Grade 7

Classroom Inspiration

Start a Conversation:  Why is eating well important?

Healthy eating helps to ensure our bodies get the energy and nutrients needed to grow, learn and be active. It can help us sleep better, feel better and can also help prevent chronic diseases (e.g., Type 2 diabetes, heart disease), tooth decay and some cancers.

Start a Conversation:  What factors might influence your food choices?

• Personal:  Taste, time, medical conditions and medications, culture, food skills
• External:  Family finances, cost of foods, availability of food, marketing, parents, peers

Start a Conversation:  What are some ways you can reduce the impact of these factors on your food choices?

• Offer to help with menu planning and grocery shopping.
• Enhance your cooking skills and/or help with meal preparation.
• Start a garden to grow your own local produce.
• Educate others on the importance of healthier eating behaviours.
• Advocate for healthier and affordable options where you live, learn and play.
• Be aware that marketing and advertising can influence food choices.
• Be a healthy role model.

Activity Idea:  Have students research various “external factors” (on a national and/or global level) that might influence food choices, and present information to the class (e.g., food insecurity, marketing to kids, food skills, eating patterns of different cultures, healthy food environments).