The Big Lunch Schools Resources – Key Stage 3-4, Activity 3
Learning objectives: to learn about planning balanced and appealing menus; carry out
research; presentation skills
Resources and preparation
 Pictures of food from magazines, newspapers, websites for pupils to use in a mood board
 Sugar paper for mood boards, glue and scissors
 White A3 and A4 paper, coloured pens, crayons
Introduction

Show slides of street food from around the world,
(http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/street-food-photos/) trying to get pupils to
guess what food and what country it’s from. Pupils offer food experiences from holidays,
different parts of the UK, what foods are famous in Cornwall?

Pupils consider the question: What foods or dishes might be better for a party or community
events and why? (finger food, easy to share, simple, bbq, tapas, antipasti etc)

Outline the main task – pupils will be designing and presenting their own menu for a Big Lunch.
Clarify the point of street parties: to have fun but also bring the community together
Main

What makes a balanced diet? Elicit suggestions on the board.

Show pupils the Eat Well Plate (http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/eatwell-plate.aspx)
created by the NHS – give them a blank version and ask them to fill it in with correct food
categories from memory

Pupils create a ‘mood board’ for their menu using words, pictures, diagrams, sketches that
represent a balanced diet. They may want a theme linking each course together e.g. colour or
nationality, or choose lots of small dishes etc. Teacher should encourage creativity. Use the
inspiration slide
(http://www.thebiglunch.com/images/content/BigLunchSchoolsResources_Inspiration.jpg) to
show an example of a mood board.

Pupils hold up mood boards and teachers decide on the best

Pupils then begin to write menu on A3 – must be at least 3 courses including starter, main and
dessert but they can have more. They should think of names for their dishes and make it clear
what ingredients are in each and why it would be suitable for a street party

Groups then present the final menu to a school chef/teacher
Plenary

The chef makes comments on each menu and asks questions. The audience also asks
questions then vote, along with the chef, for their favourite menu.

Pupils are asked to think of one thing they have each learnt about food, organising a community
lunch etc. Would they want to do it for real?!
Extension – write and design the Idiot’s Guide
to organising a Big Lunch menu
Homework – research what makes a balanced diet
– how many calories and what types of food do we
need?