YEAR 9 OPTIONS
This is an optional subject which all students will study for 3 hours per week.
Demonstrate effective and safe cooking skills by planning, preparing and cooking using a variety of food commodities, cooking techniques and equipment. Develop knowledge and understanding of the functional properties and chemical processes as well as the nutritional content of food and drinks.
Understand the relationship between diet, nutrition and health, including the physiological and psychological effects of poor diet and health. Understand the economic, environmental, ethical, and socio-cultural influences on food availability, production processes, and diet and health choices.
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of functional and nutritional properties, sensory qualities and microbiological food safety considerations when preparing, processing, storing, cooking and serving food. Understand and explore a range of ingredients and processes from different culinary traditions (traditional British and international), to inspire new ideas or modify existing recipes.
Food preparation skills are integrated into five core topics:
- Food, nutrition and health
- Food science
- Food safety
- Food choice
- Food provenance.
Paper 1: Food preparation and nutrition
Theoretical knowledge of food preparation and nutrition
Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes, 100 marks, 50% of GCSE
Questions consist of –
- Multiple choice questions (20 marks)
- Five questions each with a number of sub questions (80 marks)
Task 1: Food investigation
Your understanding of the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients.
Task 1: Written report (1,500-2,000 words) including photographic evidence of the practical investigation.
Task 2: Food preparation assessment
You will prepare, cook and present a final menu of three dishes within a single period of no more than 3 hours, planning in advance how this will be achieved.
Task 2: Written or electronic portfolio including photographic evidence. Photographic evidence of the three final dishes must be included.
The range of food and ingredients studied should reflect the recommended guidelines for a healthy diet based on the main food commodity groups. Food groups include:
- bread, cereals, flour, oats, rice, potatoes and pasta
- fruit and vegetables (fresh, frozen, dried, canned and juiced)
- milk, cheese and yoghurt
- meat, fish, eggs, soya, tofu, beans, nuts and seeds
- butter, oil, margarine, sugar and syrup.
Food Preparation and Nutrition is an exciting and creative course which focuses on practical cooking skills to ensure you develop a thorough understanding of nutrition, food provenance and the working characteristics of food materials. At its heart, this qualification focuses on practical cookery skills to give you a strong understanding of nutrition.