Food We Eat

What is Food?

Food is what we eat to get energy, to grow and to stay healthy. Food helps our body move, study, play and fight sickness. All living things — people, animals and plants — need food.

Where does food come from?

• From plants: grains (rice, wheat), vegetables (spinach, carrots), fruits (mango, banana), nuts and seeds.
• From animals: milk, eggs, meat, fish and honey.
• From shops and kitchens: cooked meals, bread, and packaged foods that come from plants and animals.

Why do we need different kinds of food?

• Some foods give energy (like rice, chapati, potatoes).
• Some help us grow strong (milk, eggs, pulses).
• Some keep us free from illness (fruits and vegetables give vitamins).
• We should eat different foods every day — this is called a balanced diet.

How to think about food simply:

• Eat from plants and animals.
• Eat a mix of foods each day — cereals, proteins, vegetables, fruits, milk and a little fat or sugar.
• Wash hands before eating and eat clean food so we do not get sick.

Simple classroom activity idea: Ask children to draw their plate and paste pictures of foods that make a healthy meal — rice/chapati, vegetables, dal (pulses), a fruit, and a glass of milk.

Food gives us energy, helps us grow and keeps us healthy. Different kinds of food do different jobs in our body. We usually divide food into simple groups so it is easy to remember what to eat.

• Energy foods – These give us energy to play and work. Examples: rice, wheat, maize, bread and potatoes.
• Body-building foods (Proteins) – These help us grow and repair the body. Examples: pulses (dal), beans, eggs, fish, chicken, paneer and nuts.
• Protective foods (Vitamins & Minerals) – These keep us from getting sick and help our body work well. Examples: fruits (orange, apple, banana) and vegetables (spinach, carrot, tomato).
• Milk and milk products – These give calcium for strong bones and teeth. Examples: milk, curd, cheese.
• Fats and sweets – These give extra energy and taste. Eat small amounts. Examples: oil, ghee, butter, chocolates and sweets.
• Water – Water is not a food but it is very important. Drink enough water every day.

A balanced meal has items from different groups in the right amounts. For young children, a simple rule is: fill half the plate with fruits and vegetables, one quarter with cereals (rice, roti) and one quarter with proteins (dal, pulses, eggs, meat) plus a small serving of milk or dairy and a little fat.

Simple tips: eat different coloured vegetables and fruits, drink water, limit sweets and fried foods, and eat meals at regular times.

Plants give us many kinds of food. We eat parts of plants such as roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. Plants grow from seeds and need sunlight, water and soil to make food for themselves. Many of the foods we eat every day come from plants and help our body stay healthy.

Parts of plants and the food we get:

• Roots: e.g., carrot, radish.
• Stem: e.g., sugarcane, asparagus.
• Leaves: e.g., spinach, lettuce.
• Flowers: e.g., cauliflower, broccoli.
• Fruits: e.g., mango, apple, banana, tomato.
• Seeds and grains: e.g., rice, wheat, peas, beans, almonds.

How plants make food (simple): Plants use sunlight, water and air to make their food. While making food, they give out oxygen which we breathe. Foods from plants give us energy, vitamins and fibre to grow strong and stay healthy.

Short life sequence of a plant: seed → seedling → grown plant → flowers → fruits/seeds. We get food at different stages (for example, we eat seeds like peas, fruits like mango, and leaves like spinach).

Food from animals means the things we eat that come from animals or are made from animal products. Animals give us many foods that help our body grow and stay healthy.

Common animal foods

• Milk — comes from cows, buffaloes, goats. We drink milk and make curd (yoghurt), butter, ghee, cheese and paneer from it.
• Eggs — come from hens and ducks. Eggs are eaten boiled, fried, or cooked in many dishes.
• Meat and fish — come from animals like chicken, goat, sheep, pigs and from fish. Meat and fish are cooked before eating.
• Honey — made by bees. It is a natural sweetener and can be eaten directly.

How we get food from animals

• On the farm, animals are kept and fed.
• People take milk from cows and buffaloes, collect eggs from poultry, catch fish, and collect honey from beehives.
• Some foods are used as they are (like honey), while others are processed to make new foods (milk → butter, cheese, ghee).

Why these foods are important

• They give proteins (for growth), calcium (for strong bones and teeth), and energy.
• Milk and milk products are good for growing children because they have calcium.

Safety and care

• Milk should be boiled before drinking to kill germs.
• Meat and fish must be cooked well.
• Wash hands before eating and after touching animals.

Example daily meal using animal foods (simple)

• Breakfast: Milk or curd and an egg.
• Lunch: Rice with fish or chicken (cooked), and a little butter or ghee.
• Snack: Bread with butter or honey.

Plants have different parts and we eat different parts as food. The main parts we eat are roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. Below is a short description of each part with simple examples a Class 1 child can recognise.

Roots

Roots grow under the ground and take water and minerals from the soil. Some roots are edible and are eaten as vegetables.

• Examples: carrot, radish, beetroot, turnip

Stems

Stems hold the plant up and carry water and food. Some stems are eaten.

• Examples: potato (stem tuber), sugarcane, celery, banana stem

Leaves

Leaves make food for the plant using sunlight. Many leafy plants are eaten as vegetables.

• Examples: spinach, cabbage, lettuce, fenugreek (methi)

Flowers

Flowers help plants make seeds. Some flowers are eaten as vegetables.

• Examples: cauliflower, broccoli, banana flower

Fruits

Fruits usually contain seeds and help spread them. Many fruits are eaten raw or cooked.

• Examples: apple, mango, banana, tomato (botanically a fruit), grapes

Seeds

Seeds are the small parts from which new plants grow. Many seeds are eaten as pulses, grains or nuts.

• Examples: peas, beans, lentils, rice, wheat, groundnut

Teaching tip: Show real vegetables and fruits or pictures and ask children to point to which part of the plant each food comes from. Simple sorting activities work well.

What are Meals of the Day?

Meals of the day are the times when we eat food to get energy, grow and stay healthy. Common meals are breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many children also have a mid-morning snack and an evening snack.

Why meals are important

• Give energy to play and learn.
• Help our body grow strong and fight germs.
• Keep our brain active so we can pay attention in class.

What a good meal looks like

• A balanced meal has foods from different groups: grains (rice, roti), proteins (dal, eggs), vegetables and fruits, dairy (milk, curd) and a little healthy fat.
• Eat meals at regular times and drink clean water.
• Wash hands before eating and sit while eating.

When to eat (simple routine)

• Breakfast: in the morning after waking up (for example 7:00–9:00).
• Mid-morning snack: a small fruit or milk if hungry.
• Lunch: middle of the day (around 12:00–1:30).
• Evening snack: after school (around 4:00–5:30).
• Dinner: evening before sleep (around 7:00–8:30).

Tips for children

• Try different colourful vegetables and fruits.
• Eat slowly and chew well.
• Choose less fried and sugary foods often; have them sometimes as treats.

Healthy foods are foods that help our body grow, give us energy to play and study, and keep us strong. Examples are fruits, vegetables, milk, dal, roti, rice, eggs and fish. Healthy foods have vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and calcium.

Unhealthy foods are foods that taste good but too much of them can make us feel tired, give tooth problems or make us gain too much weight. Examples are chips, biscuits, candies, cake, and fizzy drinks. These foods often have a lot of sugar, salt or oil and not many useful nutrients.

Simple tips for choosing food:

• Have different colours on your plate: green, orange, red and yellow—these are usually fruits and vegetables.
• Eat milk or a milk product each day for strong bones.
• Eat sweets and fried snacks only sometimes (as treats), not every day.
• Drink water often and play outside to keep your body active.

How foods help: Healthy foods help you grow taller, run and play, think well at school and heal when you are hurt. Unhealthy foods eaten too often can make you feel slow, give tummy or tooth problems and make you tired.

Good eating habits help children grow strong, stay healthy and have energy to play and learn. A good eating habit means eating different kinds of foods, eating on time, keeping food clean, and not eating too many sweets or junk food.

• Eat a variety: Have foods from different groups — grains (rice, roti), proteins (dal, eggs, paneer), vegetables, fruits, milk and a little fat.
• Eat on time: Have regular meals — breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. Do not skip meals.
• Keep food clean: Wash hands before eating, eat freshly cooked food and keep plates clean.
• Chew well and eat slowly: Chewing well helps digestion.
• Limit sweets and junk food: Eat chocolates, chips and soft drinks only sometimes.
• Drink water: Drink water during the day and milk for strong bones.

When children follow these habits they grow well, get fewer illnesses, and feel active for study and play.

What is a balanced diet?

A balanced diet gives our body the right kind of food in the right amount. It helps us grow, gives us energy to play and study, and keeps us healthy.

Main food groups

• Cereals and grains: rice, wheat, roti, porridge — give energy.
• Vegetables: spinach, carrots, beans — give vitamins and minerals.
• Fruits: apple, banana, orange — give vitamins and help keep us well.
• Milk and milk products: milk, curd, paneer — help build strong bones and teeth.
• Pulses and proteins: lentils, peas, eggs, fish — help muscles grow.
• Fats and sweets: oil, butter, cakes — give energy but eat a little only.

How to make a balanced meal

Try to eat foods from different groups at every meal. A simple idea is to use a plate that has:

• About half the plate with vegetables and fruits,
• One quarter with cereals (like rice or roti),
• One quarter with proteins (like dal or eggs) or milk products.

Other simple rules

• Drink plenty of water.
• Eat different coloured fruits and vegetables each day.
• Eat sweets and fried foods only sometimes.
• Play and exercise every day to stay fit.

How you know your diet is balanced

If you have energy to play, you are growing well, you do not get sick often, and you sleep and concentrate well, your food is likely balanced.

What it means: Food comes from living things — mostly plants and animals. We eat different parts of plants (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds) and products from animals (milk, eggs, meat, honey). Food travels from farms or gardens to markets and then to our homes.

Foods from plants:

• Roots: carrot, radish, beet
• Stems/tubers: potato, sugarcane
• Leaves: spinach, lettuce, coriander
• Flowers: cauliflower, broccoli
• Fruits: mango, apple, banana, tomato
• Seeds/grains: rice, wheat, peas, beans

Foods from animals:

• Milk and milk products: milk, cheese, curd
• Eggs: from hens
• Meat and fish: chicken, mutton, fish
• Honey: from bees

Other sources: Some foods come from fungi (mushrooms) or from water (fish, seaweed). Some insects (like honeybees) give us honey.

How food reaches us: Farmers grow crops or keep animals. Foods are collected, packed, sold in markets or shops. We buy and cook them at home. This journey can be shown as a simple flow: Farm → Market/Shop → Home.

Why this is important: Knowing where food comes from helps us appreciate farmers, choose healthy food, and understand seasons (when certain fruits/vegetables grow).

Simple class activities:

• Sorting game: Put pictures into two boxes: 'From Plants' and 'From Animals'.
• Plant-parts chart: Draw a plant and stick pictures of foods on the part they come from (carrot on root, spinach on leaf).
• Visit or virtual tour: See a garden, farm or grocery shop and note where foods came from.