Grade 11 -
Food Studies - Nutritional Issues

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

• describe the functions of nutrients in the body
• identify the food sources of nutrients
• analyse daily food intake and compare it to the Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI)
• identify nutritional issues and describe their effects on well-being

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Food Studies - Nutritional Issues in grade 12 click on an icon below.

Suggested Instructional Strategies

• Ask each student to research a different nutrient to find out specific information (e.g., its function, food sources, how best to retain it during food preparation, daily requirements according to the RNI). Have students present their findings to the class in posters, word games, or fact sheets.
• Challenge students to create nutrition books for young children. Invite children to the class and have students read their books to them and prepare and serve a nutritious snack.
• Present information (perhaps in a display) on the amount of fat, salt, and sugar that the average Canadian eats in a year. Discuss the function of these ingredients in cooking. Have students work in teams to conduct labs comparing baked goods that are high and low in fat, salt, or sugar. Ask students to relate this information to the special dietary needs of people with medical conditions such as high blood cholesterol, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
• Have students record their daily food intake and lifestyle patterns (e.g., sleeping, exercising) and analyse them using Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating, software, and other resources. Challenge students to set nutritional and lifestyle goals (e.g., fat reduction, increased activity).
• Suggest that students investigate eating patterns from their own and other countries and describe how these patterns meet nutritional needs. Ask them to relate food choices to the geography, economics, and agriculture of the various countries.
• Invite students to participate in a series of labs (e.g., preparing fast breakfasts, snack foods, bag lunches). Have them investigate the nutritional value of each meal and the individual foods.

• After students present their research findings on different nutrients, work with them to develop criteria for a rating scale that can be used for self-assessment and teacher evaluation. Criteria might focus on the extent to which students provide accurate and detailed descriptions of:
  • the functions of the nutrients in the body
  • food sources of nutrients
  • storage and preparation methods that retain nutrients
  • recommended daily intake
• When students create nutrition books for young children, have them collaborate to develop assessment criteria. Look for evidence that they are aware of key nutritional issues and are able to provide clear, accurate information.
• When students work in teams to compare baked goods and relate the information to special dietary needs, look for evidence that they are able to:
  • accurately analyse and compare nutrients
  • express the nutrients as a percentage of the RNI
  • make appropriate recommendations for preparing baked goods that meet specific dietary needs
  • As students reflect on nutritional issues and set lifestyle goals, ask them to complete statements such as:
  • Three things I do that contribute to a healthy lifestyle are ____________________.
  • Two alternatives I am considering are ____________________.
  • One nutritional issue I would like to find out more about is ____________________.
  • One part of my lifestyle that I would like to change is ____________________.

• FoodTrack Program
• A Matter of Fat: The Case of the Hidden Fat
• Matters of Gender

• The Cholesterol Factor
• Fast Food: The Video
• The Light Gourmet Series
• The Low Fat Film
• Slim Hopes: Advertising and the Obsession with Thinness

• DINE Nutrient Analysis

• On Cooking

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