LSC S2:Common Foods

LSC S2:Common Foods

Introduction
What comes to your mind when we talk about common foods? Food is one of the most common basic human needs. All living things require food in order to maintain the normal processes of life. Without sufficient food, we would die. There are several foods which are locally available around us. As a learner of
nutrition, you ought to know the variations of foods that can be made from these foods to avoid monotony in meals. Are there any nutrients you get out of these locally available foods? Did you know that selection of the right foods on the market is equally an important aspect of healthy meals?
In this chapter, you will learn how to use available foods in the community to prepare a range of dishes suitable for various meals. This will develop your creative skills in cookery using a variety of foods in the different cultures around the world. The knowledge and skills gained will also guide you as
you carry out nutrition sensitisation about healthy diets.

Identification and categorisation of common foods
The foods available in our community range from culture to culture. They have different sources of nutrients as discussed in Senior One.

Activity 6.1
Identifying the common foods in our community
In groups,
1.Write a list of common foods available in the community.
2. Categorise them into their food groups.
3.Look out for different pictures of the different common foods in magazines and newspapers.
4.Make cutouts, and attach them to manilas of the different foods in their groups.
5.Display them around for the gallery walk.

Grouping of common foods

“We eat to live.” You are aware that food serves several purposes in the body that is why it is considered useful. What
are the substances contained in the food you eat?
There is need for you to find out the particular nutrients in these
foods so as to make correct combinations of a balanced meal.

Researching about the nutritive value of foods
Activity 6.2
In groups,

1. Research from the internet or the library, and examine the
   nutritive value of the different examples of food.
   2, Compile the findings and present them to the class using charts or pictorials.
   Uses of foods in cookery
   Considering the properties and taste of these foods, you can use them to prepare many other dishes in combination with other foods and ingredients.
   Activity 6.3
   Finding out the uses of foods in cookery
   In groups,
   1.Research from the library or internet.
   You may also find out from the kitchen and canteen staff.
   2.Discuss the uses of milk, fish, eggs, meat and cereals in cookery.
   4.Suggest possible dishes which can be prepared from the mentioned dishes above.
   5.Summarise them on a chart and present them to the class.
   6.Choose any two of the uses mentioned and prepare interesting dishes to demonstrate the uses of these foods in cookery.

Uses of eggs in food preparation/properties of eggs
Eggs are available in many homes and you ought to know various ways in which to use them in cookery. Eggs are highly nutritious and can be eaten by different groups of people depending on the dishes which have been prepared out of them. The images below are sample egg dishes.

Uses of milk and milk products in food preparation and
cookery
Milk can be used in a great number of ways during food preparation. It can be used as a main ingredient of a dish or part of the dish. In the images below in Figure 6.5, can you be able to figure out what these dishes are?

Milk can be used for drinking alone in drinks such as tea, coffee, cocoa, milk shakes. In other situations, milk is;

• served with breakfast cereals as in porridge.
• used in soups such as tomato soup, mushroom soup.
• used in sauces such as white sauce, custard sauce.
• used in butters such as pancakes.

• used as on ingredient to improve food value such as in cakes.
• used as a glace for brushing over the surface of scones.
• used to give a smooth shinny appearance. Milk products include; yoghurt, cheese, cream.
  Uses of cheese in food preparation It can be eaten raw, in salads, sandwiches, cheese soup
  and sauces.

Uses of yoghurt in food preparation

Steps in making yoghurt
Take learners through the steps of making yoghurt:

• Pasteurisation of milk.
  Addition of a starter bacteria culture which is Lactobacillus bulgarius. (This can be got by using plain yoghurt itself). The lactic acid produced, acts as a preservative and contributes
  to the flavour and texture. Incubation period; the mixture is set aside and covered
  adequately to allow the fermentation process to take place. Cooling to stop the fermentation.
  Uses of fish in food preparation
  Fish can be prepared in a number of ways including poaching,
  boiling, steaming, deep frying, baking and grilling.

Uses of cereals in food preparation and cookery
They are an excellent source of starch and B vitamins. Cereals also contribute to satiety and are used to prepare the main dish. Cereals are used as thickening agent, e.g., cornflour in custards, cornflour in white sauce, macaroni in soups. Cereals are used as coating agent, e.g., maida paste in cutlets or bread
crumbs in cutlets.
Cereals are used in sweet preparations, e.g., rice, cakes and many others. Cereal products like corn flakes and rice flakes are used as ready to use foods.

Choice of the foods

Have you ever been tasked before by your parents to go and purchase food from the market? What was your experience? It is very important that you learn the factors to take note of when
choosing foods such that you get the right value for your money.
Are there any considerations you had to bear in mind while making the choice and buying of these foods? You will have a product that is not of a good quality as expected due to the
wrong choice of foods which are not fresh. If you make a wrong choice of foods in your diet, you miss out on the nutritive value
of some foods.
Activity 6.4
Studying factors considered in the choice of foods
l. Visit the market place, and share with the attendants of various food stalls. Request them to share with you the factors they consider while purchasing foods they sell.
2.Make a report on the factors to consider when choosing each of the foods mentioned earlier.
3. Present your to class with the aid of pictorial graphics.

Storage of foods
Keeping our food fresh for longer helps us to avoid getting sick, benefits the environment, and saves us money. But where and for how long can we store different types of food? What needs
to be chilled and what not?
A good policy to follow is “first in, first out,”meaning that you rotate items so that you use the older items first. Even when the right choice of foods was made in the earlier purchase, your food can easily get spoiled if stored wrongly. While storing foods, you should endeavour to keep away all
conditions that promote microbial growth. The conditions can include air, moisture and warmth.
The images below are an illustration of how different foods can be stored.

Note:
Wrap or cover food to be stored in a refrigerator to avoid cross
contamination.
Discussing the various ways involved in storage
Activity 6.5
of foods
In groups,
1.Discuss various ways in which milk, fish, eggs, cereals are stored.
2.Draw illustrations of some of the ways in which milk, eggs, fish, meat and cereals are stored.
3. Present them to your class.