Food Systems & Ancient Grains

• Activity 1.1 (Inquiry): Your Own Food Systems

Brainstorm and Collate Images

• Collect pictures of different places where food comes from, including farms, factories, grocery stores, and kitchens.

Reflect and Annotate

• Farms bring up questions concerning vegetable cultivation and plant care.

Design Your Own Image

• Illustrate the journey of food from the farm to the table.

Describe Your Role

• Assist with food preparation by cooking, choosing healthy foods, and washing/cutting ingredients.
• Activity 1.2 (Practical): Product Analysis – McKenzie's Ancient Grain Soup Mix

Ancient Grains

• Soup mix contains ancient grains like quinoa, barley, and lentils.

Health Benefits

• Ancient grains are high in fiber and nutrients, contributing to a healthy body

Sharing Pleasures

• Recipes utilizing ancient grains are shared due to their taste, increasing popularity.

Why They Exist Today

• Ancient grains are still cultivated and consumed due to their nutritious value.
• Activity 1.3 (Inquiry): Food Connections

Sensory Test of Ancient Foods

• Ancient foods like oats and olives are described by taste, smell, appearance and texture.
• Oats are soft with a nutty smell; olives are shiny and salty.

Why They Still Exist

• Popularity persists for ancient foods like oats and olives due to their nutritious properties.
• They are part of traditional dishes and have been enjoyed for generations.
• Activity 1.4 (Practical): Discovering Ancient Foods

Sensory Properties

• Ancient foods are described by color, smell, taste, and texture.
• Quinoa, for example, is small and round, light-colored, smells earthy, and has a crunchy texture when cooked.

Why They Exist Today

• Ancient foods are still popular because they are healthy, tasty, and versatile in recipes.
• Activity 1.5 (Case Study): Ancient Civilization – Sumer

Foods Produced in Sumer

• Sumerians grew barley, wheat, dates, and grapes, which were essential to their diet.

How Foods Were Produced

• Oxen were used to plow fields, and seeds were planted in fertile soil.

Best Way to Prepare

• Barley was made into bread; dates were eaten fresh or in desserts.

Sharing Pleasures

• Sumerians traded foods and used them in celebrations, increasing their popularity.
• Activity 1.6 (Practical): Sensory Test

Preferred Product

• Cheese is favored for its creamy and rich flavor, suitable for many dishes.

Research Origins

• Goat and sheep milk was used in ancient times to make cheese.

Storage in Ancient Times

• Milk was stored in clay pots or kept cool underground.

Typical Dishes Today

• Salads with feta cheese or yogurt in smoothies are enjoyed today.
• Activity 1.7 (Inquiry): The Origins of Agriculture

Annotated Timeline

• A timeline is created showing when and where agriculture started, including crops like barley and wheat grown in the Fertile Crescent.

Evaluation Questions for Ancient Grain Salad

• Salad contains ancient grains like quinoa and lentils.

Sensory Properties

• Salad is colorful, smells fresh, tastes nutty, and feels crunchy.

Changes for a Main Meal

• Adding protein like chicken or beans makes it a complete meal.

Role of Historical Food Cultures

• Traditional recipes and ingredients come from historical food cultures.

Chapter Revision Questions

• Food Systems involve everything from growing and harvesting to processing and cooking.

Food Culture vs. Food Cuisine

• Food culture includes traditions around food, while cuisine refers to specific dishes and cooking styles.

Factors Influencing Food Cultures

• Availability of natural resources directly affects crop growth.
• Climate determines crops that can thrive in a region.
• Social circumstances, like traditions and beliefs, shape food customs.

Differences Between Hunting and Gathering

• Hunting involves tracking/killing animals.
• Gathering involves collecting wild plants, fruits, and nuts.

Lifestyle

• Hunter-gatherers were nomadic.
• Agricultural societies settled to grow food.

Agricultural Food Systems

• Farming means growing crops and raising animals.
• Farmers cultivate land to produce grains, fruits, and vegetables.

First Domesticated Foods

• Wheat is easy to grow/store
• Barley is used for food/brewing
• Beans are high in protein/easy to cultivate.
• Hunter-Gatherer Food Systems
• Hunter-gatherers relied on nature for food.

Key Features of Hunter-Gatherer Societies

• Nomadic lifestyle - Moving around to find food.
• Egalitarian society - Resources shared equally.
• Small groups - Easier to travel and find food.

Nutritional Benefits of the Hunter-Gatherer Diet:

• Hunter-gatherers ate a varied, nutrient-rich diet.

Early Agricultural Food Systems

• Shifting to agriculture was a major change in human history.

Key Features of Agricultural Societies

• Settled Communities - People farmed the land.
• Domestication of Plants and Animals - People raised crops and animals.
• Food Surplus - Farmers produced extra food for trade and storage.

Activity 2.1: Nutrients and the Hunter-Gatherer Diet

• Protein is founded in hunted meat
• Vitamins are founded in fruits and vegetables.
• Healthy Fats are founded in nuts

Health Benefits

• Protein aids growth and strength.
• Vitamins support skin, eyes, and immune health.
• Healthy fats provide energy and help brain function.

Activity 2.2: Case Study on a Hunter-Gatherer Society

• The Yanomami people live in the Amazon rainforest

Research Their Food Practices

• The Yanomami hunt and gather.
• They live and share food equally.

Activity 2.3: Edible Insects

• Edible insects include crickets and mealworms.
• Crickets are high in protein and easy to raise.
• Crickets are salty and crunchy, with a crispy and light texture and a slightly nutty aroma.

Activity 2.4: Mapping the Fertile Crescent

• Fertile Crescent includes Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt.
• Dates are a popular fruit in Iraq.
• Kibbeh is a traditional dish in Syria.
• Hummus is a popular dip in Lebanon.
• Fava beans are used in "ful medames" in Egypt.

Activity 2.5: Key Historical Factors in Agriculture

• Rivers provided water for farming.
• Warmer weather helps crops grow.
• Farmers learned to grow plants and raise animals for food.
• People needed more food as the population grew.
• Farming communities were born for these reasons

Activity 2.6: Ancient Egyptian Agriculture

Agricultural Wealth

• The Nile River flooded every year, bringing rich soil that was great for farming.
• Egyptians created basin irrigation to control water from the Nile.

Exploration of food systems from farms to tables, including sourcing images and reflections. Analysis of McKenzie's Ancient Grain Soup Mix, emphasizing health benefits and the popularity of ancient grains like quinoa and lentils.