The Badge Archive

Fuel or Fizzle

Activity Description: Scouts race to sort food cards into “Fuel” or “Fizzle” in small teams, then compare results and act out how their favorite food makes them feel.

  • Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Me Time badge requirements.

Info Needed for Me Time: Scouts learn that food gives their bodies energy for play and movement. Each scout picks a movement and a matching energy food, then performs the movement and sees how it feels “powered up.”

Items Needed:

  • One full set of food cards per group of 4-6 scouts (see list below)
  • Two sorting zones per group: “Fuel” and “Fizzle” (baskets, boxes, or labeled mats)
  • Timer or stopwatch
  • (Optional) Music for movement
  • (Optional) Stickers or tokens for correct answers

Instructions (Estimated Total Time: 20 min):

  1. Introduce the idea of Fuel vs. Fizzle foods. (2 min)
    • Fuel = strong, steady, focused energy
    • Fizzle = fast, wobbly, tired energy
  2. Divide scouts into small groups of 4–6. (2 min)
    • Give each group a full set of food cards
  3. Start the 2-minute sorting challenge. (2 min)
    • Each group races to sort their cards into Fuel or Fizzle zones
  4. Review answers as a group. (5 min)
    • Leader goes over each card and announces correct answers
    • Ask: Which group got the most right?
  5. Group Show and Tell. (6 min)
    • Each group picks two cards. One Fuel and one Fizzle they like. Then act out what they think they could do after eating the food on each card.
      • Fuel cards should give strong, steady, focused movements. Fizzle cards would bring fast movement followed by feeling wobbly and tired.

Fuel and Fizzle Card List

Print or draw the following cards:

Fuel Cards (Lasting Energy):
These foods help scouts stay strong, focused, and energized.

  • Apple
  • Banana
  • Whole grain bread
  • Oatmeal
  • Egg
  • Cheese stick
  • Yogurt
  • Peanut butter (or sunflower seed butter)
  • Brown rice
  • Sweet potato
  • Hummus
  • Trail mix (nuts and dried fruit)
  • Carrot sticks
  • Water bottle

Fizzle Cards (Quick Energy, Doesn’t Last):
These foods give a fast burst but don’t keep scouts fueled for long.

  • Soda
  • Candy bar
  • Potato chips
  • Donut
  • Fruit snacks (with added sugar)
  • Ice cream
  • Cookies
  • Sugary cereal
  • Sports drink
  • Cupcake
  • Chocolate milk (with added sugar)
  • White bread
Tia Kennard