🍲 Chapter 5: Food for Health – Class 3 EVS 🌟
Learn about balanced diets, food groups, and healthy eating habits!
🍲 Chapter Summary
This chapter introduces students to the importance of a balanced diet, diverse foods, and healthy eating habits through a school food festival. Children explore traditional dishes, food groups (body-building, energy-giving, protective), the six tastes (Shad Rasa), mindful eating, junk food avoidance, and the role of water and cooking methods. The chapter fosters respect for food and appreciation for the effort behind every grain.
✅ Let Us Answer
Page 73: Food Festival Planning
Which dishes would you include in your school food festival?
Ans: Idli, poha, thepla, litti-chokha, paratha, ragi laddoo, dhokla, kheer, fruit salad.
Page 74: Six Tastes (Shad Rasa)
Tastes and Examples:
| Taste | Examples |
|---|---|
| Sweet | Jaggery, banana, honey, peda |
| Sour | Tamarind, lemon, amla, curd |
| Salty | Salt, pickles, chips |
| Pungent | Green chilli, black pepper, onion |
| Bitter | Neem, bitter gourd, methi |
| Astringent | Raw banana, tea, pomegranate peel |
Food items with three or more tastes:
Ans: Ugadi Pachadi, Chutneys, Chaat, Sambar
Page 75: Millet-Based Food
Millet dishes at home (example):
Ans:
- Bajra roti in winter
- Jowar upma
- Ragi porridge
- Jau (barley) soup in summer
Page 76–77: Why Eat a Variety of Foods?
Food Groups:
| Food Group | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Body-building foods | Help muscles and growth | Pulses, eggs, milk, soybeans |
| Energy-giving foods | Provide energy | Rice, banana, wheat, ghee, oil |
| Protective foods | Fight diseases | Fruits, vegetables, amla, lemon |
Page 78: Say ‘No’ to Junk Food
More junk foods:
Ans: Pizza, noodles, sugary drinks, instant snacks, candies
Why avoid them?
Ans: They contain too much sugar, salt, and oil. They cause health issues like obesity, tooth decay.
Junk foods to avoid:
Ans: Chips, soft drinks, burgers, packaged sweets, fried snacks
Page 79: Food Diary Activity
Example:
| Day | Time | Food |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breakfast | Idli, sambhar ✔ |
| 1 | Lunch | Rice, dal, bhindi ✔ |
| 1 | Dinner | Roti, paneer, salad ✔ |
| 2 | Breakfast | Bread, jam ❌ |
| 2 | Lunch | Pizza ❌ |
| 2 | Dinner | Dal, rice, tomato curry ✔ |
Missing food groups?
Ans: Add more fruits and greens.
Page 80: Regional Thali
Example: Maharashtra
Ans: Bhakri, pithla, thecha, rice, dal, salad, papad, jaggery, curd
Water for Health:
Ans: Water helps digestion, removes waste, keeps body cool and skin healthy. Include water-rich fruits like watermelon and cucumber.
Page 81: Cooking Methods
Methods and Examples:
| Method | Food Item Examples |
|---|---|
| Steaming | Idli, Idiyappam |
| Boiling | Rice, Dal |
| Roasting | Papad, Bhutta |
| Grilling | Sandwich, Paneer tikka |
| Frying | Samosa, Pakoda |
| Baking | Cake, Peda, Bread |
Page 82: Cooking & Family
Do you help in cooking?
Ans: Yes, I wash vegetables, make sandwiches, set the table.
Should all family members cook? Why?
Ans: Yes, because cooking is a life skill. It helps share responsibilities and understand nutrition.
Page 83: Label Reading
Sample:
| Item | Expiry Date | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Honey Bottle | 07.03.2026 | Honey, natural flavour |
Why check labels?
Ans: To avoid expired or unhealthy food, and know what’s inside.
Page 84: Word Search
Answers may include:
Ans: Mango, Tomato, Amla, Oats, Salt, Rice, Water, Peas, Sugar, Guava
✏️ Activities
Page 79: Food Diary Activity
Activity: Maintain a food diary for 2–3 days, marking healthy (✔) and unhealthy (❌) foods.
Instructions: Record meals in a notebook, categorize foods, and note missing food groups to improve your diet.
Page 83: Food Collage
Activity: Create a collage dividing foods into:
- 🟠 Energy (bread, banana)
- 🟢 Protective (fruits, veg)
- 🔵 Body-building (dal, paneer)
Instructions: Cut pictures from old magazines, paste them on a sheet under each category, and label them.
🧠 Let Us Reflect
No specific reflection questions are listed, but students can reflect on chapter themes through discussions about healthy eating habits, the importance of water, or respecting food.
🧠 Concepts Covered
- Balanced diet with all food groups
- Food diversity and regional thalis
- Six tastes (Shad Rasa)
- Importance of water in diet
- Avoiding junk food
- Cooking methods and food safety
- Label reading and food awareness
- Hands-on activities: Food diary, food collage
