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Lesson Ideas

This section describes various ways that FoodFocus can be used at widely different levels of education.

Suggestions From FoodFocus:

The following suggestions are from the "Some Ways to use FoodFocus in a School Environment" insert in the FoodFocus manual. The files such as STIRFRY.LST refer to files of food lists shipped with FoodFocus.

Where's the Fat? Create a table showing the percent of calories from fat and the amount of saturated fat per 100 grams for the following:

cheddar cheese compared to mozzarella cheese made with skim milk
mayonnaise compared to sour cream and low fat yogurt
an egg and peanut butter
egg white compared to egg yolk

Fresh or Fried? Guess the relative nutrient value of a Greek salad and stir-fried vegetables.

Load the file GREKSLAD.LST which contains the ingredients for a Greek salad. Sort by fat and fibre. Print the food list and the nutrient analysis.
Load the file STIRFRY.LST which contains the ingredients for stir-fried vegetables. Sort by fat and fibre. Print the food list and the nutrient analysis.
Compare the nutrient analysis results. Students may be surprised to find that the Greek salad is substantially higher in fat and lower in fibre than the stir-fried vegetables.

Nutrition Labels.
- Prepare separate nutrition labels for an apple, a glass of 2% milk and a slice of 100% whole wheat bread.
- Prepare separate nutrition labels for a chocolate bar, French fried potatoes and a cola soft drink.
Daily Meal Plan Evaluation

Using FoodFocus prepare a food list of all the foods you consumed at a major meal.
Using People on the FoodFocus menu, enter yourself in the list of people at the appropriate age and sex location.
Compare the nutrient balance of the foods you have eaten with the Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI). Print the food list and the nutrient analysis.
Make adjustments to your food list until the RNI nutrient balance is satisfied. Print the food list and the nutrient analysis.

Rating the Diets
- Using People on the FoodFocus menu, enter yourself in the list of people at the appropriate age and sex location.
- How does the nutrient balance provided by samples of a Banana Diet (load file BANADIET.LST), a Rice Diet (load file RICEDIET.LST) and a Weight Watchers' Diet (load file WWATDIET.LST) compare to that recommended?
Relief Work
- Design a ten kilogram food aid package for a famine region. The food must not need refrigeration and assume that it should have a nutrient balance similar to that given by the Canadian Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) for someone of your age and sex. How many days of balanced food supply would your aid package provide?
That Was Then
- Prepare a food list for your family consisting only of foods available to aboriginal people- fish, seal, caribou, moose, blueberries, cranberries, fiddleheads, wild rice, onions, squash, sunflower seeds, beans and corn. If food were abundant would you be able to meet the Canadian Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) for someone of your age and sex?
This Is Now
- Prepare a food list for yourself consisting only of foods available in a fast food restaurant or from processed snack foods. Would you be able to meet the Canadian Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) for someone of your age and sex?

Elementary Suggestions From FoodFocus:

Paul's Food List

Load file PAUL1.LST and print it. This is an initial food list chosen by a student.
Load file PAUL2.LST and print it. This is the food list after it is revised to improve its nutrient values.
Make magnetic stickers that represent key indicators (fat and fibre are sufficient) and get a suitable surface marked with 50 and 100.
Under File/Preferences in the FoodFocus menu, select the Report Card Mark method of displaying nutrient summary information.
Add the foods listed in PAUL1.LST one at a time and adjust the magnetic stickers to show the Report Card Marks results for fat and fibre each time you add a food. Students can easily see when high fat and low fibre foods are added.
Use Sort/Fat and Fibre in the FoodFocus menu to identify the high fat, low fibre foods. (The healthiest foods- lowest fat, highest fibre foods are near the top of the list.)
Delete some of the least healthy foods and add others. The file PAUL2.LST shows one possible way to modify the food list to better correspond to nutrition guidelines.

What's For Breakfast?

Take groups of three or four students, and allow each group to select a meal. Make sure that the Report Card Marks option is selected under File/Preferences in the FoodFocus menu. Print out the food list and have the students draw the meal they selected.

Please Help Me

Start with a fast food meal (load file MACBREAK.LST for breakfast or MACLUNCH.LST for lunch).
Under File/Preferences in the FoodFocus menu, select the Report Card Mark method of displaying nutrient summary information.
Ask the students to help change the meal so that at least the fat and fibre Report Card Marks are much improved. Use Sort/Fat and Fibre in the FoodFocus menu to distinguish between the most (on top) and the least (on the bottom) helpful foods. Delete and add foods or change quantities as suggested by the students. Indicate progress with magnetic stickers as in Paul's Food List assignment above.

The Challenge: To Manufacture a New Snack Food from Canadian Grain

Developed by Ms. Carie Grierson, MacNaughton Science and Technology Centre, New Brunswick.

Description: Using basic ingredients, create a new Canadian wheat snack food which is marketable at reasonable cost. You may also add a small amount of any other Canadian fruit or vegetable or spice to create your product.

Criteria:

To research basic grain food products and compare their ingredients and preparation techniques. (Biscuits, Bread, Muffins, Pizza crust, Pretzels)
To evaluate preparation techniques for different results in food grain products.
To create a recipe ingredient list and preparation method through testing and tasting for new snack food product.
To arrange a taste panel for evaluation of snack food product and create a report of taste panel in chart form using a computer.
To assess cost, time, equipment needed to begin a small manufacturing company to make this product.
To create a nutrient analysis of this product for use in labeling. (FoodFocus is used.)
To evaluate this product as a snack food.

Required Knowledge:

Knowledge of baking products with flour.
Understanding of a basic recipe.
Assessment of standards for grain products.
Evaluation of human and non-human resources needed.
Use of a nutrient analysis program. (FoodFocus is used)
Use of a computer to accurately report results of apanel.
Possible field trip to a commercial bakery.

Expected Results:

A research document on wheat flour products, ingredients and preparation techniques.
An evaluation of acceptable standards for your product.
A recipe for your product.
A taste panel plan, and report of results of panel.
An assessment of cost, time, equipment for small company to produce food product.
A label with nutrient analysis for product.

Distribution of Marks

Attitude - 20%
Knowledge - 20%
Skills - 20%
Design - 20%
Results - 20%

Excerpts from an Assignment for Assessment of Dietary Status in university course "Nutrition in Health and Fitness"

Objectives:

To learn to collect dietary data from another individual.
To become familiar with tools used to evaluate dietary status: nutrition analysis software, Canada's nutrition standards and guidelines, especially Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating.
To apply the appropriate principles of nutrition to assess the adequacy of the diet and its relation to nutritional well-being of the individual and to select appropriate recommendations for change, where applicable.

Resource Material:

FoodFocus- nutrition analysis software
Your text, especially Canada's nutrition standards and guidelines
"Using the Food Guide" booklet

The assignment must not be longer than 4 double spaced typewritten pages excluding printouts and tables that may be appended.

Instructions for Completing the Assignment:

Part A (5 marks):

1. Conduct a 24-hour recall interview with an adult between 25-49 years old, using the recall form attached to this assignment. Identify the date of the interview, the person's name, age and supplement use on the top of the form as indicated. Record the amount, type of foods and beverages consumed as reported by the individual for the previous day. Use appropriate questions to probe for sufficient information; for example; "Did you put anything in your coffee? " "Did you use margarine, butter or any other spread in your sandwich?" Collect detailed information on the person's intake to provide an accurate record and attach to the assignment.

Part B (10 marks)

After completing the above tables discuss the following:

Looking at Table 1, what food groups were consumed in adequate, inadequate or excessive amounts? (1 mark)
Without looking at your printout, what nutrients would you predict to be adequate, inadequate, or excessive based on this subjects intake of the food groups? (Consider what foods are major sources of various nutrients.) (2 marks)
Compare your above prediction to what you observe in the printout of the subjects intake as a percentage of daily RNI. Does your prediction agree with the more detailed calculation in the printout? If they do not agree, give possible explanations. Remember to interpret the RNI's appropriately (refer to lecture notes and text). (2 marks)
Based on your assessment of this person's dietary intake for one day, recommend changes that could be made to improve the diet with respect to health promotion and disease prevention. Be careful that the changes you suggest do not create other calorie and/or nutrient deficiencies or excesses. (2 marks)

You have now completed two assignments assessing dietary status. What information do you require to make a complete assessment of nutritional status? Explain why it is necessary (refer to lecture notes). (3 marks)

Re-Engineering Recipes for Health and Fitness

A broad base technology module developed by teachers in New Brunswick and being used in New Brunswick schools

RNI - The Power Booster

A broad base technology module developed by teachers in New Brunswick and being used in New Brunswick schools

Are You Eating Nutritiously?

Use FoodFocus to analyze your 24 hour dietary recall. Part of a teaching module developed by Ms. Margaret Dart, Alberta

Canada's Food Guide - What's in it For Me?

Use FoodFocus to answer general nutrition questions on an Internet web site, print your answers and retain them for your portfolio. Part of a teaching module developed by Ms. Margaret Dart, Alberta