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Year 8

Plant-rich and diverse

I can identify ways diets can be healthier and more sustainable.

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New
New
Year 8

Plant-rich and diverse

I can identify ways diets can be healthier and more sustainable.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Eatwell Guide has a 32% lower environmental footprint than the current national diet.
  2. Recipes can be modified to support healthier and more sustainable diets.
  3. We should all follow the Eatwell Guide, have a more plant-rich diet, and diversify sources of protein.
  4. We should limit foods high in fat, salt and sugar; choose sustainable fish; and waste less food and drink.
  5. Reducing the amount of food waste at each stage of the 'farm to fork' journey has financial and environmental benefits.

Keywords

  • Plant-rich - a diet that comprises lots of fruit, vegetables, cereals, beans, legumes, seeds and nuts

  • Diverse - a wide range of variety

  • Sustainable - using resources to meet the needs of today, without adversely impacting on the needs of tomorrow

  • Food system - a complex web of activities involving the production, processing, transport, and consumption of our food

Common misconception

Plant-rich means that we should not eat meat or dairy foods for healthier and more sustainable diets.

It is not necessary to cut out meat or dairy from our diet completely for healthier and more sustainable diets. Follow the Eatwell Guide: have plenty of fruit and veg; diversify sources of protein; and limit foods high in fat, salt and sugars.


To help you plan your year 8 cooking and nutrition lesson on: Plant-rich and diverse, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which two Eatwell Guide food groups are all from plants?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: fruit and vegetables
Correct answer: potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates
beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins
dairy and alternatives
Q2.
True or false? Most of our food is produced in the UK.
True
Correct answer: False
Q3.
Which of these are food processing?
rearing
Correct answer: milling
growing
Correct answer: drying
Q4.
Match the following proteins and fats to food sources:
Correct Answer:animal sources of protein,fish, meat and eggs

fish, meat and eggs

Correct Answer:plant sources of protein,beans and lentils

beans and lentils

Correct Answer:saturated fats,fatty meats, cream, butter, coconut oil and cakes

fatty meats, cream, butter, coconut oil and cakes

Correct Answer:unsaturated fats,olive oil, nuts, spreads and oily fish

olive oil, nuts, spreads and oily fish

Q5.
Which of these is not healthy eating advice?
Correct answer: Eat at least three portions of fish a week.
Eat at least 5 A DAY.
Correct answer: Have more sugars.
Base meals on starchy foods.
Have 6-8 drinks a day.
Q6.
Find the missing words. Foods high in fat, salt and sugars should be eaten only __________ and __________.
daily
frequently
Correct answer: occasionally
in large amounts
Correct answer: in small amounts
Q1 © Crown copyright 2016, Public Health England in association with the Welsh Government, Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
For healthier and more sustainable diets, we should:
Correct answer: follow the Eatwell Guide
have more foods high in fat, salt and sugars
Correct answer: have a more plant-rich diet
Correct answer: diversify sources of protein
reduce fruit and vegetables consumed
Q2.
True or false? Plant-rich means that I shouldn’t eat meat or dairy for a healthier and more sustainable diet.
True
Correct answer: False
Q3.
Government advice in the UK is that we should eat at least ...
one portion of fish per week, which should be an oily fish.
two portions of fish per week, one of which should be a canned fish.
Correct answer: two portions of fish per week, one of which should be an oily fish.
two portions of fish per week, one of which should be a white fish.
Q4.
Match the following showing how diets can be modified to include more plant-based proteins.
Correct Answer:Eat more ...,... beans and other pulses, nuts and seeds.

... beans and other pulses, nuts and seeds.

Correct Answer:Use plant-based ...,... meat alternatives (such as soya or tofu).

... meat alternatives (such as soya or tofu).

Correct Answer:Replace some or all of the ...,... meat in recipes, such as in cottage pie.

... meat in recipes, such as in cottage pie.

Q5.
Reducing the amount of is a key part of making our diets more sustainable, whatever type of diet we choose to eat.
Correct Answer: food waste, foodwaste, wasted food
Q6.
Following the Eatwell Guide has a __________ lower environmental footprint compared to the current national diet.
12%
23%
Correct answer: 32%
43%