When you think of food preservation, you might automatically think about canning. However, there is so much more to it, and thanks to Anna Hall of Ohio for sharing her Food Preservation Unit, you can find out! This engaging food preservation unit covers five days and explores various methods such as frozen, dried and canned foods as well as the changes throughout history. The unit culminates with students actually canning pickles.

Notes

• After much brainstorming, Anna created this unit to use with her Culinary Foundations class with 9-12th grade students.
• Since she is from Ohio, the standards for this unit are as follows:
  • 3.4.2. Prevent food safety risks by controlling conditions under which bacteria grow.
  • 3.4.3. Compare the effects of food labeling, preservation, packaging and storage on food safety, freshness and longevity.
  • 3.4.4. Compare food preservation methods (e.g., freezing, drying, canning) used to optimize shelf life.
  • 4.5.1. Compare products based on features, costs and benefits.
• While students will sample pickles in class, containers will be available for anyone who would like to take some home.
• If canning pickles is not an option, you could always make dried fruit or fruit leather instead.

Day One

• Day One: “Preserving Food” begins with a bell ringer and follows with a riddle, class brain-storming and a class activity where multiple preservation methods (freezing, drying, canning) are compared. The textbook referenced is Food for Today (affiliate link).

Day Two

• Day Two: “Pineapple Preservation” begins with a bell ringer and follows with a review of previous day’s learning. Students then compare three different types of pineapple (frozen, dried, and canned) in terms of cost and sugar. Before students are sent off to complete the activity on their own, you will complete a sample with raisins. After students complete the pineapple taste test and comparison, they end by filling out an exit activity where they will answer four questions applying what they have learned.

Day Three

• Day Three: “Food Preservation” begins with a bell ringer and follows with a lecture using Prezi titled “History & Trends of Food Preservation” and guided notes. Students end the class with a listening check quiz.

Day Four

• Day Four: “All About Pickles” begins with a bell ringer and follows with pickle tasting! Students will have the opportunity to taste four different varieties of pickles and will be asked to calculate the serving cost for each type. Students then learn about pickle science by viewing a YouTube video titled, “How Does Pickling Work?“. At various points, the video is paused and specific questions are discussed. Afterwards, students prepare for their upcoming lab and view the video demonstration of “How to Make Refrigerator Pickles“.

Day Five

• Day Five: “Refrigerator Pickles Lab” students prepare their pickles in the lab and follow with reflection questions. There are no bell ringers on lab days.

Attachments

• Food Preservation Unit

Similar Resources

• Food Preservation Ideas

Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash