Balanced Meal
a meal that contains the correct proportions of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals to support good health.
Community Asset Mapping
identifying the strengths and resources of a particular geographic area in a visual representation that can be used to develop solutions to community challenges.
Chronic Hunger
long-term lack of sufficient access to food, leading to distress and larger health and well-being consequences.
Crop Rotation
the practice of growing different crops in the same areas in a sequence that helps reduce soil erosion, supports soil fertility and increases crop yield.
Cuisine
style or method of cooking, especially as characteristic of a particular country, region, or establishment.
Culture
customs and beliefs that distinguish one group of people from another, passed on through language, ritual, religion, art, clothing, and cooking.
Emotional Health
ability to understand and be responsive to emotional experiences, and to be at ease with a full range of emotions.
Factory Farms
a production approach towards farm animals (mainly for meat, milk and eggs) that maximizes production at the lowest possible cost. Subject to criticism in regards to animal welfare, human health risks, and environmental impact.
Farmed Fishing
the production of fish for human consumption in controlled and high volume facilities. Health and environmental concerns include genetic modification, disease and parasites.
Farm Subsidies
governmental subsidies paid to agricultural businesses to supplement their income and manage the supply and cost of the goods they produce.
FDA
Food and Drug Administration, federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, responsible for promoting and protecting public health through the control and supervision of food safety, dietary supplements and prescription and over the counter drugs.
Food Behaviors
habits of food-related activities, including the ways in which individuals source, prepare and consume food.
Food Desert
urban geographic areas in which it is challenging to access affordable or good-quality fresh foods.
Food Equity
refers to access to healthy food, as affected by income, food knowledge, and the presence of food resources (i.e. grocery stores, farmers markets), amongst other influences.
Food Journal
detailed record of consumption of food and beverage over a period of time, typically for the purpose of tracking intake and/or identifying eating habits.
Food Service Provider
any business or institution responsible for the preparation of any meal outside of the home. Including restaurants, schools, catering companies, and hospital cafeterias.
Food Systems
all stages of food production, starting with growing, harvesting and processing, all the way through transportation, marketing and consumption.
GMO
(genetically modified organisms) living organisms that have had their DNA artificially manipulated through genetic engineering. Used in agriculture to produce crops with desired traits that are not naturally occuring.
Healthfulness
conducive to a healthy state of body and/or mind.
Hybridization
the crossbreeding of plant species to produce certain characteristics, improve disease resistance, or increase climate resiliency.
MyPlate
current nutrition guide with suggested consumption proportions for the 5 food groups, from the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Replaced the former USDA food pyramid.
Nutrient-Dense
containing a high content of a range of nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, lean proteins and healthy fats.
Overfishing
depletion of the population of certain species of fish through overexploitation by the fishing industry, leading to potentially irreversible interruption of larger marine ecosystems.
Physical Health
well-being of one’s physical body, influenced by nutrition and diet, physical activity, medical care, and rest.
Seasonality
predictably recurring calendar of prime time frame for production for particular crops.
Short-term Hunger
experiencing temporary discomfort and/or distress due to a lack of sufficient access to food.
Sustainability
practices, agricultural or otherwise, that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare.
Trade Agreements
negotiated terms dictating the acceptable exchange of goods and services amongst parties involved.
USDA
United States Department of Agriculture, responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, and food.
FES Cross-Curricular Standards Sources
Health Standards
• Center for Disease Control/National Health Education Standards
• Illinois State Board of Education PE/Health Learning Standards
English & Language Arts
• Common Core
Mathematics
• Common Core
Science
• Next Generation Science Standards
Social Science
• Illinois State Board of Education
Arts
• National Arts Standards
Social-Emotional Learning Standards
• Illinois State Board of Education