Nutrients and Meal Planning

Name:

Date:

🥗 Part 1: Nutrients and Their Functions

1. Match each nutrient to its main function in the body by drawing lines:

Nutrients:

Carbohydrates

Protein

Calcium

Vitamin C

Fibre

Water

Functions:

Helps with digestion

Builds and repairs muscles

Strengthens bones and teeth

Protects against illness

Provides quick energy

Regulates body temperature

2. Which nutrient group is the body's main source of energy?

Proteins

Carbohydrates

Vitamins

Minerals

3. Select ALL the foods that are good sources of protein:

Chicken breast

White bread

Lentils

Soft drink

Eggs

Fish

🍽️ Part 2: Food Groups and Meal Planning

4. List one food from each food group that you could include in a healthy lunch:

Grains/Cereals: ________________________

Vegetables: ________________________

Fruits: ________________________

Dairy/Alternatives: ________________________

Protein Foods: ________________________

5. Jake's lunch contains: white bread sandwich with butter, packet of chips, chocolate bar, and soft drink. Suggest THREE improvements to make this lunch more balanced:

6. Why is it important to include a variety of foods from different food groups in our daily meals?

📋 Part 3: Plan Your Balanced Meal

7. Scenario: You need to plan a healthy lunch for after sport training. Design a balanced meal that will help your body recover and provide sustained energy.

My post-sport lunch menu:

8. Explain how TWO nutrients in your meal will help your body after exercise:

Nutrient 1: ________________________

How it helps: ________________________________________________

Nutrient 2: ________________________

How it helps: ________________________________________________

9. Circle whether each food choice is an "everyday" or "sometimes" food:

Apple slices: Everyday / Sometimes

Meat pie: Everyday / Sometimes

Wholemeal bread: Everyday / Sometimes

Energy drink: Everyday / Sometimes

Greek yoghurt: Everyday / Sometimes

10. Name one nutrient and one food choice that will support your wellbeing today:

Nutrient: ________________________

Food choice: ________________________

🍎 Teacher Answer Guide

1. Matching: Carbohydrates→Energy, Protein→Muscles, Calcium→Bones, Vitamin C→Illness protection, Fibre→Digestion, Water→Temperature regulation

2. Carbohydrates

3. Chicken breast, Lentils, Eggs, Fish

4. Sample answers: Grains (wholemeal bread/rice), Vegetables (lettuce/carrot), Fruits (apple/banana), Dairy (cheese/milk), Protein (ham/tuna)

5. Replace white bread with wholemeal; add vegetables to sandwich; swap chips for fruit; choose water instead of soft drink; replace chocolate with yoghurt

6. Different food groups provide different nutrients; variety ensures we get all nutrients needed; prevents nutrient deficiencies; supports overall health

7. Should include: carbohydrates for energy, protein for muscle recovery, vegetables/fruits for vitamins, dairy for calcium, water for hydration

8. Sample: Protein helps repair muscles after exercise; Carbohydrates replace energy stores used during training

9. Apple slices: Everyday; Meat pie: Sometimes; Wholemeal bread: Everyday; Energy drink: Sometimes; Greek yoghurt: Everyday

10. Accept any appropriate nutrient-food pairing that supports health