Tournament Day Nutrition Stories
NUTRITION STORIES FOR EACH MODULE
Anubhav Group (Grade 6-8)
SPORTS MODULE STORY
"Vedant's Big Match"
Vedant was the best kabaddi raider in his school. Fast, strong, smart.
The district finals were coming. His team needed him.
The night before the match, his friends came over. They ate chips, drank cold drinks, and stayed up late playing video games. Vedant ate a lot of junk food. "One night won't matter," he thought.
Next morning, Vedant woke up tired. His stomach felt heavy. But the match was starting.
First half: Vedant ran onto the court. Within 5 minutes, his legs felt weak. He couldn't breathe properly. His stomach was upset. He got caught easily.
Acharya Vaishnavi pulled him aside. "What did you eat yesterday?"
Vedant felt embarrassed. Chips. Cold drinks. Nothing good.
Halftime: Vaishnavi gave him some bananas and water. "This is what your body needs. Not that packaged junk."
Second half: Vedant felt a little better, but it was too late. His team lost by 2 points.
After the match, his grandmother told him a story.
"When your grandfather played kabaddi in his village, the night before a big match, the team would eat simple food. Dal, rice, roti, vegetables. They would sleep early. Wake up and eat soaked almonds and dates. This gave them energy that lasted the whole match."
"Why didn't we know this?" Vedant asked.
"Because people stopped listening to old wisdom," his grandmother said. "They think packaged food is modern and good. But your body doesn't care about being modern. It needs fuel that works."
The lesson Vedant learned:
Your body is honest. You can't trick it with junk food. If you want to perform, you need real food. Good Natural Fuel= More Energy
Questions to think about: Research and Answer
What foods would have helped Vedant before the match?
Why did the banana help him at halftime?
What would you eat before a big game?
ART MODULE STORY
"Payal's Perfect Painting"
Payal loved to paint. She would spend hours making beautiful art.
For the school art competition, she wanted to create her best work. A big painting of a sunset over the ocean.
She started working on it. But something was wrong.
Day 1: She couldn't think of the right colors. Her mind felt foggy. She got frustrated and stopped.
Day 2: She tried again. But her hands were shaking. She couldn't paint the small details. She made mistakes.
Day 3: She felt tired. Her eyes hurt. She couldn't focus. She gave up.
Her art teacher, Acharya Ashwini, noticed. "Payal, what did you eat for breakfast today?"
"Nothing. I woke up late. Just had tea."
"Yesterday?"
"Maggi noodles."
Ashwini shook her head. "Your brain needs food to create art. Let me tell you about my teacher."
The teacher's story:
"When I was learning art in college, my teacher was very strict about food. Every morning, she would eat:
Soaked almonds (for brain power)
Fresh fruit (for energy)
Dahi with honey (for gut health)
She said, 'Your gut and your brain are connected. When your stomach is upset, your mind can't think clearly. When you eat junk, you feel like junk. When you eat good food, you have the energy and mood to create good art.'
She would never let us eat chips or biscuits in the studio. Only fresh food, nuts, and fruits.
At first, we thought she was old-fashioned. But then we noticed - we could paint for hours without getting tired. Our ideas were clearer. Our hands were steadier."
What Payal did next:
Ashwini made her eat properly for 3 days:
Morning: Banana and almonds
Lunch: Dal, roti, sabzi
Evening: Fruit and nuts
By Day 3, something changed. Payal's mind was clear. Her hands were steady. The colors came naturally.
She finished her painting. It was beautiful. She won second place in the competition.
The lesson Payal learned:
Art doesn't just come from your hands. It comes from your whole body. Feed your body right, and your creativity flows.
Questions to think about:
Why did Payal's hands shake on Day 2?
How does food affect your brain?
What would you eat before an art class?
MUSIC MODULE STORY
"Unnati's Lost Voice"
Unnati loved to sing. Her voice was beautiful. Clear and strong.
The school music program was coming. She had a solo performance. She was practicing a difficult song.
But one week before the program, her voice started cracking. Her throat felt scratchy. She couldn't hit the high notes.
Acharya Yashodara was worried. "Unnati, have you been drinking cold water?"
"Yes, Acharya. It's so hot."
"What else are you eating?"
"Chips. Ice cream. Cold drinks."
Yashodara sighed. "Your throat is like a musical instrument. You have to take care of it."
She told Unnati a story about famous singers.
The singer's secret:
"Professional singers follow strict rules before performances:
No cold water (only warm or room temperature)
No fried (oily) food (makes throat phlegmy)
No ice cream or cold drinks
Drink warm water with honey
Eat light, fresh food
Get enough sleep
Why? Because the vocal cords are delicate. Cold food makes them tight. Fried food creates mucus. Sugar and salt irritate them.
Singers also know: a healthy gut = a healthy voice. When your stomach is upset, your voice suffers."
What Unnati did:
For one week, Yashodara gave her special instructions:
Morning: Warm water with honey
No cold drinks, only room temperature water
No fried or spicy food
Turmeric milk before bed
Practice breathing exercises
By the day of the program, Unnati's voice was back. Clear, strong, beautiful.
She performed perfectly. Everyone clapped.
The lesson Unnati learned:
Your voice is a gift. But you have to protect it. The right food helps. The wrong food hurts.
Questions to think about:
Why does cold water make your throat tight?
What foods would help a singer?
How is your throat connected to your stomach?
THEATRE MODULE STORY
"Kirti's Forgotten Lines"
Kirti was playing the lead role in the school play. It was a big responsibility. She had many dialogues to remember.
Rehearsals were going well. But two days before the performance, something strange happened.
Kirti kept forgetting her lines. Her mind felt cloudy. She couldn't concentrate.
Acharya Subhash was confused. "You knew all the lines yesterday. What happened?"
Kirti didn't know. She tried harder. But the more she tried, the more she forgot.
That evening, Subhash sat with her. "Tell me about your day. What did you eat?"
"Just biscuits for breakfast. Chips at lunch. Cold drink in the evening."
"When did you sleep last night?"
"Late. I was on my phone, scrolling through shorts."
Subhash understood. "Your brain is tired. It needs fuel and rest."
The actor's routine:
Subhash told her about professional actors:
"Actors have to remember long scripts, perform for hours, and show big emotions. How do they do it?
They follow a routine:
Good breakfast (eggs- if you are Non Vegetarian, dried fruits, sprouts,Jowar/Bajra roti, fruit - for brain power)
Light lunch (not too heavy, or they feel sleepy)
Healthy snacks (nuts, fruit - for energy)
Enough sleep (brain processes memory during sleep)
Less screen time (gives the brain rest)
They know: memory comes from a healthy brain. A healthy brain needs good food and rest."
What Kirti did:
For two days, she changed everything:
Proper breakfast (poha, banana)
Dal-rice+ Subji for lunch
Almonds, Groundnut and Gud for snacks
Early sleep (no phone)
By the performance day, her mind was sharp. She remembered every line. She acted perfectly.
The lesson Kirti learned:
Your brain is like a computer. It needs the right power supply. Good food = good memory. Good sleep = clear thinking.
Questions to think about:
Why did Kirti forget her lines?
How does sleep help memory?
What foods help you think clearly?
Common message in all stories:
Whether you play sports, create art, sing music, or act in theatre - your body and brain need the right fuel.
Traditional knowledge knew this. Modern science proves it.
The question is: Will you listen?
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