NCEA Level 3 Home Economics key terms

A person's overall state of health and happiness, shaped by physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual factors, and by the resources and choices available to them.

A Māori view of health as four interconnected dimensions: taha tinana (physical), taha hinengaro (mental and emotional), taha whānau (social) and taha wairua (spiritual). Balance across all four supports well-being.

The conditions and factors that influence health outcomes, including income, housing, education, employment, social support, culture and access to services, rather than individual behaviour alone.

Differences in health outcomes between groups that are avoidable, unfair and unjust, often arising from unequal access to money, housing, education and services.

A person's or family's position in society based on income, occupation and education, which strongly affects housing quality, food security, healthcare access and stress levels.

Reliable access to enough safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food, obtained in socially acceptable ways. Its absence, food insecurity, ranges from worry about running out to actual hunger.

The knowledge and skills needed to plan, choose, prepare and store food safely and affordably, and to understand how food choices affect health, budget and the environment.

Meeting the body's needs for energy and nutrients through a varied diet, in amounts and proportions consistent with current national nutrition guidelines.

The amount of useful nutrients a food provides relative to the energy it supplies. Foods high in nutrients but low in kilojoules are described as nutrient dense.

The relationship between energy taken in from food and drink and energy used by the body for living, activity and growth. A sustained surplus or deficit changes body weight.

Deciding in advance what meals and snacks will be eaten, considering nutrition, budget, time, skills, preferences, season and reducing food waste.

Edible food that is thrown away or lost along the supply chain, wasting the money, water, energy and labour used to produce it and adding methane to landfill.

Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs, applied to food production, resource use, waste and household consumption choices.

The distance food travels from where it is produced to where it is eaten. It is one indicator of environmental impact, but transport is only part of a food's total footprint.

Produce grown and harvested at the time of year it naturally ripens in a given region, usually cheaper, fresher and needing less storage or long-distance transport.

Choosing goods and services based on their social and environmental effects, such as fair trade, animal welfare, labour conditions and packaging, alongside price and quality.

Planning how a household's income will be spent across needs and wants over a set period, so that essential costs such as housing, food and power are covered.

The money a household has left after tax and compulsory deductions, which is then divided between essentials, savings and discretionary spending.

The confidence and ability to manage money well: tracking income and spending, saving, borrowing wisely, and understanding financial products and consumer entitlements.

Legal protections for people buying goods and services, including guarantees that products are fit for purpose and that misleading claims or unfair terms can be challenged.

Speaking up, individually or collectively, to influence decisions and secure resources or policy changes that improve conditions for a group or community.

The 1840 treaty between Māori and the Crown, whose principles of partnership, participation and protection guide how services, including health and education, should serve Māori equitably.

Extended family and the wider network of people who share obligations and support for one another. In hauora, taha whānau covers belonging, care and social connection.

The capacity to cope with stress and recover from setbacks, supported by strong relationships, practical skills, financial buffers and access to help.

Any bodily movement that uses energy, from everyday tasks such as walking and housework to structured exercise, contributing to physical and mental well-being.

Regular rest during which the body repairs itself and the brain consolidates learning and regulates mood. Poor sleep affects appetite, concentration and stress.

Practices that prevent foodborne illness, including clean hands and surfaces, separating raw and cooked food, thorough cooking, safe storage temperatures and avoiding the danger zone.

The transfer of harmful bacteria or allergens from one food, surface or utensil to another, often via raw meat juices, shared chopping boards or unwashed hands.

Methods such as chilling, freezing, drying, canning, pickling and fermenting that slow or stop spoilage organisms so food keeps longer and waste is reduced.

A substance, usually a protein in foods such as peanuts, milk, egg, fish or wheat, that triggers an immune reaction. It must be declared and carefully managed.

Judging food using the senses of sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing, often with structured scales or preference tests, to assess quality and acceptability.

A staged process of identifying a food need, generating ideas, trialling and testing prototypes, then evaluating and refining a product for a target group.

Written requirements a product must meet, such as ingredients, cost, portion size, nutrition, packaging or shelf life, used to guide and judge development work.

The length of time a food keeps acceptable quality and safety under stated storage conditions, affected by ingredients, processing, packaging and moisture.

Planned checks during production and storage that confirm a product meets specifications, such as measuring temperature, weight, appearance and microbial safety.

Ensuring all people, regardless of income, location, disability or culture, can reasonably obtain the food, housing, transport and services they need to live well.

Any person or group affected by or interested in a decision or product, such as family members, customers, suppliers, community groups or regulators.