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Nutrition Scavenger Hunt

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Nutrition Scavenger Hunt

You are helping plan kai for a youth sports festival in Aotearoa New Zealand. Use the evidence on this sheet to investigate nutrients, compare food choices and challenge nutrition claims. Answer in your own words; foods can fit more than one food group.

Evidence stop 1: What do nutrients do?

The body uses nutrients for energy, growth, repair and normal body functions. Carbohydrate is a major energy source; protein supports growth and tissue repair; fats provide energy, help absorb some vitamins and form part of cell membranes. Vitamins and minerals support many processes, while fibre supports bowel health. Water is essential for hydration. Nutrient needs vary between people.

1.At the festival, a player says, “Carbohydrates are bad, so nobody should eat them.” Explain why this claim is misleading. Include one useful role of carbohydrate and one example of a nutritious carbohydrate food.

2.Match each nutrient or component to a main role. Write the letter beside each number: 1 Carbohydrate; 2 Protein; 3 Fat; 4 Fibre. A Supports bowel health; B Major energy source; C Growth and tissue repair; D Helps absorb some vitamins and forms part of cell membranes.

1 Carbohydrate
2 Protein
3 Fat
4 Fibre

A Supports bowel health
B Major energy source
C Growth and tissue repair
D Helps absorb some vitamins and forms part of cell membranes

Evidence stop 2: Festival snack labels

These simplified labels show values per 100 g. They are invented for this activity and are not real product labels.

Snack

Energy

Protein

Fibre

Plain yoghurt

420 kJ

5 g

0 g

Wholegrain cracker

1,850 kJ

10 g

12 g

Apple

220 kJ

0 g

2.4 g

3.Which snack has the most fibre per 100 g, and which has the least energy per 100 g? Use figures from the label table as evidence.

4.A serving is 30 g of wholegrain cracker. Using the table, calculate how many grams of fibre are in that serving. Show your calculation.

5.True or false? A food with more energy per 100 g is automatically the less healthy choice. Explain your decision using one limitation of comparing foods only by energy.

Evidence stop 3: Spot the claim

A fictional snack advert says: “SUPERFOOD! Natural energy and 100% guilt-free—eat as much as you want!” The advert gives no serving size or nutrient information.

6.Identify two features of this advert that may persuade someone without proving the snack is nutritious. Then name one piece of information you would want before making a judgement.

7.Choose the most reliable starting point for general New Zealand food and nutrition guidance: A an influencer’s sponsored post; B a government public-health resource such as Health New Zealand or the Ministry of Health; C a snack company’s advert. Give one reason for your choice.

A. An influencer’s sponsored post
B. A government public-health resource
C. A snack company’s advert

8.Festival challenge: suggest a practical snack combination for a busy afternoon that includes a source of carbohydrate and at least one other useful nutrient or food component. Explain how the combination could support someone’s needs. There is more than one reasonable answer.

9.Reflection: Name one nutrition idea from this hunt that could help you assess a food claim or make an informed choice. Explain how you would use it in a real situation.