Food We Eat
Class 3 · The World Around Us
4 ideas in Class 3 The World Around Us, explained in plain words, with games and quizzes to practise.
Six Tastes and Chhappan Bhog
Part of: Food and Nutrition
Traditional Indian meals balance six distinct tastes: sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter, and astringent, celebrated in feasts like Chhappan Bhog.
Why it matters. Understanding tastes helps children appreciate culinary diversity and develop wholesome eating habits without being picky.
Try it in two minutes
- Name the six foundational tastes: meetha (sweet), khatta (sour), namkeen (salty), teekha (spicy), karva (bitter), and kasaila (astringent).
- Explain that Chhappan Bhog contains 56 dishes prepared to honor guests and gods with diverse flavors.
- Taste a small sample of lemon (sour), jaggery (sweet), and methi (bitter) at home.
Try at home. Set up a blindfold taste test with a drop of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a slice of cucumber.
Balanced Diet and Shirin's Story
Part of: Food and Nutrition
A balanced diet contains diverse grains, pulses, fruits, vegetables, and nuts cooked at home.
Why it matters. Eating a balanced diet gives stamina, strengthens immunity, and prevents frequent illnesses.
Try it in two minutes
- Recall how Shirin felt energetic after expanding her diet beyond just rice and potatoes.
- Include millets (ragi, jowar, bajra) alongside wheat and rice.
- Eat homemade meals with green vegetables, dals, and fruits.
Try at home. Draw your dinner plate and check if it includes a grain, a pulse, and fresh vegetables.
Seasonal Foods and Staying Hydrated
Part of: Food and Nutrition
Seasonal foods match our climate needs, while drinking plenty of water restores fluid lost through sweating.
Why it matters. Eating in season gives the freshest produce, and hydration keeps our brain sharp and muscles energetic.
Try it in two minutes
- Connect cooling drinks (nimbu pani, coconut water, buttermilk) with summer heat.
- Recognize winter favorites: warm soups, sesame (til), and fresh root vegetables.
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of clean water daily, especially during outdoor games.
Try at home. Prepare fresh nimbu pani using lemon, water, and a pinch of salt with parent supervision.
Plant and Animal Sources of Food
Part of: Food and Nutrition
We eat leaves, roots, stems, fruits, and seeds of plants, alongside animal products like milk and honey.
Why it matters. Classifying foods by their origin connects biology to daily meals and farming.
Try it in two minutes
- Classify plant foods: spinach (leaf), carrot (root), potato (stem), mango (fruit), and rice (seed).
- Identify animal foods: milk, curd, paneer, ghee, and honey.
- Recognize combination foods like lassi (curd from cows, sugar from cane).
Try at home. Look inside your kitchen and find one edible root, one leaf, and one stem.
What your child will practise
- Balanced Diet and Shirin's Story: Desert Quick Fire (Quick Fire)
- Balanced Diet and Shirin's Story: Mission Control Quest (Collect the Answer)
- Plant and Animal Sources of Food: Garden Sort (Sort It Out)
- Seasonal Foods and Staying Hydrated: Ocean Quick Fire (Quick Fire)
- Six Tastes and Chhappan Bhog: Candy Puzzle (Clue Puzzle)
- Quiz: Balanced Diet and Shirin's Story (8 questions)
- Quiz: Plant and Animal Sources of Food (8 questions)
- Quiz: Seasonal Foods and Staying Hydrated (8 questions)
- Quiz: Six Tastes and Chhappan Bhog (8 questions)