do you think cooking should be part of the national curriculum in middle and upper schools?

Question

when i was at school we used to have a double cookery lesson and it was one of the best subjects it covered, maths,by measuring ingredients,it covered english by writing out the ingredients and how we made it and the added bonus was you could cook when you left school.i know at some schools you can do it as an option, but i think it is an important life skill, and it could help promote healthy living.

Answer 1

I also had Food Technology lessons from the ages of 11 to 14, but the lessons were never long enough and so we were taght to make things like Angel Delight. I think the lessons should carry on, there are a lot of people who have no idea how to cook properly and don't have an appreciation of good, healthy food. Schools should encourage that.

Answer 2

Totally agree with you. In the past (when I was young, a long time ago) all secondary school GIRLS were taught what was known as "Domestic Science" which included cookery, washing and ironing, knitting and sewing. During these sessions the boys did woodwork/metalwork. I would like to see these subjects brought back into the curriculum but for young people of both sexes. Being a boy, I never learned how to cook, sew, etc so when, aged 18, I found myself in the Royal Air Force, I couldn't polish my shoes, press my trousers or mend my socks. And when I eventually bought my own flat I had no real idea how to cook proper meals. However, I sooned learned and nowadays share the meal preparation with my wife,

Answer 3

I too did cookery at school, in fact Home Economics was one of my chosen subjects and I passed with flying colours. This has helped me in later life with all sorts of stuff as it covered everything from budgeting to stain removal to child care and being a good hostess. It has been invaluable to me and should be put back on the curriculum. Too many kids leave school today without the basic cooking skills needed especially if they go to uni.

Answer 4

Yes, cooking is an important skill to learn. I think that students should be introduced to it in middle school, but I think that it should be optional whether or not a student wants to take further cooking classes in high school. I did choose to take it in high school, but I feel like it was useless. We learned how to make simple things that I already knew how to make, like rice krispie treats and chocolate cake. Some schools probably have a good cooking curriculum, but mine was pointless.



Also, I think it ultimately is the job of the parents to teach life skills such as cooking, just like it's the parents job to teach their kids how to do their own laundry, run the dishwasher, etc. Schools already have a huge curriculum that they are forced to teach every year. There's not much time to squeeze more cooking in there.

Answer 5

Yes. I was talking to my mum about it the other day, because her generation used to make bread in school and learn how to cook proper meals. We had some cookery lessons but all i can remember making are scones, cheesecake and apple crumble. I think they should bing back learning to cook the basics and then maybe people will home cook a bit more and not get so fat by eating ready meals and frozen pizzas.

Answer 6

Most definately, cooking is a basic necessity in life.Plus it's much healthier to cook for yourself then eating out all the time, it won't cost you an arm and a leg. Also, if someone starts learning how to cook in an early age, they just might find a great career for them in the future. I took a cooking class in 11th and 12th grade, and it was the best thing I've ever done.

Answer 7

it should be optional. what if a kid hates writing recipes and cooking? It's not fair that they should have to take cooking when they could take a poetry class and write about what they wanna write about. Get what I'm saying? And measuring ingredients is easy... a little kid could do it. That's not exactly a math SKILL for teenagers. That's something anyone with a brain can do.

Answer 8

My first three years included cookery or "Food Technology" as it was called. That was ages 11-14. I learnt to cook properly at university.

Answer 9

Yes, i took House-keeping at school. There i was taught how to bake, make scones etc, hygiene and the basics of cooking. As well as how to lay a table knives and forks etc. One week we had house-keeping and the other week we had Sewing classes, not one of my best subjects but at least i was taught how to sew straight . I know that most kids here will gain from it .:)

Answer 10

well at my school we do it in year 7 or 8 and then we start electives in year 9 but it was the best class we made some great stuff and your right it does cover heaps of things and you do really need it for when your older i think it should be i wish i had it now but i had to choose it if i wanted it and yeah but yeah i loved it it should definitely we apart of high school or something =D

Answer 11

Cooking should be taught in all schools. Buying ingredients and cooking your own food is fun and less expensive than buying ready meals or take-aways.

Answer 12

Definately - theres too many young men and women today who cant even boil an egg - my boyfriend was pampered by his mother who waited on his every whim and now he expects me to be the same... moms are to blame much of the time too - they should teach their kids how to cook too.

Answer 13

i dont think it should be included. lets not force kids to hate cooking like they hate math and english too.

Answer 14

it was called home ec in my school and also included things like sewing but erm yeah. i loved it, it was such an easy class

Answer 15

same heere i think its important unfortunately not all scholls do it ( my school dont do it and when we ask they dont listen to us - i think thats the problem )