SAINT LOUIS SCHOOL, INC.

Elementary Department
Assumption Road, Baguio City 2600

Notes in Technology and Livelihood Education

Third Grading Period

LESSON 1: FOOD and NUTRITION

Food is any substance used by a living body to aid growth, maintain and repair body tissues,
regulate body processes and supply energy.

A person who eats the right kind and the right amount of food is usually healthy and strong.

Importance of food:
1. Food makes you grow.
2. Food gives you strength and energy with which to work and play.
3. Food enables you to think well. It gives the mind the power to think or reason out quickly when we
study.
4. Food keeps your body in good condition in order to protect you from diseases.
5. Food maintains your life.

Nutrition is the process by which a person takes in and makes use of food substances or nutrients to
become strong and healthy. It is defined as the Science concerned with the study of food and its
relation to health.

Good nutrition is obtained from a balanced diet, from the daily intake of the proper kinds and amounts
of food. A balanced diet is vital to a person’s physical and mental health. Lack of the proper foods or
proper amounts of food in the diet can result in malnutrition.

Types of Nutrients Essential for Sustaining Life and Performing Various Body Functions
1. Carbohydrates - provide heat and energy to the body and help control breakdown of nutrients
Ex. Rice, corn, bread, oats, pasta, noodles

2. Proteins - are called the building blocks of the body because they are necessary for
maintaining and repairing the various tissues of the body. It develops strong muscles, bones and
strong sets of teeth. Ex. Meat and poultry products, milk, eggs, fishes, shrimps etc.

3. Water - this liquid helps in your brain to function and cleanses your body of toxins. It also helps
in the process of digestion and prevent you from constipation.

4. Vitamins - are organic substances essential in small quantities for normal health. The body
cannot produce vitamins so they are obtained from food.
5. MINERALS- are for formation of the bones, teeth and body cells, regulating body fluids and
assisting in the chemical reactions in the blood cells.

LESSON 2: FOOD PREPARATION

A. HANDWORK TECHNIQUES IN PREPARING FOOD

1. Chopping - cutting big pieces into smaller pieces with a heavy knife and chopping board
2. Dicing - cutting pieces of food into small cubes.
3. Paring - removing the skin covering of food with a knife or a peeler.
4. Peeling - removing skin covering of food by pinching with your fingers.
5. Shelling- cracking the shell covering of the food item
6. Stringing - removal of stringy fibers from the sides of the covering
7. Scraping - it is done to food with thin skins like radish, carrot and ginger. It is done by shaving
the surface of the vegetable thinly using the blade of a knife.
8. Grating - passing food in a grater.
9. Grinding - putting food through a grinder to make small pieces.
10. Mixing - stirring several ingredients in a bowl or mixing ware with a spoon.
11. Blending - combining several ingredients and flavors thoroughly such as salt.
12. Beating - mixing ingredients in very rapid circular motions with a fork or a mechanical beater,
like an eggbeater.
13. Mincing - cutting food into very small pieces with a knife
14. Shredding - cutting or tearing apart food into strips or curls with the use of the shredder
15. Marinating - the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking.
16. Measuring - to know how much food/ingredient you need.
17. Blanching- to dip or immerse food for a few minutes in boiling water or steam for a short time.
It is typically followed by quick, thorough cooling in very cold or ice water.

B. BASIC COOKING TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES

 C. WORK HABITS and SAFETY TIPS IN THE KITCHEN
A work habit is the way you do a particular task or activity regularly. A work habit may help you spend
less time or spend more time and effort in working. It can make a task pleasant or enjoyable or it can
make you tired and irritable.

Learn and practice these work habits and safety rules.

1. Always work with clean hands and clothing. Wear an apron to protect your clothes.
2. When you are cooking, keep your hair pinned back or tied with a ribbon if it is long.
3. Read the recipe and its directions carefully beforehand. Follow the step-by -step procedure.
4. Wash and gather all ingredients and cooking utensils on the working table.
5. Use separate spoons or ladles for stirring and tasting food.
6. Use dry and thick potholders to handle hot pans and hot cooking utensils.
7. As you work, clean up. Have a ready paper bag for peelings and wrappers.
8. Turn the sharp edge of a knife or peeler away from you while paring or peeling.
9. Keep the kitchen floor clean and dry. A dirty kitchen attracts household pests. Always clean up
after working to stop the spread of germs. Disinfect the areas where pests and germs may
thrive to keep the kitchen sanitary.
10. After cooking, turn off gas regulator or electric stove.

LESSON 3: FOOD CONTAMINATION, FOOD STORAGE and

PRACTICAL COOKING TIPS
FOOD CONTAMINATION
When foods are not stored well, they lose their freshness and become stale especially in hot climate.
Food goes stale because of the presence of microorganisms. Eating spoiled and contaminated food
leads to food poisoning and digestive disorders.

HOW TO PREVENT FOOD CONTAMINATION

1. Wash hands before preparing food.
2. Tie hair so it would not get in the food.
3. Keep fingernails short and clean to avoid dirt to get into the food.
4. Cover your mouth with a handkerchief when you cough or sneeze.
5. Do not prepare food if you are ill.

COOKING TIPS
Some cooking tips are so simple that once you learn one you can’t imagine how you used to get
through a recipe.
1. Read the whole recipe first
If you’re cooking from a recipe, the best tip is to read through the whole thing all the way through
before you start to cook. Not only will this help you gain a better understanding of what the final dish
should look and taste like, you’ll also be able to ascertain which pots, pans, and tools you need, as
well as catch important instructions like “marinate overnight.”

2. Set up Mise en place

Mise en place is a French term that literally means “put in place.” It also refers to a way cooks in
professional kitchens and restaurants set up their work stations—first by gathering all ingredients for
a recipe, partially preparing them (like measuring out and chopping), and setting them all near each
other.

3. Always sharpen knives

Don’t fear sharp knives. Can they give you a nasty cut? Absolutely. But dull knives are constantly
proven to be more dangerous. They’re more prone to slip when cutting, which makes the chance of
cutting yourself higher.

4. Seasoning well and often

Major tip: season your food! Salt is the key to making food’s flavor jump around on your tongue. Most
recipes will mention when you should add salt (and probably pepper as well), but it’s a good rule of
thumb to add at least a pinch or two when you start cooking and again at the very end.

5. Roll citrus to get more juice out

Sometimes all a dish needs is a squeeze of lemon or lime to take it to the next level.
To get the most juice out of your citrus, roll it on a cutting board before slicing in.
 6. Use the right pans
When a recipe says to use a certain type of pan, use that pan. It’s also smart to replace cheap
nonstick pans every few years, as the coating can wear down.

7. Clean as you go
Instead of piling every single dish and tool you used to make a meal into the sink to wash when you
finish eating (and don’t forget to wipe down the counters and the stove), embrace the clean-as-you-
go method.

LESSON 4: GOOD EATING HABITS AND MEAL PATTERNS:

Your body organs will function well if they have certain regular periods each day for work, meal time
and regular hours for rest. You develop good eating habits by eating the right kind and right amount
of food regularly.

At mealtime, the family and other members of the household get together to eat and relax as well as
share experiences.
No matter how busy each one in the family is, he/she looks forward to sharing a pleasant meal with
one another.

BREAKFAST - is the first meal of the day after body rest and a foodless night for about 8-10 hours. It
provides nourishment to an empty stomach in the morning. It helps you start the day right. Everyone,
especially active and growing children like you, must have a good breakfast to energize the body.

LUNCH/DINNER - In most Filipinos homes, lunch, the midday or noontime meal is similar to
supper/dinner, the evening meal.

FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE ENJOYMENT AT MEALTIME

1. People gathered together
2. Good table manners
3. Meal served
4. Table setting

A pleasing dining table for everyday meal is simple, practical and convenient. Certainly, the dining
table and chairs must be clean and well-arranged. Check the sample weekly planner below as your
guide in preparing your family’s meal for the whole week.

TABLE MANNERS
Good table manners contribute to making the mealtime pleasant and enjoyable. They are
courtesies and forms of conduct related to the partaking of the food. They are an expression of
your consideration and thoughtfulness for others.

Basic Table Courtesy:

1. Come to the table well-groomed. Dress neatly and appropriately.
2. Be on time for meals.
3. When grace is said, participate and sit quietly until finished.
4. Take small bites. Chew your food with lips closed. Avoid talking while food is in your mouth.
5. Talk about pleasant things to make the meal pleasant and enjoyable.

LESSON 5: FOOD PRESERVATION

Food preservation in ancient times is extending the abundance of food in one season in the hope
of lasting the supply until the next harvest.

Food preservation is one way of saving food for future use. This can be done when there is a steady
supply of food, especially those that are seasonal. Through food preservation, we can avoid food
spoilage after peak harvest seasons.

IMPORTANCE OF FOOD PRESERVATION

1. The food is kept in good condition for a long period of time.
2. Sufficient food is provided for the family or community, especially during off-peak seasons.
3. It helps in solving the problems of starvation.
4. It serves as means of livelihood for the family.
5. It helps in preventing food importation.
THINGS TO CONSIDER IN FOOD PRESERVATION

COMMON FOOD PRESERVATION METHODS

1. SALTING - Salt is effective as a preservative because it reduces the water activity of foods.
Salting is the preservation of food with dry edible salt.

2. PICKLING is the process of using an acidic brine to preserve a food.

Acidic brines are made with either salty water, sugar water, lemon juice, or vinegar. Either substance
(or sometimes a combination of them) is poured over vegetables, fruit, meat or fish which are then
placed in a tight jar for a few days.

3. DRYING OR “DEHYDRATING” food is a method of food preservation that removes enough

moisture from the food so bacteria, yeast and molds cannot grow.

4. FREEZING reduces the number of potentially harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. It
does that by preventing micro-organisms from growing (which happens naturally as fresh food
degrades.) It suspends microbial and fungal activity in food.

5. SMOKING is a method of drying that also imparts flavor to the food (usually meat items), and
smoke helps keep bacteria-carrying-insects away during the drying process. Removing the
moisture from food helps prevent bacterial and fungal growth which would ruin stored foods.

6. SUGARING is a food preservation method similar to pickling. Sugaring is the process of

desiccating a food by first dehydrating it, then packing it with pure sugar. This sugar can be
crystalline in the form of table or raw sugar, or it can be dense liquid saturated with sugar such
as honey, syrup or molasses.

7. FERMENTING as a food preservation method has a very long history, perhaps as long as 12,000
years. Cheese, yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, olives, salami, jerky, and bread; also, beverages such
as hard cider, wine, beer, and coffee were all produced by the fermentation process.