gel). Found in oats, beans, apples, and similar foods; often discussed with cholesterol and blood-sugar stories in health class.

    In play: Stretch vocabulary under the Fiber tag—oats and beans are good demos. · Plate tag: Fiber

  • Insoluble fiber

    g

    Fiber that does not dissolve in water; adds bulk and helps food move through the tract. Common in whole grains, skins, and many vegetables.

    In play: Stretch vocabulary under the Fiber tag—broccoli and whole grains are good demos. · Plate tag: Fiber

  • Total sugars

    g

    All sugars in the serving—naturally present (fruit, milk) plus any added.

    In play: Pairs with Label Detective; natural ≠ free pass on the facts panel.

  • Added sugars

    g

    Sugars added during processing or plating—not the sugars inherent in whole fruit or plain milk.

    In play: Primary Label Detective target; hunt aliases on the ingredients list too.

Protein

Structural building material—already a core plate tag.

  • Protein

    g

    Amino-acid chains used to build and repair body structures and make many enzymes/hormones.

    In play: Already a core plate tag. · Plate tag: Protein

Minerals & electrolytes

Sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, and friends—helpers that also show as % Daily Value.

  • Sodium

    mg

    An electrolyte mineral that helps fluid balance and nerve/muscle signals; often higher in packaged or salted foods.

    In play: Maps loosely to Mineral tag; use the measurable name on Medium highlights. · Plate tag: Mineral

  • Calcium

    mg

    Mineral helper for bones, teeth, and many cell signals.

    In play: Bone-building challenges already lean on this story. · Plate tag: Mineral

  • Iron

    mg

    Mineral helper for blood’s oxygen-carrying chemistry.

    In play: Spinach / bean cards can highlight without overselling absorption details in Easy mode. · Plate tag: Mineral

  • Potassium

    mg

    Electrolyte mineral that partners with sodium in nerve and muscle stories.

    In play: Banana and other plant cards are classroom classics. · Plate tag: Mineral

Vitamins

Named vitamin lines common on modern US labels (e.g. Vitamin D).

  • Vitamin D

    mcg

    Helper for calcium use and bone stories; from some foods/fortification and also made in skin with sunlight.

    In play: Named vitamin line on many modern US labels. · Plate tag: Vitamin

Sample decks

Enough cards to see the loop. A printable starter set will lock art and counts next.

Food cards

Name, food group, nutrient tags, one-line job, and optional Nutrition Facts highlights (cholesterol, fiber types, sodium…).

  • Grain

    Oatmeal

    CarbFiber

    Steady carb fuel with soluble-fiber story for lasting energy.

    Facts: dietary fiber · soluble fiber

  • Grain

    Rice

    Carb

    Fast, familiar fuel for active afternoons.

    Facts: total carb

  • Protein + plant

    Beans

    ProteinFiberCarb

    Plant protein plus fiber—versatile plate builder.

    Facts: dietary fiber · protein · cholesterol

  • Protein

    Egg

    ProteinFat

    Protein for repair with some fat for staying power.

    Facts: cholesterol · protein

  • Protein

    Chicken

    Protein

    Lean protein for building and repairing.

    Facts: protein · cholesterol

  • Dairy-style

    Yogurt

    ProteinMineral

    Protein plus calcium-style mineral helpers for bones.

    Facts: calcium · added sugars

  • Dairy-style

    Milk

    ProteinFatMineralWater

    Protein, fat, minerals, and water in one pour.

    Facts: calcium · vitamin d · cholesterol

  • Fruit

    Apple

    CarbFiberWater

    Hydrating carbs with fiber—easy snack science.

    Facts: dietary fiber · total sugars · cholesterol

  • Fruit

    Banana

    CarbFiberMineral

    Quick carbs with fiber plus potassium-style mineral helpers.

    Facts: potassium

  • Vegetable

    Broccoli

    FiberVitaminMineral

    Fiber and vitamin/mineral helpers with almost no fuss.

    Facts: insoluble fiber · cholesterol

  • Vegetable

    Carrot

    CarbFiberVitamin

    Crunchy carbs with vitamin helpers (think vision chemistry).

    Facts: dietary fiber

  • Fruit / fat

    Avocado

    FatFiber

    Plant fats that help absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

    Facts: unsaturated fat · cholesterol

  • Protein + fat

    Nuts

    ProteinFatFiber

    Dense fuel for longer activities—small handful goes far.

    Facts: unsaturated fat · cholesterol

  • Fat

    Olive oil

    Fat

    Cooking fat that carries flavor and vitamin helpers.

    Facts: unsaturated fat · saturated fat · cholesterol

  • Protein + fat

    Salmon

    ProteinFat

    Protein plus longer-chain fats used in many body systems.

    Facts: unsaturated fat · cholesterol

  • Drink

    Water bottle

    Water

    The non-negotiable helper—every plate round can include it.

  • Vegetable

    Spinach

    FiberVitaminMineral

    Leafy helpers for blood and cell chemistry stories.

    Facts: iron · dietary fiber

  • Dairy-style

    Cheese

    ProteinFatMineral

    Concentrated protein and fat with mineral helpers.

    Facts: sodium · cholesterol · calcium · saturated fat

Plate targets

Pattern scaffolds for Easy mode—and stretch goals for Medium.

  • Power breakfast

    Grain + protein + fruit

    Tags: Carb · Protein · Fiber

    Morning fuel before a long class block.

  • Repair plate

    Protein + vegetable + water

    Tags: Protein · Vitamin · Water

    After PE—build/repair plus helpers and hydration.

  • Steady afternoon

    Carb + fat + fiber

    Tags: Carb · Fat · Fiber

    Homework stretch without a mid-afternoon crash story.

  • Bone-building bowl

    Mineral + protein + vegetable

    Tags: Mineral · Protein · Fiber

    Calcium-style minerals with protein and plant fiber.

  • Hydration hero

    Water + fruit + vegetable

    Tags: Water · Carb · Vitamin

    Hot-day lab: fluids first, then light plant fuels.

  • Team dinner

    Protein + grain + two plants

    Tags: Protein · Carb · Fiber · Vitamin

    Balanced evening plate—no food left off the table for being “fun.”

Digestion rules

Mouth → stomach → small intestine → cells. Science story, not tasting.

  • Chew & amylase start

    Mouth

    Condition: Include a carb food to start the starch story.

    Mechanical breakdown + enzymes begin carb digestion—no tasting required at the table.

  • Acid workshop

    Stomach

    Condition: Include a protein food; score +1 if you name “enzyme” aloud.

    Acid and enzymes unwind proteins so they can be absorbed later.

  • Absorb & deliver

    Small intestine

    Condition: Plate must include fiber OR fat (helpers for movement or absorption).

    Most nutrient absorption happens here; blood carries fuels to cells.

  • Cellular payoff

    Cells

    Condition: Valid plate + name one nutrient job to bank the round.

    MS-LS1-7 hook: food molecules → energy and building blocks for cells.

Activity challenges

Face-up table goals that ask for a nutrient mix—soccer, brain day, bone-building—not calorie targets.

  • Soccer practice

    Muscles need quick fuel and repair materials after sprints.

    Needs: Carb · Protein · Water

    Easy:
    Icons on the challenge card show carb + protein + water.
    Medium:
    No icons—players must name the three jobs before scoring.

  • Brain day

    Long reading block: steady carbs and hydration help focus stories.

    Needs: Carb · Water · Fat

    Easy:
    Picture cue of a book + water bottle; fat tagged as “lasting fuel.”
    Medium:
    Justify why fat appears on a “brain day” plate (absorption / lasting fuel).

  • Bone-building day

    Growth spurt unit: mineral helpers + protein for the scaffold.

    Needs: Mineral · Protein · Vitamin

    Easy:
    Challenge lists calcium-style minerals and protein with a bone icon.
    Medium:
    Players pick foods and explain mineral vs vitamin helper roles.

  • Lab marathon

    Three-period lab: fiber and water keep the digestive story moving.

    Needs: Fiber · Water · Carb

    Easy:
    Fiber foods highlighted with a green leaf cue.
    Medium:
    Must include fiber from two different food groups.

  • Repair night

    After a tough PE week: protein-forward plate with plant helpers.

    Needs: Protein · Fiber · Vitamin

    Easy:
    Prompt card lists example foods that already match.
    Medium:
    No examples—assemble from the draw pile only.

  • Fiber focus

    Build a plant-forward plate and name soluble vs insoluble fiber from the measurables list.

    Needs: Fiber · Carb · Water

    Easy:
    Fiber icons required; teacher names soluble (oats/beans) vs insoluble (broccoli) aloud.
    Medium:
    Players must use two fiber foods and correctly assign soluble vs insoluble.

  • Facts panel day

    Plate still needs protein + plant helpers; bonus for reading cholesterol and sodium highlights on cards.

    Needs: Protein · Fiber · Mineral

    Easy:
    Use any protein + fiber + mineral; glance at one label highlight together.
    Medium:
    Plate must include one animal card (cholesterol cue) and one plant card (~0 mg cholesterol), plus name sodium’s family.

Bonus challenge

Label Detective

After a valid plate, draw a mock Nutrition Facts + ingredients card. Spot added-sugar aliases, ingredient splitting, and key measurables (fiber, sodium, cholesterol, added sugars) before banking the bonus.

Easy:
Aliases and measurable lines are highlighted; players circle any -ose/syrup/nectar and read the fiber + cholesterol lines aloud.
Medium:
No highlights. Find every sugar alias, check for ingredient splitting, then report fiber (g), sodium (mg), cholesterol (mg), and added sugars (g) from the mock panel.
Bonus:
+2 points when the aliases check out.

Ingredient splitting

On US labels, ingredients must be listed by common name in descending order by weight (21 CFR 101.4). Makers sometimes use several sugar types so each one sits lower on the list—even when total added sugar is high. Detectives add the aliases, not just the top line.

Sugar alias categories

Don’t only hunt the word “sugar.” Scan for -ose endings, syrups, and nectars—and read the facts panel numbers for fiber, sodium, cholesterol, and added sugars.

  • The “-ose” words

    In chemistry, -ose often signals a sugar. Multiple -ose words on one label add up.

    • Sucrose
    • Dextrose
    • Fructose
    • Glucose
    • Maltose

  • The syrups

    Liquid sugars—wholesome-sounding names still count as added sugar for label detective work.

    • High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
    • Brown rice syrup
    • Malt syrup
    • Oat syrup
    • Tapioca syrup

  • “Natural” disguises

    Plant-sourced or less-processed names are still added sugars when listed as ingredients.

    • Agave nectar
    • Coconut sugar
    • Fruit juice concentrate
    • Honey
    • Molasses
    • Evaporated cane juice

Facts panel prompts

Optional Medium stretch after the sugar hunt—tie numbers back to measurable families.

  • Where is cholesterol listed, and why do plant foods show ~0 mg?

    Fat-related block; plants don’t make cholesterol the way animals do.

  • Name one soluble-fiber food and one insoluble-fiber food on the table.

    Oats/beans (soluble story) vs broccoli/skins (insoluble bulk).

  • Which food card’s highlight mentions sodium—and what family is sodium in?

    Cheese → mineral/electrolyte.

Nutrition glossary

Essential terms grouped by role in the body—easier to digest when you are designing a lesson, studying for health class, or reading what is on a plate.

Inspired by classroom nutrition literacy sources such as Harvard’s Nutrition Source; Fuel Lab keeps the framing on nutrient jobs and label skills, not diet plans.

Energy & metabolism

How food becomes fuel for cells—the MS-LS1-7 story behind every plate.

Calorie (kcal)
A unit of energy. In nutrition it measures energy from food and drinks—or energy the body uses. Fuel Lab scores plates by nutrient jobs, not calorie totals.
Metabolism
The chemical processes that convert food and drink into energy and building materials for cells.

Macronutrients

Nutrients needed in larger amounts for energy and body structure—the main tags on food cards.

Macronutrients
Umbrella term for proteins, carbohydrates, and fats (plus fiber as a special carbohydrate).
Amino acids
Building blocks of proteins. About 20 appear in food proteins; nine are essential—they must come from food because the body cannot make them.
Carbohydrates
The body’s preferred quick fuel. Broken down toward glucose; found in grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy-style foods.
Fats (lipids)
Concentrated, longer-lasting fuel. Support brain and organ stories and help absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Fiber
A carbohydrate the body does not digest for fuel. It helps food move through the tract and steadies how other carbs land. Split into soluble (gels in water) and insoluble (adds bulk) on the measurables list.
Protein
Structural building material for cells—muscle repair, enzymes, hormones. Made of amino acid chains.

Fat-related details

Label lines that nest under Total Fat—including cholesterol, a sterol reported with fats.

Saturated fat
Fat with no double bonds in the fatty-acid chain. Common in many animal fats and some tropical oils. Tracked in grams on the label.
Unsaturated fat
Fat with one or more double bonds (mono- or polyunsaturated). Common in many plant oils, nuts, seeds, and fish.
Trans fat
Fat with a trans double-bond geometry. Industrial partially hydrogenated oils raise heart-disease concern and are largely removed from the US food supply; labels may still show 0 g.
Cholesterol
A waxy sterol used in cell membranes and hormones. Your liver makes cholesterol; animal foods can add dietary cholesterol (mg on the label). Plant foods are essentially cholesterol-free. Not a Fuel Lab plate “need” tag—label literacy under fat-related measurables.

Carb-related details

How the Nutrition Facts carb stack breaks down beyond the Carb plate tag.

Soluble fiber
Fiber that dissolves in water and can form a gel. Oats, beans, and apples are classroom demos.
Insoluble fiber
Fiber that does not dissolve; adds bulk and helps movement through the tract. Whole grains, skins, and many vegetables.
Total sugars
All sugars in the serving—natural (fruit, milk) plus any added during processing.
Added sugars
Sugars put in during processing or prep—not the sugars inherent in intact fruit or plain milk. Primary Label Detective target.

Micronutrients

Needed in smaller amounts—the “helper” tags that still matter a lot.

Micronutrients
Umbrella term for vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins
Organic helpers usually obtained from food (plants or animals). Needed for growth, immune function, and many metabolic reactions. (Vitamin D can also be made in skin with sunlight.)
Minerals
Inorganic helpers from soil and water (via plants and animals)—e.g. iron for blood stories, calcium for bones, sodium and potassium for fluid/nerve stories.
Sodium
Electrolyte mineral on the Nutrition Facts panel (mg). Helps fluid balance and nerve/muscle signals; often higher in salted or packaged foods.
Potassium
Electrolyte mineral that partners with sodium; bananas and many plants are classic demos.
Calcium
Mineral helper for bones, teeth, and cell signals; dairy-style and some fortified foods list it.
Iron
Mineral helper for blood’s oxygen-carrying chemistry; leafy greens and beans often highlight it.
Electrolytes
Charged minerals in body fluids (sodium, potassium, calcium, and friends) that support muscle signals and hydration.
Antioxidants
Compounds (including some vitamins) that help protect cells from damage by unstable molecules called free radicals.

Planning ideas

Tools for talking about plates—without turning the game into a diet plan.

Nutrient density
How many helpful nutrients a food brings relative to its energy. High-helper foods pack vitamins, minerals, and fiber into a serving—useful tradeoff talk in Medium mode.
Nutrition Facts panel
US label block listing calories, fats (incl. cholesterol), sodium, carbs (fiber, sugars, added sugars), protein, and key vitamins/minerals with amounts and % Daily Value.
Glycemic index (GI)
Optional stretch: a 0–100 scale for how quickly a carb-containing food raises blood sugar. Teacher glossary, not Easy-mode scoring.
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
Teacher-facing reference values for planning and assessing nutrient intake in healthy people—not a student win condition.

Future box (design brief)

Manufacturing targets for a physical kit—same honesty as Molecular Masters: not for sale on this site yet.

  • Fuel Lab game board / plate mat
  • Food cards (classroom pantry set)
  • Plate-target cards (meal patterns)
  • Digestion rule cards (mouth → cells)
  • Activity challenge cards (Easy / Medium prompts)
  • Label Detective cards (mock Nutrition Facts + ingredients + sugar-alias key)
  • Nutrition Facts measurable reference (cholesterol, fiber types, sodium, sugars…)
  • Nutrient glossary / job reference sheet
  • Rulebook with worked plate examples
  • Organizer insert for classroom storage
Email interest for your class →

FAQ

What ages is Fuel Lab for?
Designed for students roughly 8–18. Easy mode scaffolds younger players; Medium mode stretches middle and high school groups.
Is this about calories or weight?
No. Fuel Lab teaches nutrient jobs and energy for activity. There is no weight, BMI, or “burn to lose” framing.
Can I use this with my class today?
You can teach from the concept rules and sample cards on this page. A printable starter deck is next; email if you want classroom-interest updates.
Do students eat anything?
No. Cards are paper proxies. Real allergies and tasting activities stay a teacher or family decision outside the game.
How does scoring work?
First player to 12 points wins; or end when the draw pile runs out and highest score wins. Valid plates score 1 point per food card spent; completing the activity challenge adds +2. Optional Label Detective adds another +2.
What is Label Detective?
A bonus challenge after a valid plate: students scan a mock Nutrition Facts panel and ingredients list for added-sugar aliases, ingredient splitting, and key measurables (fiber, sodium, cholesterol, added sugars).
Where does cholesterol fit?
Under fat-related label measurables (with saturated/unsaturated/trans fats)—not as a plate “need” tag. The body makes cholesterol; animal foods can add dietary cholesterol in mg; plant foods are essentially cholesterol-free.
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