what recipes do kid NEED to be taught at school

[FluffyMummy123]

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8 oz self raising flour
pinch salt
2 oz butter
1/4 pint milk

sieve flour then rub in butter until mixture is like fine breadcrumbs. Add milk and mix to make a soft dough. Knead lightly on floury surface, roll out and use as pizza base (or can add herbs / cheese / mustard etc and make scones instead)

it's very good with wholemeal flour, or half and half. Not like an Italian base but more stodgy - tastes good though and completely fast to make

we were taught how to make shortbread every week for a year because the Home Ed. budget had run out and they couldnt afford any other ingredients

how to cook rice properly
ditto potatoes
stir-fries

should be taught always to eat some salad with every meal even if its just sliced tomatoes with oil, lemon juice and a little crushed garlic on

what ingredients go well together.

Should be taught to use fresh ingredients not tins and packets.

gawd we had to bring our own ingredients

all those little tubs of flour

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fiofio - we use tinned tomatoes and pulses but not much else, admit we live in Spain where fruit and veg are not better quality but are allowed to ripen for longer and travel less.

have you got a breadmaker cod? very easy in a breadmaker

you can roll this base thin, but it is still a scone

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no I understand

try the scone one maybe, you might like it

the other thing you could do is use muffins, pittas, or french bread to put the sauce and cheese on.

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when my neice was taught to make scones at school, they were told to bring in food colourings.

So she came home with blue scones. I mean, why the hell would you add food colouring to scones ?????

Surely 14 y.o.s can make scones without needing to make them blue !!

Not bread, you can BUY bread for the same cost as making it.

They need to be taught

"How much is in a portion (usung visual aids like cups and scales) and the food groups and sources."

"What to do with fish, and why cod, haddock and tuna are not the best choice for those on a budget"

"How to roast a chicken and what to do with the rest of it - the NON breast meat"

How to double the value of meat using only a knife (or the reason we don't buy ready chopped meat)"

"How to wash and prepare fresh vegetables and why this is important"

"The knack to working out the most economical way of getting what you want to buy"

"White sauce and it's many variations"

"Tomato sauce and it's many variations"

"Eggs and how to cook them without fat"

"Fresh potatoes - why and how, from chips to rosti"

"Pasta - how to cook it, and what to do with it once it's cooked"

"Rice - how to cook it, and what to do with it once it's cooked"

"The art of preparing cheap cuts of meat"

Homemade soups/stews
How to cook eggs

Blimey Colditz!

Very impressed with your list

totally agree with you, Colditz

Things with mince - e.g. take 500g pack of mince and from that make 2 dishes each feeding 4 e.g. chilli and shepherd's pie (just like I've done this morning [v v smug emoticon])

How to shop - buying your veg loose etc, glories of farmers markets etc

How to do things - chop veg, rub in flour, follow a recipe & improvise where nec

If teaching roasts then teach what to do with leftovers - one of the best skills one can have IMHO

Oh, I might be employable at last, I to admit to having a degree in Home Economics ..well someone had to do it, a BScHons at that!

colditz - a great list of ideas.

The easiest way to visualise a portion is to make a fist with your hand. A portion = the size of your own fist.

I would be a fabulous home ec teacher.

I had one at high school, she was a bad tempered witch but she was very good for one reason - she spend half the term doing "The Curriculum" to a grade that wouldn't get her sacked, and the rest of the time doing scrambled eggs, shepherd's pie, explaining why starch tastes nicer cooked and why onions caramelise. She was good.

Actually I have thought of doing some cooking with older kids at my son's primary but I don't know if the teachers would go for it