Teachers’ Guide
Cooking: 8-11 years (revised 2012)
Contents
Welcome
Key Facts
Using Food – a fact of life
Key Facts and learning objectives
Downloadable resources
Key Fact ‘Planners’
Curriculum links
The Food – a fact of life resources
Videos
Recipes
Sources of further information
2
2
3
4
5
6
23
24
26
27
28
Welcome
This guide will help you plan a series of successful lessons exploring cooking and food skills for
children aged 8-11 years. The messages and concepts for this module are derived from the
eatwell plate – the UK healthy eating model.
Key Facts
The key messages and concepts are delivered through 5 Key Facts:
1. Around the world people use a range of different ingredients, equipment and
cooking techniques to prepare food.
2. When planning to cook we need to consider current healthy eating advice, the needs
of different people and occasions.
3. When planning to cook, we need to select the most suitable ingredients, equipment
and food skills for successful results.
4. There is a range of additional food skills which enable us to cook.
5. Buying, storing, preparing and cooking food safely and hygienically are vital for
health.
Why Key Facts?
The 5 Key Facts have been developed to provide a comprehensive and progressive
approach to teaching the topic of healthy eating. It provides a framework to build upon,
ensuring that consistent and up-to-date messages are delivered in school.
Using this framework, children will be gradually introduced to different concepts, skills and
knowledge about ingredients, equipment and cooking skills and techniques.
It is recommended that each Key Fact is taught in order – to ensure that there is a clear
progression in learning and understanding of fundamental concepts. The Key Facts provide
an excellent base for creating your own lessons.
Uses in school
Food – a fact of life provides a comprehensive framework for teaching children about
fundamental food and nutrition facts. The activities and resources provided are mapped
explicitly to the different curricular requirements around the UK. See page 24 for details.
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Using Food – a fact of life
As described, the teaching and learning about food and nutrition for 8-11 year old children is
divided into 5 Key Facts.
For each Key Fact, the following is provided:




Learning objectives;
Classroom activities, e.g. investigations, research, ICT, cooking;
Useful resources, e.g. links to downloadable posters, PowerPoint presentations and
worksheets (which can be laminated for future use);
Sources of further information.
Pages 7 to 22 show how each Key Fact can be taught in your school, with ideas for
introduction, main task and plenary sessions. These ‘planners’ highlight the most appropriate
resources to use – most of which can be downloaded from the Food – a fact of life website.
The Key Fact ‘planners’ and downloadable resources are designed to be flexible and allow
you, the professional, to dip-in and use what you feel is best for your school and the children
you teach. Feel free to use the Key Fact ‘planners’ in detail or only use the PowerPoint
presentations – the choice is yours.
Food – a fact of life fully supports and exploits the appropriate use of ICT in teaching and
learning, using a range of interactive activities to enable children to learn about fundamental
food concepts, as well as PowerPoint presentations and videos that can be used directly in
the classroom. However, the Key Fact ‘planners’ also promote and encourage hands-on
practical work with food, suggesting different tasting, handling and cooking activities for
children.
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Key Fact and Learning Objectives Overview
Key Fact
Learning objectives
1. Around the world
people use a range of
different ingredients,
equipment and cooking
techniques to prepare
food.
a) To know that there is a vast range of ingredients used around
the world.
b) To understand that diets around the world are based on similar
food groups.
c) To know that food is prepared in different ways due to a
number of factors, including country, culture, custom and
religion.
2. When planning to cook
we need to consider
current healthy eating
advice, the needs of
different people and
occasions.
a) To use the eatwell plate and consider the needs of different
people when planning and cooking food.
b) To be able to suggest and demonstrate healthier ways to
prepare and cook foods.
c) To be able to read and interpret basic nutrition information on
food packaging when making choices.
d) To be able to plan and prepare food appropriate for a range
of different occasions.
3. When planning to
cook, we need to select
the most suitable
ingredients, equipment
and food skills for
successful results.
a) To be able to write and follow recipes.
b) To be able to weigh and measure accurately.
c) To be able to select and use the most appropriate ingredients
and equipment to plan and cook a range of dishes.
d) To be able to modify existing recipes.
4. There is a range of
additional food skills
which enable us to
cook.
a) To be able to demonstrate an extended range of food skills
and techniques.
5. Buying, storing,
preparing and cooking
food safely and
hygienically are vital for
health.
a) To know that food can spoil and decay due to the action of
microbes, insects and other pests.
b) To understand and use date marks and food storage
instructions on food packaging.
c) To demonstrate good personal hygiene when cooking.
d) To demonstrate good food safety and hygiene when cooking.
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Downloadable Resources
For each Key Fact, a number of downloable resources have been developed for use in the
classroom.
The resources include:
 Worksheets: photocopiable masters that can be used by children for a variety of
different activities.

Cards: photographs of different types of foods that can be printed (perhaps in colour)
and laminated. These are ideal for sorting tasks.

PowerPoint presentations: if you have an interactive whiteboard, these can be used to
introduce many of the Key Facts. They also include a number of questions and tasks –
these could be completed by the class. The presentations could also be printed for an
attractive display. All PowerPoint presentations can be customised, allowing you to
tailor them to the needs of your children.

SMART Board files: if you have an interactive whiteboard, these can be used as a great
lesson starter activity, to stimulate discussion or engage children in small group work.

Guides: support information for teachers and teaching assistants on various issues about
working with food and children in the primary school classroom.

Videos: 22 videos highlight specific food skills, as well as demonstrations of basic recipes
for use in the primary school classroom.

Recipes: three different sets of recipes have been provided, focusing on non-cook, the
use of heat and baking.
It would be useful to download the resources in advance, as you might like to laminate some
for the future, e.g. Ronnie Cooks cards, or save others onto CD-ROM, e.g. PowerPoint
presentations.
Key Fact ‘planners’ list the different resources available and give examples of how they may
be used. A summary of all the resources provided can be found on pages 24-25.
Healthy eating
To compliment the resources outlined in this guide, an additional range of resources can be
found in the Healthy Eating module on the Food – a fact of life website. This includes
worksheets, PowerPoint presentations and four interactive activities addressing The eatwell
plate.
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Key Fact ‘Planners’
How to use the ‘planners’
The planners provide guidance for teaching about different food and nutrition concepts in
school.
Each Key Fact ‘planner’ is divided into 3 columns, these being:
Learning objectives
Activity
Resources
Learning objectives
These highlight the main learning objectives for each Key Fact. In essence, these are core
competences for what children should know and understand at this age.
Activity
This is the main part of the ‘planner’. It details how you, the teacher, can introduce concepts,
organise tasks and question children’s understanding.
The text highlights appropriate questions that could be asked, as well as the most appropriate
resources to use. These are only suggestions, and should be used in conjunction with ‘tried
and tested’ methods you currently use.
Resources
Different Food – a fact of life resources are highlighted for use. The name and type of the
resource is provided, along with a number. This is unique for each resource.
For example:
 Unusual food diary Worksheet 251
 Needs of Different People Worksheet 253
 Food Labels PowerPoint 259
 Food Spoilage SMART Board 260
Details about each resource can be found on page 24.
All the resources can be found in the Cooking and food skills module on the Food – a fact of
life website. In each Key Fact area, you will find a copy of the ‘planner’ as well as the
downloadable resources.
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Key Fact 1: Around the world people use a range of different ingredients, equipment and
cooking techniques to prepare food.
Learning objectives
Activity
Resources
a) To know that
there is a vast
range of
ingredients used
around the world.
Set up a sensory tray for the children. Have the
following foods(or similar) on a tray:
 Lemongrass;
 Root ginger;
 Fresh basil;
 Lime;
 Fresh beetroot;
 Pesto.
Allow the children to touch and smell each food. If
you do not have the ingredients, use the Extended
foods Cards to act as a stimulus.



Tray and
ingredients
Extended foods
Cards 251
What are they called?
Who has tasted these before?
How are they used in cooking?
Depending on what you have available, you could
allow children to try a small sample of each food.
You need to get permission first from a parent/carer.
For ease, you could provide a range of fruit and
vegetables that the children could sample.
Permission letter
Guide 251
Hygiene and
safety checklist
Guide 252
Extend the activity by asking:
 Who can name any other unusual ingredients?
 Where does it come from?
 How is it prepared?
 How does it taste?
 How might you eat it?
Gather the responses on the board. Use the New
foods SMART Board or PowerPoint to help facilitate
discussion.
New foods SMART
Board 251
New foods
PowerPoint 251
Ask the children to keep an unusual food diary for a
few days – who can name the most? Use the Unusual
food diary Worksheet.
Unusual food
diary Worksheet
251
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b) To understand
that diets around
the world are
based on similar
food groups.
Use the World diets PowerPoint to look at the types of
foods eaten by different people around the world
that make up their diet.
World diets
PowerPoint 252
Ask the children:
 What types of foods are eaten?
 Can you identify any similarities?
 Can you place these foods into groups?
Remind the children about the eatwell plate. Using
the What goes together? SMART Board and/or the
Blank eatwell plate Worksheet, ask children to sort the
different foods from around the world into groups.
Children should be able to explain that although
there are many different types/varieties of foods,
they all come from basic food groups. For example,
most diets in the world comprise:
 Fruit and vegetables;
 Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy
foods, e.g. yam, plantain, cous cous
(sometimes these are known as staple foods,
forming the bulk of the diet);
 Milk and dairy foods;
 Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy
sources of protein.
Although there are lots of different foods, diets
around the world are based on similar food groups to
help people to stay healthy.
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© Food – a fact of life 2012
What goes
together? SMART
Board 252
Blank eatwell
plate Worksheet
252
c) To know that
food is prepared in
different ways due
to a number of
factors, including
country, culture,
custom and
religion.
Talk to the children about how food is prepared
around the world. Discuss how people from different
countries and cultures prepare, cook and eat food in
a variety of ways.
Use the World food PowerPoint, show children how
food is prepared, cooked and eaten differently in a
variety of countries.




World food
PowerPoint 253
What type of food is being prepared?
What equipment are they using?
How is the food being cooked?
How is the food eaten?
Ask children, in pairs, to create a food around the
world journal investigating different ingredients,
cooking equipment and methods.
Module link: Healthy eating 8-11 Key Fact 1
This link provides support on food and religion.
Healthy eating
Module 8-11
Demonstrate to the children how to make an exciting
curry or stir-fry. Organise the children so that they can
see you clearly. Select some children to help prepare
some of the ingredients, e.g. quarter tomatoes or
chop coriander. Use the Demonstration Guide 1 to
help set us this fun activity. Alternatively, use the StirFry and Curry in a Hurry Videos to stimulate
discussion.
Demonstration
Guide 253
Key Fact 1 plenary
Recap with children:
There is a vast range of ingredients used around the
world.
Diets around the world are based on similar food
groups.
Food is prepared in different ways due to a number
of factors, including country, culture, custom and
religion.
Further activities
Present the work about food around the world as a
classroom or school display. Set up a display of
photographs, non-perishable ingredients and
cooking equipment.
Invite speakers, parents/carers and local
organisations to talk about, and perhaps cook,
different foods from around the world.
Organise further tasting and cooking sessions to
investigate different types of food.
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Stir-Fry and Curry
in a Hurry Videos
Key Fact 2: When planning to cook we need to consider current healthy eating advice,
the needs of different people and occasions.
Learning objectives
Activity
Resources
a) To use the
eatwell plate and
consider the needs
of different people
when planning and
cooking food.
Refresh children‘s knowledge of the eatwell plate.
Review its 5 food groups. Use Make a Balanced Plate
Interactive Activity as a lesson starter activity.
Make a Balanced
Plate Interactive
Activity
Module link: Healthy eating 8-11 Key Fact 2
This link provides extensive support about the eatwell
plate.
This could be further extended by looking at how
diets can be planned to meet the principles of the
eatwell plate. Use the Alisha and Ronnie interactive
activity.
Use the Needs of different people PowerPoint to
highlight that people have different food needs.
Question the children to see if they can suggest what
these needs might be, for example:
 age – babies have different diets from adults;
 preference – likes and dislikes;
 vegetarian – some people choose not to eat
meat or fish;
 where you live – some foods only grow in a hot
climate;
 religion – some religions restrict certain foods;
 allergy – a small number of people have an
allergy to a food, e.g. peanuts.
 information – about food, e.g. Red Tractor.
Next, use Make a meal SMART Board to engage the
group in planning different meals for people, for
example, a young child, a working adult or a retired
person. This activity requires children to drag foods on
to an empty plate to create a meal. Discuss the
choices made, along with their reasoning.
To consolidate learning, ask the children to consider
and plan the food needs for a number of different
people. Use the Needs of different people Worksheet
to act as a stimulus. This work could make a great
display.
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© Food – a fact of life 2012
Healthy eating
Module 8-11 Key
Fact 2
Alisha and Ronnie
Interactive
Activity
Needs of different
people
PowerPoint 254
Make a meal
SMART Board 253
Needs of different
people Worksheet
253
b) To be able to
suggest and
demonstrate
healthier ways to
prepare and cook
foods.
Explain to children that food can be prepared and
cooked in a number of ways to promote health. Use
the Healthier cooking PowerPoint to highlight
different healthier ways to cook and serve food. For
example, these include:
 cooking method, e.g. baking or grilling instead
of frying;
 not adding salt to food, perhaps using
different ingredients for flavour, e.g. herbs,
garlic;
 adding fruit or vegetables, e.g. extra carrots in
a soup or stew;
 removing, adding or changing an ingredient,
e.g. having a low fat yogurt rather than a
luxury yogurt;
 changing the portion size, e.g. having a
smaller dessert or a mini muffin.
As a whole group, use Change a meal SMART Board
to engage the children in modifying meals to make
them healthier. This activity requires children to swap
foods on a plate. The labels for each food can be
changed, e.g. swapping ‘fried sausage’ for ‘grilled
sausage’. Discuss the choices made, along with their
reasoning.
c) To be able to
read and interpret
basic nutrition
information on food
packaging when
making choices.
Explain to children that food packaging often
displays nutrition information which can help people
make choices. Use the Food labels PowerPoint to
highlight how this information is presented and how it
can be used.
Healthier cooking
PowerPoint 255
Change a meal
SMART Board 254
Food labels
PowerPoint 256
Ask the children to collect and bring in from home
food packaging, showing nutrition information.
Create a display of food packaging to highlight
nutrition information.
Food packaging
Module link: Healthy eating 8-11 Key Facts 3 and 4
This link provides extensive support about energy and
nutrients.
Healthy eating
Module 8-11 Key
Facts 3 and 4
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d) To be able to
plan and prepare
food appropriate
for a range of
different occasions.
Investigate foods prepared for a range of different
occasions.
Ask the children:
 What celebrations or festivals can you name?
 What type of food is served?
 What special occasions have you attended?
 What food was served?
Use the Occasions PowerPoint to highlight a number
of different celebrations and festivals which include
specific food, e.g. Passover and Matzo crackers,
Christmas and turkey.
Occasions
PowerPoint 257
In small groups, organise cooking activities to raise
awareness of a range of different occasions. For
example:
 Birthday;
 Chinese New Year;
 Harvest festival.
Recipes
Key Fact 2 plenary
Recap with children
Healthy eating, the eatwell plate, along with
people’s food needs, should be considered when
planning and cooking.
There are a number of simple healthier ways to
prepare and cook foods.
Lots of food packaging has basic nutrition
information which can help us to make a healthier
choice.
There are many different festivals and events which
celebrate with special foods.
Further activities
Invite a parent or grandparent to come into school
to talk about and demonstrate some traditional
foods.
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Key Fact 3: When planning to cook, we need to select the most suitable ingredients,
equipment and food skills for successful results.
Learning objectives
Activity
Resources
a) To be able to
write and follow
recipes.
Talk to the children about a recipe. Ask them what
they understand by the term. A recipe is a set of
instructions for preparing/cooking a food dish, e.g.
how to bake a cake.
Use the Recipe PowerPoint to introduce children to
the structure and contents of a recipe.
Recipe
PowerPoint 258
A recipe should include:
 Title – what it is called;
 Ingredients – the type, name and quantity of
ingredients that are needed, in metric
measurements;
 Equipment – a list of all the equipment that is
needed;
 Method – a sequential plan, written and/or
pictorial.
Get children to write a recipe. If children need extra
support, allow them to use the My recipe Worksheet.
Ask them to write the recipe for making a breakfast
of their choice, e.g. porridge, fruit salad, toast with
topping, beans on toast. If you have time, you could
allow children to make the breakfast recipes. Do
they work?
My recipe
Worksheet 254
To ensure that children understand the structure of a
recipe, use Unmuddle the recipe SMART Board. This
sets children the challenge of sorting a sandwich
recipe into its correct order.
Unmuddle the
recipe SMART
Board 256
Discuss why children have sequenced the
photographs in a particular order.
Set up cooking activities to allow children the
opportunity to follow recipes.
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b) To be able to
weigh and
measure
accurately.
To ensure that a recipe works, it is important to weigh
and measure ingredients accurately.
Using the Measuring Worksheet as a stimulus, get
small groups to weigh and measure precise
quantities of food. Let one person measure and
another check the measurement.
As a group, use Measuring SMART Board to partner
together ingredients with the most suitable piece of
measuring equipment, e.g. water in a measuring jug,
broccoli using weighing scales.
c) To be able to
select and use the
most appropriate
ingredients and
equipment to plan
and cook a range
of dishes.
d) To be able to
modify existing
recipes.
Measuring
Worksheet 255
Weighing scales
Measuring jug,
Water, Flour,
Spoon
Measuring SMART
Board 257
Get children to help Ronnie select the most
appropriate ingredients and equipment to cook a
series of dishes.
First, use the Ronnie cooks SMART Board with the
group to help explain what is required, i.e. help
Ronnie plan to cook a number of dishes.
Ronnie cooks
SMART Board 258
In small groups, or individually, use the Ronnie cooks
Cards to set different recipe challenges. Children can
either verbally feedback their answers, or complete
the Ronnie cooks Worksheet.
Ronnie cooks
Cards 252
Ronnie cooks
Worksheet 256
Explain to the children that most recipes can be
modified to make something different and original.
Often a basic recipe is used, where ingredients can
be added to make it different, e.g. a basic scone
recipe could be have cheese and mustard added
(resulting in a savoury scone) or dried fruit and spice
(resulting in a sweet scone).
Use the Modify a recipe SMART Board to illustrate how
basic recipes can be modified. This allows children to
drag a number of different ingredients into a series of
recipes to try out a number of creative ideas.
Discuss the merits of each solution with the group.
 Are the ingredients suitable?
 How would it taste?
 Could it be made?
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Modify a recipe
SMART Board 259
To illustrate this concept further, watch the following
videos:
 Bread
 Coleslaw
 Scones
 Smoothie
 Cous Cous Salad
Videos
For each, ask children:
 How could the recipe be modified?
 What ingredients would you add?
 How would the ingredients be prepared?
Set up cooking activities with the children to allow
them to successfully modify a number of recipes. You
may wish to use the examples in the Modify a recipe
SMART Board or videos.
Recipes
Ingredients
Equipment
At first you may wish to limit the number of additional
ingredients available – this will ensure a successful
outcome. As children build confidence and
competence, they can take bigger risks and try out
new combinations of ingredients.
Use the Creative cook certificate as a reward for
good practice during cooking for your children. This
could be presented during assemblies.
Key Fact 3 plenary
Recap with children
A recipe is a set of instructions for preparing/cooking
a food dish, e.g. how to bake a cake.
To ensure that a recipe works, it is important to weigh
and measure ingredients accurately.
It is important to select and use the most appropriate
ingredients and equipment to plan and cook a
range of dishes.
Many recipes can be modified to produce exciting
and original alternatives.
Further activities
Provide a selection of prepared vegetable and ask
the children to choose 6 or 7 to make their sown
soup, stir-fry or salad. Discuss how you can make so
may different recipes from the same basic
ingredients. Ask pairs of children to write a recipe and
swap, so that they follow each other’s instructions.
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Creative cook
certificate Card
253
Key Fact 4: There is a range of additional food skills which enable us to cook.
Learning objectives
Activity
Resources
a) To be able to
demonstrate an
extended range of
food skills and
techniques.
This learning objective should be taught through
practical food preparation and cooking experiences.
Recap with the children the basic food skills they
have already learned. These should include:
 The bridge hold;
 The claw grip;
 Grating;
 Peeling.
Show the videos of these skills in action. Ask the
children:
 Who has used these skills?
 What did you make?
Videos
If time allows, demonstrate these skills to the class –
this will not only create excitement, but will enable
children to understand what is required at first hand.
Involve the children by allowing several volunteers to
help. Ensure that good personal hygiene and safe
techniques are followed at all times. Go through
each skill carefully to ensure that all children
understand the safety aspects.
Demonstration
Guide 253
Ingredients, e.g.
tomato, carrot
and apple.
Chopping board,
knife, grater.
You may wish to consolidate this previous learning by
viewing additional recipe videos and/or setting up
basic cooking activities.
For example you could show and/or make:
 Fruit Salad – using key skills to prepare a
delicious and colourful salad;
 Simple Sandwiches – practicing slicing and
spreading skills;
 Coleslaw – using slicing, grating and
combining skills;
 Fruit Smoothie – using a blender, with
supervision.
Additional ideas are also available as recipe cards,
including:
 Veggie Snacks – a hummus/yogurt mix in
cucumber and pepper shells;
 Layered Salad – a colourful layered salad.
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Cooking Guide
254
Videos
Recipes
Recipes
a) To be able to
demonstrate an
extended range of
food skills and
techniques.
(continued)
To further extend their range of skills and cooking
techniques, introduce children to the following
recipes. Each recipe is supported by a video,
PowerPoint and instruction card.
This set of recipes builds on their basic skills, but also
involves the use of heat in preparation and cooking:
 Cous Cous Salad – slicing and chopping, using
a kettle to cook the cous cous, combining;
 Vegetable Kebabs – slicing foods and
threading vegetables safely;
 Chunky Soup – different vegetable
preparation, using a hob.
Recipes
Although your school may not have the facilities,
children could also be introduced, either through a
demonstration or video, to:
 Stir-Fry Prawns – root ginger preparation,
orange segmentation and stir-frying;
 Curry in a Hurry – Quick Lamb Rogan Josh and
Mushroom and Chickpea curries.
Demonstration
Guide 253
These skills can be further enhanced by the teaching
and learning of the following recipes to introduce
new experiences and skills:
 Bread – accurate weighing and measuring,
kneading, proving, shaping and baking;
 Fruit Scones – sieving, rubbing-in, combining,
rolling out, cutting, baking;
 Gingerbread People – melting, combining,
rolling out, cutting, baking, decorating.
These could be extended through:
 Delicious Dough:
 Pizza – rolling out, choosing traditional
toppings, arranging;
 Chelsea Buns – rolling out, sprinkling, rolling
up, slicing, baking;
 Cheese Straws – sieving, rubbing-in, grating,
combining, cutting, baking;
 Blueberry Muffins – measuring, combining,
sharing equally.
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Videos
Recipes
Videos
Recipes
Videos
Recipes
a) To be able to
demonstrate an
extended range of
food skills and
techniques.
(continued)
Additional ideas are also available as recipe cards
and PowerPoint, including:
 Samosas – baked vegetable spicy samosas;
 Haulomi kebabs – grilled cheese and
vegetable kebabs;
 Tomato, bean and pasta soup – a tasty Italian
inspired vegetable soup.
All recipes stated above include suggested
modifications, e.g. to promote fruit and vegetables or
reduce fat or salt. Not all recipes need to be used –
be selective and choose those best suited to the
needs/abilities of the children you teach and the
facilities you have in your school.
Key Fact 4 plenary
Recap with children:
There are a number of basic food skills which enable
you to prepare a variety of simple dishes.
There are lots of other food skills and techniques
which enable you to extend the dishes you can
already cook.
Further activities
Create a class or school recipe book featuring all the
dishes that are cooked. Use a digital camera to
record the results, along with action sequences of
cooking.
Cook a variety of dishes on a theme, e.g. 5 A DAY,
World War 2, countries around the world.
If your school has a gardening/growing area, see if
you can use the vegetables or fruit in your cooking
sessions. Raised beds, pots and hanging baskets are
perfect for smaller schools or those with limited
gardening space.
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Recipes
Cooking Guide
254
Key Fact 5: Buying, storing, preparing and cooking food safely and hygienically are vital
for health.
Learning objectives
Activity
Resources
a) To know that
food can spoil and
decay due to the
action of microbes,
insects and other
pests.
Question the children:
 Has anyone seen mouldy food before?
 What was it?
 What did it look like?
Explain to children that food can spoil and decay
due to the action of micro-organisms (microbes),
insects and other pests. Sometimes, it may be
because of changes within the food itself. When food
spoils, its appearance, taste, texture and odour
change. It may become unsafe to eat.
Some food is perishable, like meat, fish and milk.
Some food lasts longer, like flour, beans and canned
fruit.
Use the Food spoilage PowerPoint to introduce this
concept to children. This will introduce children to the
fact that:
 food deteriorates over time;
 micro-organisms can be carried by food,
people, dirty equipment, animals and pests;
 micro-organisms needs certain conditions to
grow – this is why food needs to be properly
stored;
 food poisoning is caused by some of these
micro-organisms (food poisoning bacteria);
 the risk of poisoning can be minimised through
simple food safety and hygiene procedures;
 there are beneficial uses of some microorganisms, e.g. in bread and yogurt making.
Food spoilage
PowerPoint 259
Using the Food spoilage SMART Board activity, ask the
children what happens to the different types of food
when it spoils. Discuss what could be done to prevent
spoilage.
Food spoilage
SMART Board 260
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© Food – a fact of life 2012
b) To understand
and use date marks
and food storage
instructions on food
packaging.
Explain to children that food packaging displays
information which can help people know when to
eat the food and how to store it properly.
The two main features are:
 Date marks
 ‘use by’ – these are used on perishable
foods such as milk, cheese or ham and show
the day/month – after this date the food is not
safe to eat;
 ‘best before’ – these are used on foods such
as canned beans, dried fruit, breakfast cereals
and frozen peas – after this date the food will
probably be safe to eat, although may not
taste as good;
 Storage instructions – how to store the food
correctly to keep it in good condition, e.g.
keep refrigerated, frozen, or in a cool dry
place.
Unpackaged foods, such as fresh fruit and
vegetables, do not have date-marks or storage
instructions. Talk to the children about how they
would store these items and know when they are
safe to eat, e.g. strawberries in a fridge, potatoes in a
cool, dry and dark place.
To understand that
food can be
purchased from a
variety of sources;
food labels provide
information to the
consumer
Use the Food labels PowerPoint to highlight how
information is presented and how it can be used.
Food labels
PowerPoint 260
Use Storing food SMART Board with the children to
drag foods to the correct storage areas in a kitchen.
Discuss reasons for this.
Storing food
SMART Board 261
Use the Food Shopping PowerPoint to highlight where
food can be purchased. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of each. Explain about the Red
Tractor food assurance scheme and how it helps
consumers make choices. Use the What does a label
tell you? Interactive Whiteboard Activity to support.
Food Shopping
PowerPoint 263
Food labels
Worksheet 258
What does a label
tell you?
Interactive
Whiteboard
Activity 262
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© Food – a fact of life 2012
c) To demonstrate
good personal
hygiene when
cooking.
Pose a series of questions to the children about good
personal hygiene when cooking:
 What should you do when you get ready to
cook?
 What is good personal hygiene?
 Why is it important to wash hands?
The Personal hygiene PowerPoint can be used with
the children to recap this area of learning.
Personal hygiene
PowerPoint 261
You could use the Let’s get ready to cook Poster as a
stimulus for discussion.
Let’s get ready to
cook Poster 251
Use the Alisha gets ready to cook Cards with the
children to promote and embed good personal
hygiene habits when cooking.
Alisha gets ready
to cook Cards 254
Ask the children to create their own ‘Get ready to
cook checklist’ (you could use the Get ready to cook
checklist Worksheet as a writing frame). This should
indicate all the personal hygiene checks they will
take when cooking. Ensure that children use this
checklist when they undertake food preparation and
cooking activities at school.
Get ready to
cook checklist
Worksheet 256
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© Food – a fact of life 2012
d) To demonstrate
good food safety
and hygiene when
cooking.
When cooking, it is important to ensure that good
food safety and hygiene is being followed to avoid
any accidents and minimise any risk of food
poisoning.
Use the Food safety PowerPoint to explain to children
about how good food safety and hygiene is
undertaken when cooking. This includes:
 getting ready to cook (recap);
 storing foods (recap);
 avoiding cross-contamination;
 heating and reheating safely;
 waste, e.g. peelings;
 cleaning and washing-up.
Food safety
PowerPoint 262
In small groups, or individually, use the Alisha cooks
Cards to pose food safety and hygiene questions.
Children can either verbally feedback their answers,
or complete the Alisha cooks Worksheet.
Alisha cooks
Cards 255
Key Fact 5 plenary
Recap with children
Food can spoil and decay due to the action of
microbes, insects and other pests.
Food needs to be stored properly and within its date
mark.
Good personal hygiene is vital when cooking to
avoid the risk of food poisoning.
Good food safety and hygiene is vital when cooking
to avoid accidents and risk of food poisoning.
Further activities
Make a display of food packaging labels ranking
them in order of how long they can be stored safely.
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© Food – a fact of life 2012
Alisha cooks
Worksheet 257
Curriculum links
This chart shows the main curriculum links to different subjects throughout the UK. There are
also lots of other opportunities in school for cross-curricular links, including geography, history,
art and design, health education, numeracy and literacy. Food – a fact of life also supports
the appropriate use of ICT.
Key
Fact
1
Key
Fact
2
England
Wales
Scotland
Design and Technology
1a, 5a
Design and Technology
1.1
Health and Wellbeing
Food and health: Food
and the consumer
PSHE
2i, 4b, 4f
PSE
Attitudes and values
Science
Life processes and
living things 2b
Science
Life processes and
living things
1.1, 2.2, 2.3
Design and Technology
1b, 1c, 3a
PSHE
1b, 2i, 3a, 4b, 4f, 5d
Key
Fact
3
Science
Materials and their
properties 2a, 2b, 2c,
2d
Design and Technology
2a, 2c, 2d, 2f, 3a, 4a,
4b, 5a, 5b
Key
Fact
4
Key
Fact
5
PSHE
5d
Science
Materials and their
properties 2a, 2b, 2c,
2d, 3a
Design and Technology
2c, 2d, 2f, 4a, 4b, 5a,
5b, 5c
Science
Life processes and
living things 5f
Design and Technology
1.1, 2.1, 2.3
PSE
Attitudes and values,
Social aspect,
community aspect,
physical health
Science
Materials and their
properties 1.1, 1.5, 2.1,
2.2, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7
Technologies: Food
and textile contexts
Health and Wellbeing
Food and health:
Nutrition
Technologies: Food
and textile contexts
Northern Ireland
The World Around Us
The World Around Us
Personal development
and mutual
understanding
Science:
Biological systems
Technologies: Food
and textile contexts
Mathematics and
numeracy
Science:
Materials
Design and Technology
2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2
Science
Materials and their
properties 1.1, 1.5, 2.1,
2.2, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7
Technologies: Food
and textile contexts
Personal development
and mutual
understanding
Health and Wellbeing
Food and health: Safe
and hygienic practices
The World Around Us
Design and Technology
3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 3.6
Science
Life processes and
living things
1.2, 3.3
Design and Technology
2f
Technologies: Food
and textile contexts
PSHE
3b
Science
Materials
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© Food – a fact of life 2012
Resource Type Key
Cooking and Food Skills Resources
The chart below summarises all the downloadable resources to support
the teaching of the Key Facts for children aged 8-11 years. Suggestions
for use are also provided.
Key
Fact
1
Type No. Title
Description
C
251 Extended Food
G
251 Permission Letter
G
G
252 Health and
safety checklist
253 Demonstration
A4 full colour annotated cards showing different
types of foods, useful for displays and discussion.
A sample letter that could be used to gain
permission for children to cook at school.
A basic checklist for food activities in the classroom.
SB
251 New Foods
SB
PP
252 What goes
together?
251 New Foods
PP
252 World Diets
PP
253 World Food
WS
PP
251 Unusual food
diary
252 Blank eatwell
plate
254 Needs of
different people
255 Healthier
cooking
256 Food labels
PP
257 Occasions
SB
253 Make a meal
SB
254 Change a meal
WS
253 Needs of
different people
WS
2
C – Cards
G - Guide
P - Poster
PP - PowerPoint
SB – SMART Board
WS - Worksheet
PP
PP
An easy to follow guide providing top tips of
demonstrating food skills and recipes in the primary
school classroom.
Children need to guess the name of the food on
the screen.
Sorting different food groups into balanced meals.
Children need to guess the name of the food on
the screen.
The presentation looks at different types of foods by
people around the world.
The presentation looks at different types of food
from around the world.
A blank diary page for recording foods eaten.
A blank version of The eatwell plate model.
A presentation that shows that people have
different food needs.
A presentation highlighting healthier cooking
methods.
A presentation focusing on how nutrition
information is displayed on food labels.
A presentation to highlight a number of different
celebrations and festivals which include specific
food.
A simple activity when children must plan a meal
for a person of their choice.
This activity requires children to swap foods on a
plate to make it healthier, e.g. grilled foods rather
than fried.
This sheet requires children to plan meals for a day
for a person of their choice.
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© Food – a fact of life 2012
3
4
5
PP
258 Recipe
WS
254 My recipe
WS
255 Measuring
WS
256 Ronnie cooks
SB
SB
256 Unmuddle the
recipe
257 Measuring
SB
258 Ronnie cooks
SB
259 Modify a recipe
C
C
G
252 Ronnie cooks
253 Creative cook
certificate
253 Demonstration
G
254
PP
259
PP
260
PP
263
WS
258
PP
261
PP
262
SB
260
SB
261
SB
262
P
251
A presentation that explains how a recipe is put
together and the information it needs to contain.
A writing frame sheet for children to create their
own recipe.
A stimulus sheet to encourage children to measure
accurately.
A worksheet for recording children’s responses to
the challenges set in Ronnie Cooks Cards (252).
This activity sets children the challenge of sorting
out a recipe into its correct order.
This activity asks children to correctly identify
different measurements of a jug and weighing
scales.
Ronnie needs support while cooking. This activity
sets children the challenge of helping Ronnie cook
a number of different dishes.
This activity allows children the opportunity to
modify a number of recipes to try out their creative
ideas.
A set of cards which set a food challenge.
An A4 colour certificate for children.
An easy to follow guide providing top tips of
demonstrating food skills and recipes in the primary
school classroom.
Cooking
A guide highlighting the different issues that need
to be considered when cooking in the primary
school classroom.
Food spoilage
A presentation which introduces children to the
causes of food spoilage.
Food labels
A presentation highlighting how date-marks and
storage instructions are provided on food labels.
Food Shopping
A presentation highlighting different shops;
information labels and the Red Tractor food
assurance scheme.
Food labels
A series of questions about information labels; Red
Tractor, Fairtrade, Marine Stewardship Council
Personal hygiene A presentation that covers the importance of
hygiene when handling food and cooking.
Food safety
A presentation explaining good food safety and
hygiene when cooking.
Food spoilage
Children watch a video and describe what
happens when food spoils, suggesting how they
could prevent spoilage from occurring.
Storing food
An activity that sets children the challenge of
putting shopping away properly.
What does your
An activity to look at different aspects of a food
label tell you?
label.
Let’s get ready
A fun poster promoting cooking safely and
to cook
hygienically.
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© Food – a fact of life 2012
C
C
WS
WS
254 Alisha gets ready
to cook
255 Alisha cooks
256 Get ready to
cook checklist
257 Alisha cooks
A series of questions for children about getting
ready to cook.
A series of questions on food safety and hygiene.
A worksheet to encourage children to create their
own checklist in order to get ready to cook.
A recording sheet for use with the Alisha Cooks
cards (255).
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© Food – a fact of life 2012
Videos
The Cooking and food skills module features 22 exciting videos which show food skills
being demonstrated and recipes being made. These are supported by easy-to-follow
recipes. All resources can be downloaded and used in the classroom with your pupils.
The videos are also suitable for children with special needs or lower ability pupils in
secondary schools.
The videos are divided into 4 groups:
Peel, chop and grate





The Bridge Hold
The Claw Grip
Grating
Peeling
Onion Preparation
See how to prepare fruit
and vegetables safely.






Coleslaw
See how to make some
Cous Cous Salad
recipes that do not
Fruit Salad
need any cooking.
Fruit Smoothie
Hummus
Simple Sandwiches (BLT and Salmon
and Cucumber Bagel)
Pockets and Wraps (Chicken Pitta
Pocket and Hummus Wrap)
Cool creations

Hot and happening




Chunky Soup
Stir-Fry Prawns
Vegetable Kebabs
Curry in a Hurry (QuickLamb Rogan
Josh and Mushroom and Chickpea
Curry)
See how to cook
delicious hot meals.


Bread
Delicious Dough (Pizza and Chelsea
Buns)
Fruit Scones
Cheese Straws
Gingerbread People
Blueberry Muffins
See how to bake a
range of recipes.
Brilliant baking




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© Food – a fact of life 2012
Recipes
The Cooking and food skills videos are supported by written recipes. The recipes
available are listed below. There are also additional recipes which have been added
because they include similar themes or techniques. These can be downloaded from the
website www.foodafactoflife.org.uk
The recipes are divided into 4 groups:
Cool creations












Coleslaw
Cous Cous Salad
Fruit Salad
Fruit kebab
Fruit Smoothie
Hummus
BLT Sandwich
Salmon and Cucumber Bagel
Chicken Pitta Pockets
Hummus Wrap
Veggie Snacks
Layered Salad
Non-cook
recipes for the
primary school
classroom.

Recipes that
involve the use
of the grill or
hob.



Chunky Soup
Stir-fry Prawns with Orange and Ginger
Vegetable Kebabs
Quick Lamb Rogan Josh
Mushroom and Chickpea Curry
Samosa
Haulomi Kebabs
Tomato, Bean and Pasta Soup










Bread
Pizza
Chelsea Buns
Fruit Scones
Cheese Straws
Gingerbread People
Blueberry Muffins
Biscuits
Pizza Wheels
Quick Cheese Pizza
Baking recipe
for the primary
classroom.
Hot and happening




Brilliant baking
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© Food – a fact of life 2012
Sources of further information
British Nutrition Foundation
www.nutrition.org.uk
DairyCo
www.dairyco.org.uk
HGCA
www.hgca.com
Horticultural Development Company
www.hdc.org.uk
Meat and Education
www.meatandeducation.com
Potato Council
www.potatoesforschools.org.uk
Other useful links
Active Kids Get Cooking
www.activekidsgetcooking.org.uk
Association for Science Education
www.ase.org.uk
Dairy Council
www.milk.co.uk
Design and Technology Association
www.data.org.uk
Farming and Countryside Education
www.face-online.org.uk
Farms for Schools
www.farmsforschools.org.uk
Food in Schools
www.foodinschools.org
Food Standards Agency
www.food.gov.uk
Foodforum
www.foodforum.org.uk
Grain Chain
www.grainchain.com
Growing Schools
www.teachernet.gov.uk/growingschools
Join the Activaters
www.jointheactivaters.org.uk
Red Tractor Assured Food Standards
www.redtractor.org.uk
School Milk
www.schoolmilk.co.uk
Seafish
www.seafish.org.uk
The Growing Schools Garden
www.schoolsgarden.org.uk
The Foundation is grateful for financial support from the
All Saints Educational Trust.
© British Nutrition Foundation 2008 (Original edition.)
British Nutrition Foundation
High Holborn House
52-54 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6RQ
Tel: 020 7404 6504
Email: postbox@nutrition.org.uk
Web: www.nutrition.org.uk
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© Food – a fact of life 2012