Food We Eat

This is a creative activity. Students should draw pictures of their favourite homemade food dishes in their notebooks and write the name below each drawing. For example, a student might draw: 1. Dal-Chawal (Rice and Lentils) 2. Aloo Paratha 3. Idli-Sambar. Note: Drawings will vary from student to student. There is no single correct answer.

This is a speaking/sharing activity. Students should think about why they like their favourite food items and share with the class. Example answer: 'I like aloo paratha because it is warm, filling, and my grandmother makes it with love. It gives me energy to play and study. I also love the taste of butter on top of it.'

After talking to elders, students can share the following points in class: We need to eat and drink because — (1) Food gives us energy to work, play, run and study. (2) Food helps our body grow and become strong. (3) Food keeps us healthy and protects us from diseases. (4) Water and drinks keep our body hydrated and help all body functions work properly. (5) Without food and water, we cannot survive.

We need to eat healthy food because: (1) Healthy food gives our body the energy it needs to do daily activities like running, playing, studying and working. (2) It helps our body grow strong — our bones, muscles and organs develop properly. (3) It keeps us fit and active, just like Shirin the runner who improved her speed after eating a balanced diet. (4) Healthy food protects us from falling sick. (5) It helps us feel energetic and happy throughout the day. Therefore, eating healthy food is very important for a strong and active body.

Students should tick the food items they personally eat regularly (answers will vary). For the second part — Foods that should be part of a balanced diet: A balanced diet should include: ✓ Vegetables (provide vitamins and minerals), ✓ Fruits (provide vitamins, minerals and natural sugars), ✓ Rice or Roti (provide carbohydrates for energy), ✓ Dal (provides proteins for growth), ✓ Milk and Paneer (provide calcium for strong bones), ✓ Salads (provide fibre and vitamins). Foods like Sweets and Snacks should be eaten in limited quantities as they contain too much sugar and fat. Lassi and Juice are healthy drinks that can be included in moderation.

$$\begin{array}{|l|l|}\hline \textbf{Summer} & \textbf{Winter} \\ \hline \text{Mango} & \text{Apple} \\ \hline \text{Watermelon} & \text{Orange} \\ \hline \text{Cucumber} & \text{Carrot} \\ \hline \text{Tender coconut water} & \text{Soup and stew} \\ \hline \text{Aam Panna, Lassi} & \text{Gajar ka Halwa} \\ \hline \end{array}$$ Note: Students may add more items based on their region and family traditions.

Students should name the drinks shown in the pictures in their own regional language. The drinks shown are: 1. Tender Coconut Water — In Hindi: Nariyal Paani; In Tamil: Ilaneer; In Bengali: Daaber Jol. 2. Mango Juice — In Hindi: Aam ka Ras. 3. Aam Panna — In Hindi: Aam Panna (a cool drink made from raw mangoes). 4. Orange Juice — In Hindi: Santre ka Ras. 5. Lime Water — In Hindi: Nimbu Paani. Note: Students should write the names in their own mother tongue or regional language.

This is a personal reflection question. A sample answer: I drink water many times during the day — in the morning when I wake up, before and after meals, when I come back from playing, and before going to bed. In summer, I drink more water because I sweat a lot. Our body needs plenty of water to stay healthy, and we should drink water frequently, especially after physical activity.

Foods grown in the fields (crops): Wheat, Rice, Maize (Corn), Sugarcane, Mustard, Pulses (Dal), Vegetables like tomato, brinjal, potato. How some of these foods are cooked: (1) Wheat — ground into flour (atta) and made into roti, paratha, bread. (2) Rice — boiled and eaten as steamed rice, or made into khichdi, idli, dosa. (3) Maize — roasted on fire (bhutta), made into popcorn or cornflour. (4) Pulses — boiled and cooked as dal with spices. (5) Sugarcane — crushed to get juice; juice is processed to make sugar.

Students should tick the items they personally eat. However, here is a guide to all the plant parts and common examples: Leaves we eat: ✓ Spinach (Palak), ✓ Fenugreek (Methi), ✓ Cabbage, ✓ Mustard (Sarson), ✓ Coriander (Dhaniya). Fruits we eat: ✓ Guava, ✓ Sapota (Chikoo), ✓ Apple, ✓ Mango. Roots we eat: ✓ Carrot, ✓ Radish (Mooli), ✓ Beetroot. Stems we eat: ✓ Potatoes, ✓ Bamboo shoots, ✓ Ginger, ✓ Onion. Seeds we eat: ✓ Grains (wheat, rice), ✓ Pulses (dal), ✓ Dry fruits (almonds, cashews). Most students will tick almost all of these as they are commonly eaten in Indian households.

The two most commonly used ingredients that are neither from plants nor from animals are: 1. Salt (Namak) — Salt is obtained from sea water or rock salt mines. It is a mineral, not a plant or animal product. 2. Water — Water is used in cooking almost every dish. It does not come from a plant or an animal. Therefore, Salt is the most common answer for this puzzle.