The meal management unit covers the five food groups, and how best to combine them when planning a meal. It also includes time management, with the knowledge that some foods take longer to prepare than others. Before students embark on their project of creating a meal at home, they will have learned the necessary tools of knowing how to budget their money, reading food labels, the nutrient value of the foods they choose, the time allotted to make the meal and how to critique it. Learning to critique the food involves their understanding of appearance; flavor; and texture of the various foods.