Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 4

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Identify the five food groups
• Describe the importance of a balanced meal
• Explain and choose appropriate portion sizes
• Understand basic food labels
• Identify healthy snack options

Lesson summary

This week, we'll be focusing on healthy eating habits. Eating healthy isn't just about following rules; it's about giving our bodies the fuel they need to grow strong, stay healthy, and have the energy to learn and play! In South Africa, many people face challenges accessing healthy and affordable food. Understanding healthy eating habits helps us make good choices, even when options are limited, and appreciate the food we have. It also helps us prevent diseases and stay active members of our communities. We will learn about balanced meals, portion sizes, and how to read food labels, which are essential skills for a healthy life.

Lesson notes

The Five Food Groups: Our bodies need different things to work properly, which is why we have five main food groups: Fruits: Fruits are sweet and come in lots of colours! They give us vitamins and minerals that keep us healthy. Examples include apples, bananas, oranges, mangoes, berries, and grapes. Even fruits like tomatoes (often used in cooking) count!

Vegetables: Vegetables are also full of vitamins and minerals. They can be green (spinach, broccoli), orange (carrots, butternut), yellow (corn), red (tomatoes, beetroot), or white (onions, potatoes). It's important to eat a variety of colours!

Grains: Grains provide us with energy. Choose whole grains whenever possible (like brown bread instead of white bread). Examples include bread, rice, maize (mielies), pap, oats, and pasta.

Protein: Protein helps us build and repair our muscles and tissues. Examples include meat (chicken, beef, fish), beans (sugar beans, lentils), eggs, nuts, and dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese).

Dairy: Dairy products are important for strong bones and teeth because they contain calcium. Examples include milk, yogurt, and cheese. If someone is lactose intolerant (has trouble digesting dairy), they can choose dairy-free alternatives like soy milk or almond milk.

Balanced Meal: A balanced meal contains foods from all or most of the food groups. This helps us get all the nutrients we need. A plate can be divided mentally into portions.

Example: A balanced meal might include grilled chicken (protein), brown rice (grain), steamed broccoli (vegetable), and a small glass of milk (dairy). An alternative example, more common in some South African homes, could be pap (grain), chicken stew (protein, vegetables), and a side salad (vegetables).

Portion Size: Portion size is the amount of food you eat in one serving. Eating too much of anything, even healthy food, can lead to weight gain. It’s important to listen to your body and stop eating when you feel full.

Examples: Instead of filling your whole plate with pap, start with a smaller amount, like half a cup. Instead of eating a whole bag of chips, put a small handful in a bowl. When drinking juice, use a smaller glass.

Reading Food Labels: Food labels give us information about what’s in our food.

Look for things like: Serving Size: This tells you how much of the food one serving is.

Sugar: Too much sugar is not good for our health.

Salt (Sodium): Too much salt can also be unhealthy.

Fat: Some fat is healthy, but too much saturated or trans fat is not. Look for unsaturated fats instead.

Fibre: Fibre is good for our digestion and keeps us feeling full.

Example: On a cereal box, the label might say "Serving Size: 30g." This means all the nutritional information (sugar, fat, etc.) listed is for 30g of cereal. If you eat 60g, you’re getting twice the amount of everything listed.

Healthy Snacks: Snacks can be part of a healthy diet if we choose them wisely.

Examples: Fresh fruit (apple slices, banana), vegetables (carrot sticks, cucumber slices with hummus), a small handful of nuts, a small container of yogurt, biltong (in moderation). Avoid sugary drinks and sweets as snacks. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: Name one food from each of the five food groups.

Solution: Fruits: Apple Vegetables: Carrots Grains: Bread Protein: Chicken Dairy: Milk Question 2: Sipho has a lunchbox with a packet of chips, a chocolate bar, and an apple. Is this a balanced meal? Why or why not?

Solution: No, this is not a balanced meal. It mainly contains sugar and unhealthy fats. It's missing grains, protein, and vegetables. The apple is a good start, but he needs more variety.

Question 3: You are very hungry after playing soccer. You can choose between eating a large plate of fries or a smaller plate of fries with a chicken burger. Which is the healthier option and why?

Solution: The smaller plate of fries with a chicken burger is the healthier option. While neither is ideal, the chicken burger provides protein, and having a smaller portion of fries helps control fat intake. It's better than just a large amount of fries, which is mainly unhealthy fat.

Question 4: Imagine a food label says "Serving Size: 1 cup." The label also says "Sugar: 20g per serving." If you eat two cups of this food, how much sugar are you eating?

Solution: You are eating 40g of sugar. Since one cup (one serving) has 20g of sugar, two cups have 20g + 20g = 40g.

Question 5: Thandi wants a snack. She can choose between a packet of sweets and a small handful of peanuts. Which is the healthier choice, and why?

Solution: The handful of peanuts is the healthier choice. Peanuts provide protein and healthy fats, which will keep her feeling full for longer. Sweets are mostly sugar and offer little nutritional value. Independent Practice (Questions Only) Name three different vegetables and three different fruits you enjoy eating. Design a balanced meal that includes foods from at least four food groups.