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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Gobsmacked about daughter's food tech lesson

234 replies

dottybooboo22 · 14/09/2016 18:37

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?

OP posts:

Uricon · 14/09/2016 20:59

Working towards O level we had to demonstrate knowledge of every variety of pastry (our teacher said that it would be the last time in our lives we made puff) every method of cakemaking, many sauces, nutrition, as the nightsky said "prepare cook and serve"...it seems a lot but we did get a good deal from it.

Thinking back, it was much more about methods than shedloads of costly meat. The more esoteric ingredients eg garlic and olive oil were supplied by the school dirt cheap.

careeristbitchnigel · 14/09/2016 21:02

but surely it's the schools place to be teaching her,not mine!

Is that really your attitude towards your daughter's education ?? Or teaching her an essential life skill ? It's not as if they asked you to make profiteroles

Sara107 · 14/09/2016 21:06

My dD made fruit salad last year (year 1, age 6). The school provided and paid for all the ingredients and the children ate it all afterwards so no carting leaking stuff home. And dD can now make quite a decent fruit salad! I would be hoping that when she gets to 'food tech' in year 7 that she wouldn't still be learning the fruit salad!
I did come across a man in the supermarket late one evening, desperately hunting for buttercream icing for his daughter's food tech next day. I never even knew you could buy it ready-made, didn't know whether he should look in the fridges or the baking aisle!

careeristbitchnigel · 14/09/2016 21:09

*We live in times where most women don't unpaid housework full-time anymore, and therefore have no time (or skill) to teach their children how to cook, but schools haven't yet taken over the job. I can see how this would lead to conflicts.
I don't think practising how to make meatballs is doable. You'd have to do it ten times in a row to get the knack of it, if they're like other dishes where you form balls out of food, and no one can eat the same thing that often in a row. *

Seems to me some people will just make an excuse for anything

My 6 year old is more than capable of making a meatball. She can even chop the onions and garlic and certainly wouldn't require 10 attempts to learn make make them

And I work full time too

JamieLannistersFuckButler · 14/09/2016 21:16

Christ I'm glad my father taught me to cook.

FarAwayHills · 14/09/2016 21:20

Perhaps the teacher has them to practice as so many kids lack the most basic cooking skills and she wants them to be prepared. Many kids will never have weighed, chopped, used a hob or oven before. Imagine the chaos of a class of teens in a kitchen when many probably haven't cooked anything more complicated than toast before.

I would just plan making the meatballs as one of the family meals during the week and get your DD to make it while you supervise.

ThreeSheetsToTheWind · 14/09/2016 21:20

I can't believe some of these comments. You actually think her mum should teach her how to cook the meal before she goes to school? What then is the point of cookery lessons? Please explain this to me? Would this apply to Maths? Geography? Economics? Dear Lord!

I went to a lowly secondary school in the 60's, I learned how to cook, sew, knit, type, I learned shorthand and all about commerce, as well as English, Maths, History, Geography and Art. My kids went to an 'Academy' and I do think they are bright, intelligent kids, but neither know anything of the history of this country, my daughter doesn't have a clue how banking works. It was me that taught them to cook. Neither of them would have known how to change a fuse. I am also very sad that they didn't celebrate Christmas at school. All the decorations, the carols and the hymns. My school days were productive but also very happy. I don't think this is the case any more.

FarAwayHills · 14/09/2016 21:23

It's not as if they asked you to make profiteroles

I have fond memories of making profiteroles in Home Ec

WatchMeSoar · 14/09/2016 21:29

I have memories of my sons tarte tatin made with wholemeal flour and reduced sugar.

The sound of it hitting the bin.....

MadameMaxGoesler · 14/09/2016 21:42

I had a term and a half of compulsory Domestic Science, as it was called in the '70s, before skipping off to the Elysian Fields of Ancient Greek. Came top of the class and didn't make another Victoria sandwich until I had children. Husband can cook,thank God.

Pineapplemilkshake · 14/09/2016 21:50

Slightly off topic here but I feel sorry for all the kids whose parents throw their stuff in the bin. Yes it may not be the best but surely it's just part of being a parent to pretend it's nice and eat it, rather than calling it shit and throwing it in the bin. I love seeing my DC's face when he proudly brings home something he's made in school and we all try a bit.

girlonaswing · 14/09/2016 21:52

I am always surprised that parents are happy for one teacher to supervise 20+ pupils in yr 7 in a food room, whilst said pupils are preparing & cooking a bolognese sauce from scratch or pasta bake along with clearing away to a suitable standard; but baulk at supervising their own dc in their own kitchen. Yes we also have fridges and freezers. Was always horrified at the waste of food and leftover ingredients binned by pupils. Have driven my son back to school in the past to collect his food tech - that's our dinner! Never ever want to teach food tech again, put me off cooking for a long time.

AnotherPrickInTheWall · 14/09/2016 21:54

I don't see there being an issue. It's going to be eaten whatever. Makes sense to me.

Enkopkaffetak · 14/09/2016 21:59

My heart sinks when the children have food " tech" its always stuff we dont have or is hard to transport. Most I get about 20 mins notice for too

This year is a entire year without food tec JOY

we have had some they were meant to practice at home. Thankfully it was cake stuff so we ate it ..

Notcontent · 14/09/2016 22:05

I did home economics (in Australia, in the late 1980s) and loved it. We did actually learn how to cook things.

I have to say some of the food mentioned above sounds a bit odd. Why would you put juice in fruit salad??

Original poster

dottybooboo22 · 14/09/2016 22:06

My thoughts exactly, Threesheets.

OP posts:

Foxsox · 14/09/2016 22:07

Oh it's bollocks
She probably wants to practicr at home, I know my friends Dd often asks to do this unnecessarily.

Call school and ask, politely, and express your concern over the cost and the lack of need to cook it twice.

Any good Food Teacher will totally understand your comments and be able to reassure you that this isn't needed.

confuugled1 · 14/09/2016 22:15

It's my ds that's making the fruit salad this week - he's Y7.

I get that it's an easy way for the teachers to break them gently into knife skills but think it's a cop out not to teach them a simple syrup with lemon juice, water and sugar to stop the fruit turning brown at the same time. Preparing fruit shouldn't really take up an entire hour!

I remember the first Y7 (or UIII as it was then called - that dates me!) cookery class we had - we had to make scrambled eggs on toast with a grilled tomato on the basis that it was a simple supper dish but included protein, carbs and veg/fruit so you could feed yourself a nourishing meal. Last cookery lesson of the season was chocolate crunch - a sort of chocolate fridge cake, not very difficult but a tasty treat beloved by the entire school. And we were definitely doing things like eclairs and gougere by Y9 as I stopped cookery at that point (not through choice - but because there were only a limited number of places and less academic dc got first dibs. I had to do latin instead which I loathed.)

bumsexatthebingo · 14/09/2016 22:15

YABU. It's not like she is going to cook it once or even twice and will have necessarily mastered it. What's wrong with practising? Then she can reflect on what went well and what didn't and adapt what she does in the lesson.
I'm sure you would help your child revise for a test if they wanted you to and not just take the attitude that the teacher should be teaching them the work because it's their job!

imwithspud · 14/09/2016 22:18

my daughter doesn't have a clue how banking works. It was me that taught them to cook. Neither of them would have known how to change a fuse

Surely these are things parents should be teaching their kids anyway? It's not up to the school to teach kids basic life skills. Although it would be nice, there just aren't enough hours in the day and the curriculum is jam packed as it is.

Original poster

dottybooboo22 · 14/09/2016 22:20

LOL watchmesoar.
Pineapple, she's cooked before and I ALWAYS eat it!
girlonaswing, I don't baulk at supervising my dc, we often rustle up stuff together, what I baulk at is being expected to teach my dc to cook a dish she is going to be taught to cook in school the next day!!!!!!

OP posts:

emmyhNL · 14/09/2016 22:21

When I was studying food tech I regularly practiced the recipes at home before hand as it made me more comfortable. I'd also check or amend recipes depending on the outcome. Doesn't seem too bad but if cost is an issue maybe chat again to the school?

OhTheRoses · 14/09/2016 22:25

I was delighted to let dd have a practice run of what they were doing in food tech.

Do you never get yr children to help you cook/bake anyway. Mine loved it x

timefortea33 · 14/09/2016 22:28

I'm afraid we generally threw away whatever I made at school because it had been 5+ hours festering... - I just checked, and apparently keeping a cooked meal at room temperature for more than 2 hours (less if its a hot day), is not considered safe, so unless cookery is the last lesson, it doesn't seem worth the risk of everyone being ill.
I often used to cook the meal again afterwards at the weekend tho, so got to show what I'd learnt that way :-)

janethegirl2 · 14/09/2016 22:29

Food tech when I did it back in the 70s was inedible, hope it's better today though I doubt it! My dcs presented mostly inedible offerings after their school endeavors.

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