Dinner Dash

Introduction

In the Dinner Dash activity, you'll to put together a healthy school dinner. First of all, you'll find out about the key food groups. Then you'll learn how to combine different foods to make a balanced meal.

Definitions

There are five main types of food you need to eat every day to be healthy. We have listed these food types below.

• Food for activity: These are foods containing carbohydrates. Carbohydrates keep your energy levels up and stop you getting tired. Carbohydrates include potatoes, bread, pasta and rice.
• Food for growth: This is food that is full of protein. Protein helps your muscles and bones to develop. It also helps to repair the body when it is ill or injured. Protein can be found in meat, fish, beans and nuts.
• Food for your bones and teeth: This food contains high amounts of calcium. Calcium keeps your bones and teeth strong and healthy. You can get calcium in dairy foods such as milk, yoghurt and cheese.
• Food for health and fitness: These foods are full of vitamins and minerals. You need vitamins and minerals to keep you fit and healthy. For example, Vitamin C helps you fight off colds and illnesses. Vitamin A is good for your eyes and skin. Fruit and vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals.
• Fats and sugars: Fat helps you to store energy and to protect your vital organs. You also need fat to absorb vitamins. Fat and sugar can be found in foods such as crisps, chips and chocolate.

A balanced diet

It is important to eat a balance of these foods every day.

• Carbohydrates should make up between 40% and 50% of the food you eat.
• Foods containing protein should make up between 10% and 20% of the food you eat each day.
• Foods containing sugar and fat should make up between 10% and 15% of your daily diet.
• You should eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. This will give you most of the vitamins and minerals you need.
• Between 15% and 20% of the food you eat each day should come from dairy foods.

Design your meal

Can you design a healthy meal using the table below? You are only allowed one food type from each column.

Food for activity	Food for growth	Food for health and fitness	Food for your teeth and bones	Fats and sugars
Pasta twists	Lamb curry	Green salad	Yoghurt	Chips
Jacket potatoes	Grilled fish	Peas	Fromage frais	Ice cream
Pitta bread	Chicken nuggets	Spinach	Skimmed milk	Muffin
Rice	Four cheese pizza	Apple	Strawberry milkshake	Custard
Mashed potato	Veggie sausage	Fruit salad	Frozen yoghurt	Lemonade
Noodles	Stir-fried tofu	Banana
Bread roll	Falafel	Orange juice
Couscous	Bolognese sauce	Sweetcorn

Which foods did you combine? Can you make your favourite meal using one food from each column?

Dinner Dash

The meals below all have one food group missing. Can you work out which?

Tray 1

• Lamb curry
• Spinach
• Skimmed milk
• Blueberry muffin

Tray 2

• Pizza
• Pitta bread
• Skimmed milk
• Lemonade

Tray 3

• Mashed potato
• Peas
• Yoghurt
• Lemonade

Tray 4

• Jacket potato
• Baked beans
• Custard
• Skimmed milk

Tray 5

• Bolognese sauce
• Pasta twists
• Spinach
• Ice cream

Answers

We have put our suggested answers below.

• Tray 1: Food for activity is missing -- perhaps a portion of rice would suit this meal.
• Tray 2: Food for health and fitness is missing -- spinach might go well with this meal.
• Tray 3: Food for growth is missing -- a veggie sausage might go well with mashed potato and peas.
• Tray 4: Food for health and fitness is missing -- perhaps an apple or a banana might suit this meal.
• Tray 5: Food for your teeth and bones is missing -- maybe a glass of skimmed milk would go well with this meal.

Key Questions

Finally, think about the following questions:

• What are the five key food groups?
• Why is important to eat food from each of these five groups every day?
• What does a balanced diet mean?
• Would would an unbalanced diet look like?

Where would you like to go next?

• Back to School home page
• Overview
• Slideshow
• Dinner Dash
• Pick a Party