Why Is Education About Food & Nutrition (Formally Home Economics) Important?
Tekaimanawaora–
Nutrition – Healthy Eating
Why is education about Food & Nutrition (formally Home Economics) important?
Nutrition is the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health, growth, development, and activity to develop healthy, confident children and young people.
Readiness to learn is enhanced when the students are well nourished.
The Ministry of Education states:-
“There is considerable evidence linking children’s nutrition to educational outcomes. If children are malnourished, have nutritional deficiencies, or are obese, then their learning is likely to be affected. Numerous studies in New Zealand and overseas have demonstrated a link between nutrition and learning, and shown the beneficial effects of restoring nutrition to appropriate levels.”
Students should be able to:-
“Evaluate current issues and theories of nutrition, identify and reflect on factors that influence people’s choices and behaviours, and use this knowledge to make informed decisions.”
Ministry of Education, 2007,
As a Department:-
We know - food tastes develop at an early age and young people’s eating habits are often driven by needs other than physiological ones and most do not eat food just because of its nutritional value.
Young people eat because they like the taste, because “it’s time”, because it’s what is made available to them or it’s what their friends are eating and, sometimes, because it is what they are able to prepare.
We believe - All young people need to be able to make sensible healthy food and beverage choices based on their cultural preferences
We believe – all young people need to understand the importance of food and nutrition a nd how it affects all aspects of their health and well-being, including their mental, physical, and emotional health.
We believe – all young people need to be able to interpret the many messages they receive and to make choices about changing their own eating patterns rather than being told ”what is good for them.”
We believe – all young people can also influence the eating patterns of others in their environment and need to understand how this can affect their own eatting habits.
We want our students to understand that: -
- Preparing, cooking, and serving food is an important part of making choices about food.
- Cooking enables young people to have more control over what they eat.
- Preparing and cooking food provides opportunities to taste new foods
- The composition of food and the way ingredients behave during cooking affects well-being.
- It enables the transfer of knowledge in real contexts, for example, by using numeracy when calculating ingredients, budgeting, or interpreting food labels.
- They can also develop their creativity and experience a sense of accomplishment.
- Sharing food with others can help develop social skills.
Through teaching and learning opportunities offered, students can develop the knowledge and skills to take action about their own food choices and how they can have a positive influence on others around them.
We also incorporate the following underlying conceptsof health and wellbeing in our Food and Nutrition studies at Mount Maunganui College.
Hauora, - a Māori philosophy of well-being, includes four dimensions that influence and support each other. In relation to Food and Nutrition, these dimensions can be described as follows.
- Taha tinana, or physical well-being, includes food consumed for physical health, growth, and development; a balance of the required nutrients; and adequate hydration.
- Taha hinengaro, or mental and emotional well-being, encompasses the cultural traditions and mental and emotional influences on food choice.
- Taha whānau, or social well-being, identifies the influence that family and whānau have on food consumption, including celebrations, through the gathering, preparing, and sharing of food with others and the role of food in building relationships or social well-being.
- Taha wairua, or spiritual well-being, can include the specific meanings food conveys to individuals.
Health promotion - a process that involves young people in taking personal and collective action and includes accurate and appropriate construction and application of knowledge.
Students can use strategies and actions designed to improve health and quality of life by:
- Researching and analysing the well-being needs of groups, communities, and society
- Identifying ways to meet these needs
- Planning appropriate action
- Taking action, either individually or collectively (for example, to have healthier snacks available in the tuck shop or canteen)
- Reflecting on the actions they have taken and evaluating their effectiveness.
Working in the context of health promotion enables young people to experience making autonomous decisions about food that can enhance their own health and that of others. When students make decisions for themselves, they are much more likely to develop a commitment to choosing healthy food and a balanced and varied diet based on wise food choices.
Socio-ecological Perspective - Taking a socio-ecological perspective helps young people understand how the aspects of well-being are influenced by social and environmental factors and by other people.
“Through learning experiences that reflect the socio-ecological perspective, students can seek to remove barriers to healthy choices”
For example, choices about food and beverages can be shaped or influenced by factors such as advertising, ethnic or cultural traditions, food costs, and the food available. Such learning experiences encourage students’ self-reflection and critical thinking and can lead to positive action for themselves and others.
Attitudes and Values - Curriculum-based teaching and learning encourages students to acknowledge the diverse ways in which people meet their needs for food and nutrition and to develop their own attitudes, values, and commitment to making healthy food choices.
Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi
By sharing our gifts with one another the people will thrive
Year 9 Food & Nutrition – Te Kai Manawa Ora
Three periods a week, two term option.
In this option, students cover some very fundamental topics and concepts such as personal hygiene, preparing & storing food safely, food preparation,basic skills and techniques, basic nutrition, healthy eating and sensible snack choices as well as establishing a sound understanding of the concepts and terminology associated with this. This ensures all students have a strong skills and knowledge base to further their studies in future years.
Year 10 Food & Nutrition – Te Kai Manawa Ora
Three periods a week, whole year option
The course covers a wide variety of topics throughout the year, with practical work once a week on average. Topics covered include: -
- food & personal hygiene - tangata hanga ma,
- nutrition & meal planning - kai tōtika me tekaiwhakamahere
- healthy options for family favourites - kōwhiringahauora
- food & nutrition guidelines – tekaupapaaratakiItekaimanawaora
- cultural foods - kaiahurea
- influncesthat affecting our food choices - awenga e pātatoukōwhiringakai
The students have the opportunity to experience and participate in a wide range of practical food experiences that have been designed to help develop health-enhancing attitudes to food and nutrition. They will be equipped with the necessary skills to prepare and cook for nutritious recipes; as well as the toolsto make informed decisions and choices about food that will contribute to their own well-being and that of other people. Hauoratūpakari - Stand strong for health
This course provides a solid foundation for further study in Food and Nutrition at Levels 1, 2 & 3 NCEA and vocational pathways
Future Pathways
YEAR 9
Food & Nutrition / Home Economics
(6 Month Course)
YEAR 10
Food & Nutrition / Home Economics
Full year course
YEAR 11
Hospitality Home Economics
Unit Standards Achievement Standard
Full year course NCEA Credits
NCEA Level 1
YEAR 12
Hospitality Home Economics
Unit Standards Achievement Standards
Full year course NCEA credits
NCEA Level 2
YEAR 13
Hospitality Home Economics
Unit Standards Achievement Standards
UNIVERSITY APPROVED
SUBJECT
Full year course NCEA credits
NCEA Level 3