Building Healthy Habits: Amelia’s Hands-On Salad Making and Balanced Diet Exploration / Activity Analysis

Core Skills Analysis

Health and Nutrition

• Amelia learned about selecting various food items like tomatoes, lettuce, ham, coleslaw, and boiled eggs to include in a meal.
• She explored the concept of a balanced diet by combining different food groups: vegetables, protein, and dairy/mayonnaise-based salad.
• By preparing her own salad, Amelia gained practical skills in food assembly and portioning.
• The discussion on healthy eating helped her understand how food choices can impact overall health and wellbeing.

Tips

Encourage Amelia to explore creating different recipes that include other food groups such as fruits, grains, and healthy fats. You could introduce simple cooking experiments or meal planning exercises to help her understand nutritional value—like comparing macronutrients and calories in various foods. Additionally, include visits to a local farmer's market or garden to experience where fresh ingredients come from, which strengthens her connection to natural foods and sustainability. To deepen her understanding, consider involving Amelia in tracking her daily meals and reflecting on nutrient balance over several days.

Book Recommendations

• Eat Your Greens, Reds, Yellows, and Purples by DK: A colorful guide to healthy eating with fun facts about different vegetables and fruits to encourage balanced diet choices.
• Why Should I Eat Healthy Food? by Kari Gross: An engaging book that explains the benefits of eating nutritious foods and how they help the body grow and stay strong.
• The Young Chef's Book of Kitchen Tips by Angela Wilkes: A practical introduction to cooking that includes tips for safe food preparation and delicious healthy recipes for young cooks.

Learning Standards

• Science - Year 6: Understand the importance of a balanced diet and nutrients (National Curriculum KS2 Science - Animals, including humans)
• Design and Technology - Year 6: Prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes safely and hygienically (National Curriculum KS2 DT)
• PSHE - Health and Wellbeing: Learn how to maintain physical health through healthy eating habits (PSHE Association Programme of Study for Key Stage 2)

Try This Next

• Create a food diary worksheet where Amelia logs her meals for a week, noting food types and balance across food groups.
• Design a quiz with questions on food groups, nutrients in her salad ingredients, and benefits of healthy eating.

Growth Beyond Academics

Amelia demonstrated independence and confidence by preparing her own meal. Engaging in a healthy eating discussion also reflects curiosity and readiness to understand how her choices affect wellbeing. This activity likely boosted her self-esteem and responsibility around food decisions.