When my children were in elementary school they thought it was cool to take their lunches in a fun lunch box. Sometimes I would surprise them with a clever, creative food inside. The memory of this, plus knowing I wanted to teach my child development students about healthy foods choices for children triggered this lesson and project. I assign this as a take home project but this could easily be done in a foods lab or even as a creative competition!
Who would have thought that the age old canning jar would be perfect for dessert food labs! When choosing recipes for labs I try to select recipes so students get a nice sample to taste, but leave very little, if any leftovers. Not only does this cut down on waste, money spent on ingredients, but it also forces students to practice portion control and eliminates arguing over who gets the extras.
When I was a child you couldn’t pay me enough to eat an onion in any way, shape or form, and when I did have to work with them they always made me cry! As an adult, I’ve come to appreciate the value of the onion, not only for the flavor it adds to whatever I’m cooking or preparing, but also for the health benefits it provides. So bring on the onions to help add some sweetness and zip to your meals as well as your health!
Here are a few holiday ideas to either help your department raise money, fit in some extra holiday excitement, or comply with a half day schedule. Happy Thanksgiving!
Christine, a family and consumer science teacher from New Jersey submitted her leavening agents lesson plan for a makeover. This is what she said about it, “I love that I am attempting to show show the students the food science…
When teaching about the food groups in MyPlate I find it’s also important to explain the concepts of mixed foods, empty calories and nutrient dense foods. Junior high students are often confused as to what these terms actually mean. After…
Ever get caught up in watching the food competition shows on the Food Network channel? I do…so I decided to challenge my students to be innovative and creative with the basic grilled cheese sandwich in our “Grill Off Competition!” Class…
Looking for a guilt free, low calorie, alternative to pasta that will surprise your taste-buds? Look no more! Spaghetti squash is one of those best kept secrets that needs to be shared! Not only is it easy to prepare, but versatile too. So what are you waiting for? Swap out that pasta for spaghetti squash and encourage your students and their families to try experiment and try something NEW.
I always ask my students what they would like to make the first day of class in a survey. I hate teaching the same thing over and over again in exactly the same way….yawn yawn, it gets boring. So to…
High school students can be know-it-alls especially those who cook at home. However, this lab seems to keep everyone interested as it is rare to find a student, or a cook for that matter, that actually knows how to butcher a chicken. Of course some students are resistant to having to touch a raw chicken however with the right student pairing I’ve had luck keeping everyone engaged.
