Different Food Products We Get from Animals

Subject: Environmental Activities  |  Topic: Animals

Animals give us foods such as milk, meat, eggs, fish and honey. Some foods, such as yoghurt and cheese, are made from milk.

Animals and the foods they give us

• 🐄 Cows give us milk and meat called beef. We can add milk to chai or porridge.
• 🐐 Goats give us milk and meat. Goat meat can be cooked in stew or roasted as nyama choma.
• 🐑 Sheep give us meat called mutton. Some sheep also give milk.
• 🐔 Chickens give us eggs and meat. Ducks also give us eggs and meat.
• 🐟 Fish, such as tilapia and Nile perch, are eaten as food. They may be cooked fresh or dried.
• 🐝 Bees make honey. We can use honey to sweeten porridge or tea.
• 🐪 Camels give us milk and meat. Camel milk is used in parts of northern Kenya.

Foods made from milk

Milk can be used to make other foods called dairy products.

• Yoghurt and fermented milk are made by allowing milk to sour in a controlled way. Mursik is an example of fermented milk.
• Cheese is a firm food made from milk.
• Butter is made from the fatty part of milk. Ghee can be made from butter.

Follow the food: 🐄 Cow → milk → yoghurt

Where do these foods come from in Kenya?

• Farmers keep cows, goats, sheep and chickens on farms and in villages.
• Fish come from places such as Lake Victoria, Lake Turkana, rivers, fish farms and the Indian Ocean.
• Beekeepers collect honey from beehives. Honey also comes from wild bees.
• Camels are kept in dry areas, including parts of northern Kenya.

Why do we eat animal foods?

Many animal foods, such as meat, fish, eggs and milk, contain protein, which helps our bodies grow and repair themselves. Milk also contains calcium, which helps build strong bones and teeth. Animal foods can be eaten with plant foods such as ugali, beans, vegetables and fruit.

Keeping animals and food safe

• Give animals clean water, enough food and clean shelter.
• Ask a vet to help when an animal is sick and to give vaccinations when needed.
• Wash your hands with soap and clean water after touching animals and before handling food.
• Drink pasteurised milk or ask an adult to boil raw milk before drinking it.
• Ask an adult to cook meat, fish and eggs well. Keep raw meat and fish away from ready-to-eat food.
• Keep foods that spoil quickly, such as milk and meat, in a refrigerator where possible.

Check your understanding

1. Name two animals that give us milk.
2. What two foods do we get from chickens?
3. Name two foods made from milk.
4. Why should we cook meat and fish well?

Remember: We get different foods from animals. Care for animals, handle food safely and avoid wasting it.