Gobsmacked about daughter's food tech lesson

[dottybooboo22]

I've just been informed by dd that she's cooking next week in her food tech class. I have to buy the ingredients. I don't mind that but then she said they have to practise at home so they'll be able to make it in class
She then got all stroppy when I pointed out that it would cost twice as much for the stuff and wasn't it the whole point of the lesson to teach them how to make it??? Am I missing something here?

[littledrummergirl]

Dd (yr7) is making Apple crumble this week, the recipe includes sultanas which nobody in our house eats. We've already had the "we're not buying them, Apple is fine" versus " but I have to follow the recipe or I'll get into trouble for doing it wrong" conversation.
Same day ds2 (yr10) is making pineapple upside down cake.
Last week we had cous cous from one and samosas from the other.
One day we'll get the whole meal!

Ours have to prepare and weigh the ingredients at home. As they both have activities the night before this will be me or dh.

[Trifleorbust]

I think this is one of those situations where (some) people assume they know more than they do about what is being learned and tested.

[OlennasWimple]

The fruit salad reminds me of the episode of Fawlty Towers where the diners try to cancel their dessert, only to be told "but chef's already opened the tin"

More seriously, this sort of thing is exactly how the gap between children with supportive parents, money and facilities and those without widens. What about children who cannot afford to spend £20 on two meals of meatballs? Or whose parents can't cook themselves?

[LifeGotInTheWay]

Witchend



Tell me you absolutely lost it with her??

[whywonthedgehogssharethehedge]

We just paid a lump sum once a year for foodtech which covered ingredients

I wish all schools did this! Surely it would be cheaper and less hassle for everyone if school just had a stock of basics. Also less chance of food poisoning as raw meat transported in school bags makes me sick just thinking about it.

[whywonthedgehogssharethehedge]

We just paid a lump sum once a year for foodtech which covered ingredients

I wish all schools did this! Surely it would be cheaper and less hassle for everyone if school just had a stock of basics. Also less chance of food poisoning as raw meat transported in school bags makes me sick just thinking about it.

[mathanxiety]

How about she just looks up a few YouTube or food site tutorials, or cooking shows?

YYY to Waltermitty 'non subject' - I gave up HE after first year. I was in the lucky class that used to have the cooking section of HE last thing before our weekly half day was over. The boys were lined up outside the kitchen to buy whatever we cooked when we came out. I only brought one thing home. They allowed the boys to do HE two years later. Girls could do metalwork and woodwork from then on.

Though it was a 'non subject' it encompassed food science. My teacher would have hit the roof at double dipping for tasting purposes. We did a lot about proper food handling before and after cooking, sanitising and cross contamination, general kitchen hygiene and refrigeration. Plus nutrition.

My DCs didn't take HE in their US high school, but I know the school provides all ingredients. We always had to provide ingredients ourselves in Ireland. I got some really funny looks the morning I boarded the bus with a frozen fillet of cod wrapped carefully in tin foil and wax paper in a plastic bag.

We also had to bring in any craft materials required for art, apart from clay for pottery. We had to buy our own poster paints too come to think of it, and provide a pattern and fabric for the sewing part of HE.

[Uricon]

We made lovely things (well, edible, on the whole) in Home Economics in the 70s including a large Christmas cake/marzipan/icing from scratch ( "feeding" it with brandy was closely supervised...)

Never had any try outs at home and stuff was refrigerated until collection at home time

I do sometimes wonder if a few steps backwards have been taken in some subjects.

[FamousGBBOGoOnAnAdventure]

Why do you think the school should be teaching her? My youngest is in the first year at high school but they were taught to cook before that, all children should learn to cook a variety of evening meals and how to produce a nutritious meal on a budget.

[youredeadtomesteven]

I remember making fruit salad about 10 years ago in Food Tech, and we put fruit juice over it to stop apples etc going brown. I didn't eat it though!

I learnt how to make pizza from scratch, as well as sausage meat plait (which I didn't eat - gross) There was the typical carrot cake, muffins, etc. My favourite was lemon and lime cheesecake with ginger nut base. It was lovely, and my family all ask me to remake it now and again!

[Shockers]

DS2 did this. It was for a Masterchef type competition in food tech. They had to plan a whole (themed) menu, then cook one dish for the judges.

DS had a seaside theme. His main course was pan fried bream with herbed and buttered baby potatoes (pebbles) with kale (seaweed) -there was a little more to it, but I can't remember. It was delicious.

The girl who won made a chocolate sauce and served marshmallows and (not fancily) chopped up fruit to dip in it.

The single judge (another teacher) clearly had a sweet tooth. I felt that although this girl's dish was probably very nice, there was no balance on the judging panel.

This was 4 years ago. I probably need to let it go now .

[Shockers]

Sorry- the point of that was that they rehearsed the dish at home!

[GoldFishFingerz]

You're wrong. For creative subjects prep is done at home. Drawings for DT, art ideas sketching and so on.

[lotusbiscuit]

I'd say it would be great for her life skills all round if you help her learn to cook, whether its meatballs now or a cheese sauce or a cake. Food tech is not just for the class room, no lessons are just for the class room.

[Porg]

I was slightly surprised by the first recipe sheet ds brought home aged 11. They taught him how to make a fucking sandwich! It didn't improve much as he got older either.

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

Lorellei The fruit salad was one of the first things mine made in year 7.
A good introduction to peeling, chopping and presenting food I suppose but a horrible mess after a few hours banging about/seeping out in a backpack.

[SemiNormal]

I think this is one of those situations where (some) people assume they know more than they do about what is being learned and tested. Agreed.

Sorry, am I the only one who thinks YABU? Possibly. Yes teachers are their to educate your child in a given subject but you do realise, that as a parent, you need to do some of that teaching too?? I didn't not teach my son his ABCs and 123s because teachers get paid to teach and I don't.

I imagine it's a kind of 'homework' and £10 isn't that much surely when you consider you can eat it afterwards (and freeze the rest if there is too much) so it's hardly going to be waste.

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

What an injustice for your DS, Shockers !
Maybe his teacher didn't like kale?

[Cary2012]

So she's Year 9 OP?

Odd to expect KS3 to do a dry run at home. Could understand it if it was a GCSE option.

[thenightsky]

This thread is bringing back memories of my A-level home economics (1977).

'Prepare, cook and serve a picnic lunch for 6 vegetarians', followed by 'prepare, cook and serve a 3 course dinner for 10'. All on the same day, same exam.

My poor mother nearly had a heart attack at the cost. (grin)

[TheLastHeatwave]

All schools should just ask for the cost of the ingredients to be paid, it's SO much easier.

The practical classes should be timetabled to be at the end of the day.

& other general fuckwittery needs sorting out. Fruit salad with pre cut fruit & a tin of fruit FfS. I'd expect a 3 year old to manage that. Pizza - pitta bread, purée & cheese? Seriously. It's ridiculous.

Mind you...my first 'cooking class' at 11 we made 'Mousetraps'. Err cheese on toast then! Which I'd been making for years, but to be fair, not everyone had. Progress was slow 😁

[Lorelei76]

Fruit salad and sandwiches in seondary school?
I think I had to make apple crumble
No suggestion of having to do a dry run at home either.

[ClashCityRocker]

IT was always fucking scones at our food tech.

Now, whilst I agree they are a handy thing to know how to make, I'm quite sure that the 1.40 hours per week practical sessions could have been better spent.

I seem to recall we did fruit salad once, too. The whole point was to show how cheap it was to prepare fresh rather than buying tins. It wasn't.

My mother used to particularly enjoy being told I had a full list of ingredients to get ten minutes before the shop shut.

[pleasemothermay1]

Haha rember ds cooking carnation chicken however he brought a whole chicken and plopped the whole thing in with some sauce hahahaha

[BennyTheBall]

Carnation chicken? What on earth is that? Sounds horrific.