Cooking & Nutrition

In Key Stage 1 children build upon their experiences from the early years in cooking and nutrition. They are taught the two different ways of cutting food using the bridge hold and the claw grip and are introduced to the idea of taste testing. These are essential skills that will be developed as they progress through the primary years in design technology. In Year 1 they use these skills to cut and prepare fruit. For the Summer Smoothies project they design and make a fruit smoothie for a friend. As alternatives, children use the story of Handa's Surprise when designing and making either a Fruit Salad or a Fruit Kebab.

Building on this knowledge, children in Key Stage 1 have the opportunity to design and make some super salads to promote the 'five-a day' healthy eating message or to create a healthy lunchtime snack consisting of a dip and some vegetable dippers. These units further develop children's food preparation skills whilst teaching them about fruit and vegetables, where and when food is grown and those important healthy eating messages.

Summer Smoothies Fruit Salad Fruit Kebab

Snack Dippers Rainbow Salad

Key Stage 1

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In Lower Key Stage 2 children extend their cooking and preparation skills when learning to make products such as bread and soup. They learn about the role of yeast in bread-making and how to knead bread. They are introduced to healthy eating guidance provided by the Eatwell Guide and apply this knowledge when designing and making healthy lunchtime wraps. Other aspects of food technology are introduced such as seasonality, where food comes from and the importance of packaging and labelling of food products.

In Lower Key Stage 2 children can also focus on the importance of a healthy breakfast to start the day. Children can design and make a healthy cereal bar whilst learning about breakfast foods that are grown on a farm or that come from reared animals. As an alternative children learn how yoghurt is made and the different food products originating from dairy farming. They apply this knowledge of yoghurt-making and the importance of eating fruit to design and make a yoghurt-based breakfast product.

Sharing Bread Lunchtime Wraps

Lower Key Stage 2

Healthy Cereal Bar Yummy Yoghurts

In Upper Key Stage 2 children are bringing together their knowledge of healthy eating and balanced meals to design and make more complex food products and meals. In learning about street food from around the world children make wraps to sell at the Street Food Fiesta. This unit also teaches children about food packaging, labelling and the importance of correct food storage. Children learn that people across the world have different diets for many different reasons. An adaptation of the street food unit is available that focuses on Mexican street food.

In our Eco-Airlines unit of work children make an airline meal for a sustainable airline. They apply their knowledge of healthy eating, balanced meal, different diets and fair trade food when designing the menu. The Eatwell Pizza unit challenges the children to design and make a pizza that promotes the healthy eating guidance from the Eatwell Guide. Both units also cover food marketing and running a small business. In the class restaurant project children design and make a three-course meal based on a country of their choice.

Street Food Fiesta Hola Mexico Tacos

Upper Key Stage 2

Eco Airline Meal Eatwell Pizza Class Restaurant

National Curriculum: Cooking and Nutrition

As part of their work with food, pupils should be taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life.

Pupils should be taught to:

Key stage 1

use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes
understand where food comes from.

Key stage 2

understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet
prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques
understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.

DESIGN ACADEMY