Skip to content

Lesson 6: Nutrition Science and Balanced Meals

Sunday Planning & Shopping: September 14, 2025 (10:00am - 12:00pm EST - 2 hours max)
Monday Implementation: September 15, 2025 (10:00am - 12:00pm EST - 2 hours max)
Monday Evening Meal Service: September 15, 2025 (6:00pm - 7:30pm EST - 1.5 hours)

🎯 Key Learning Objective

Understanding nutrition science and applying balanced meal planning principles through hands-on experience with nutritionally complete meal preparation.

📋 Lesson Overview

This lesson focuses on developing understanding of nutrition science and balanced meal planning. Students will learn about macronutrients, micronutrients, and meal balance while preparing a complete grilled chicken meal with quinoa and vegetables. The focus is on building confidence with nutrition analysis and developing understanding of healthy meal composition.

🛠️ Main Activities (2 hours Sunday + 2 hours Monday)

Sunday Planning Session (2 hours)

Date: September 14, 2025 (10:00am - 12:00pm EST)

Nutrition Science Research & Planning (45 minutes)

  • Nutrition Analysis Techniques
  • Research macronutrient and micronutrient principles
  • Study balanced meal composition and portion control
  • Learn about nutritional analysis and meal planning

  • Review timing coordination for nutritionally balanced meals

  • Recipe Analysis & Planning

  • Break down grilled chicken recipe into nutritional components
  • Plan balanced meal composition and timing coordination
  • Calculate nutritional content and portion requirements
  • Coordinate timing with quinoa and vegetable preparation

Shopping List Creation & Execution (45 minutes)

  • Ingredient Research & Selection
  • Research nutritional quality indicators and balanced ingredients
  • Plan efficient shopping route for proteins and whole grains
  • Budget analysis for nutritionally balanced ingredients

  • Ingredient substitution planning for nutritional balance

  • Market Shopping Trip

  • Execute planned shopping route efficiently
  • Practice ingredient quality assessment for nutritional value
  • Compare prices and make informed purchasing decisions
  • Handle fresh ingredients with proper food safety practices

Preparation Planning (30 minutes)

  • Workflow Planning
  • Plan efficient nutritional meal preparation sequence
  • Coordinate timing with quinoa and vegetable preparation
  • Prepare mise en place organization for balanced meal
  • Plan nutritional meal sequence and portion control

Monday Implementation Session (2 hours)

Date: September 15, 2025 (10:00am - 12:00pm EST)

Nutrition Science Practice (45 minutes)

  • Nutritional Analysis Review
  • Review nutritional analysis techniques and methods
  • Practice calculating nutritional content of ingredients
  • Demonstrate understanding of balanced meal principles

  • Establish nutritional analysis habits

  • Portion Control Techniques

  • Practice proper portion control and measurement
  • Master balanced meal composition techniques
  • Learn proper nutritional seasoning and taste testing
  • Practice mise en place organization for balanced meals

Balanced Meal Cooking Execution (1 hour)

  • Meal Preparation
  • Execute planned nutritional meal preparation sequence
  • Practice proper mise en place organization for balanced meal
  • Coordinate chicken, quinoa, and vegetable preparation

  • Prepare balanced meal ingredients and seasonings

  • Nutritional Cooking Execution

  • Master balanced meal cooking techniques and temperature control
  • Practice proper grilling and quinoa cooking methods
  • Coordinate multiple component cooking sequence
  • Learn timing coordination for optimal nutritional value

Meal Assembly & Presentation (15 minutes)

  • Final Meal Preparation
  • Coordinate chicken, quinoa, and vegetable completion
  • Practice proper plating and presentation with nutritional balance
  • Ensure food safety and temperature maintenance
  • Prepare for family meal service

Monday Evening Meal Service (1.5 hours)

Date: September 15, 2025 (6:00pm - 7:30pm EST)

Family Meal Service

  • Complete Meal Service
  • Serve prepared balanced grilled chicken meal to family members
  • Practice professional presentation and service with nutritional information
  • Receive and respond to food critic feedback
  • Document meal service experience and feedback

Post-Meal Reflection

  • Learning Integration
  • Reflect on nutrition science and balanced meal techniques used
  • Document lessons learned and areas for improvement
  • Plan integration of feedback into future cooking sessions
  • Update culinary journal with new insights and observations

⏱️ 15-Minute Exercise: Portion Control Practice

Exercise Overview

Students will practice measuring proper portion sizes and creating balanced meal compositions to build confidence with nutrition science and portion control.

Time Breakdown (15 minutes total)

Portion Control Setup (3 minutes)

  • Activity: Set up portion control station and prepare measuring tools
  • Deliverables:
  • Portion control setup
  • Measuring tool preparation
  • Success Criteria: Proper portion control setup and measuring tool preparation

Portion Control Practice (10 minutes)

  • Activity: Practice 3 different portion control techniques with measurement
  • Deliverables:
  • Protein portion measurement (3 minutes)
  • Grain portion measurement (4 minutes)
  • Vegetable portion measurement (3 minutes)
  • Success Criteria: Accurate portion measurements, proper technique, balanced composition

Nutritional Assessment (2 minutes)

  • Activity: Evaluate portion control and nutritional balance
  • Deliverables:
  • Portion control assessment
  • Nutritional balance evaluation
  • Improvement plan for balanced meals
  • Success Criteria: Accurate nutritional assessment and clear improvement plan

Integration with Overall Program

This exercise builds essential nutrition science skills that are fundamental to all cooking activities. The ability to properly measure portions and create balanced meals is a core skill that will be used throughout the semester in increasingly complex meal preparations. Nutrition knowledge will support all future cooking activities.

📝 Deliverables & Documentation

Required Documentation

  • Nutrition Science Assessment: Documentation of nutritional analysis and balanced meal techniques
  • Portion Control Portfolio: Detailed breakdown of portion control steps and techniques
  • Shopping & Planning Log: Complete documentation of shopping experience
  • Cooking Process Photos: Photos of balanced meal preparation and final presentation
  • Food Critic Review Integration: Written reflection on food critic feedback

Due September 22, 2025:

  • Nutrition Science Assessment: Complete documentation of nutritional analysis and balanced meal techniques
  • Portion Control Portfolio: Detailed analysis of portion control methods
  • Shopping & Planning Log: Complete documentation of shopping experience
  • Cooking Process Documentation: Photos and notes from cooking session
  • Food Critic Review Response: Written response to food critic feedback

🎯 Success Criteria

Nutrition Science Mastery

  • Demonstrate proper nutritional analysis and balanced meal techniques
  • Show consistent portion control and meal planning skills
  • Display confidence with nutritional meal composition
  • Maintain nutrition protocols throughout practice

Balanced Meal Technique Application

  • Execute balanced meal preparation with proper portion control
  • Demonstrate different nutritional cooking techniques
  • Show proper ingredient coordination and timing
  • Apply nutrition science effectively in meal preparation

Meal Service & Presentation

  • Present complete balanced grilled chicken meal with professional standards
  • Coordinate chicken, quinoa, and vegetable timing effectively
  • Receive and respond to food critic feedback professionally
  • Demonstrate confidence in meal explanation and service

Documentation & Reflection

  • Complete all required documentation thoroughly
  • Integrate feedback and plan for improvement
  • Demonstrate understanding of learning objectives
  • Show progression in nutrition science and balanced meal techniques

🔄 Integration with Overall Program

This lesson builds upon the recipe analysis foundation established in Lesson 5 by adding essential nutrition science and balanced meal planning techniques. The nutritional analysis abilities developed here will be fundamental to all future cooking activities, while the balanced meal experience introduces students to nutrition science and healthy cooking principles. These skills will be essential for increasingly complex meal preparations throughout the semester.

Next Lesson: Lesson 7: Cultural Cuisine - Italian - Building on nutrition science with cultural cuisine exploration and authentic cooking techniques.