Objective 2: To know that we need many different foods

Materials:

Picture: We Need Many Different Foods

Concept: People need many different foods to be healthy and grow

Content

Even if we get enough food to meet our energy needs, we can be unhealthy if we do not get the right kinds of different foods that we need. Because different nutrients are found in different foods, we need to eat many kinds of foods to get all of the things we need.

Most regions have a traditional or local pattern of eating that provides the variety needed for health and growth. For instance, a staple food such as rice, wheat, maize, cassava or potatoes will provide the main food, to which smaller amounts vegetables, meats fish or poultry and sauces are typically added. When the smaller accompanying foods provide a variety of vegetables, meats or legumes (beans, peas and nuts), as well as sauces with fat and sugar, the traditional, local diet is rich in nutrients for health and growth.

Activities

• Tell the children that people all over the world have very different ways of eating. Pass out or hold up the picture We Need Many Different Foods and describe the meal that is being served to this family. It is made up of a large staple food. Ask the children what it looks like (rice, cassava and potato). Ask them what else they see in smaller amounts (fruit, meats, vegetables and sauces).
• Tell the children that this is how most people in the world eat. They have a staple food, then add smaller accompanying foods. Discuss how staple foods around the world are typically starchy foods such as rice, and other cereals, potato and cassava. Discuss how the accompanying foods may be vegetables, beans, peas, nuts, meats, fish, egg or sauces made from these foods.
• Tell the children that the accompanying foods provide the different kinds of foods that we need to be healthy. And that we should try to eat different ones every day. We should also try to eat fruits after meals or for snacks.
• Ask the children what their meals are like and ask if they also have a staple food with smaller amounts of accompanying foods, like the family in the picture.
• Using the picture as a guide, ask the children to create a list of their own local staple foods and the accompanying foods they add. Ask them to count how many different accompanying foods they can list and explain how having many different kinds of foods helps them grow and be healthy.
• Your own version of the picture can be created by drawing or cutting out pictures of local staple foods and accompanying foods.
  

Ojective 3. To know who is hungry in the world