Young Chefs Club
FOOD: Meal Planning and Cooking
Description:
The Young Chefs Club is a series of primarily mathematics-based lesson plans that will simulate a cookbook. In Part One, students will learn about kitchen tools and measuring basics, how to stock a pantry, and the steps involved in meal planning and budgeting. In Part Two, they will learn how to cook recipes and prepare common dishes. The concepts guiding the recipes involve shopping from a “grocery store” and purchasing the required ingredients for a family. This format will vary. For instance, students may have a set dollar amount to purchase ingredients for a recipe and need to calculate portions for a family of six versus a family of four. Students may have the choice between a lean cut of meat and a fatty cut but opt to purchase less of the leaner option at the same price. Based on the recipe, students might “shop” at an Asian Grocery Store, a Farmer’s Market, a Supermarket Chain, or a Hispanic Market. Once the items are purchased, then the meal can be “prepared”. Depending on the recipe, different mathematics concepts such as fractions will be further explored. Students may need to measure ¾ cup of flour, but only have ¼ cup and 1 cup measuring cups available.
Furthermore, there are Social Studies and Science connections, so teachers can teach some of these lessons during another Science/Social Studies unit. Examples of science concepts include boiling and freezing water, baking bread with yeast, and food handling safety. For the culturally diverse recipes, both non-fiction and fiction literature can be introduced to explain corresponding food traditions.
Additionally, for many of these assignments, educational type homework will be designed with the goal of transmitting information to the parents of the school community.
Learning Targets:
- Students will be able to describe the basic equipment used in the kitchen.
- Students will understand mathematics concepts used in the kitchen such as measuring tools, fractions, and metric conversions.
- Students will be able to describe how to stock a healthy pantry and refrigerator.
- Students will be introduced to the Choose My Plate format of healthy eating.
- Students will begin to learn how to meal plan using grids and charts.
- Students will learn how to shop for a family on a budget while still choosing healthy foods.
- Students will see how science is applied in the kitchen.
- Students will explore different food traditions via children’s literature.
- Students will be introduced to healthy, culturally diverse, affordable recipes that they can cook at home with their parents.
Cookbook
Essential Questions
Nuts and Bolts
- kitchen tools and measuring basics
- There are so many things at the kitchen store. How do I know which ones to buy?
- What is the difference between a pound and a kilogram? A gallon and a liter?
- How do I know which measuring cups and spoons to use in my cookie recipe?
The Colors of My Kitchen
- stocking a pantry and refrigerator
- What belongs in my pantry and fridge?
- How long can the rice and beans last in my pantry and still be safe to eat?
- Why does my doctor tell me to eat a rainbow of foods?
What’s on My Plate
- introducing Choose My Plate
- What do the different sections mean on the Plate?
- How do I know which foods belong to the different food groups? Which foods are proteins or grains?
Grocery Lists
- meal planning
- How do we know what to cook for dinner every night of the week?
- Mom says we have to eat fast food on basketball practice nights since we don’t have time to cook a healthy meal. Now what do we do?
- My grandmother says she used to make a chicken last three nights but we have never cooked a whole chicken. Where do we start?
To Market
- shopping for a family on a budget
- There are so many different sizes and prices. How do we know which bag of rice is the best bargain?
- How do I shop for my family of 6 when the recipes all say they make 4 servings?
- My dad doesn’t like us to buy fresh fruits and vegetables because “they always go bad”. Any ideas?
- I see different numbers on the packages of ground beef. Should I buy the cheaper 80% or buy the pricier 90%?
Cock a doodle doo
- breakfasts
- Why is breakfast the most important meal of the day?
- Are pancakes healthy?
- We don’t have much time in the morning before we leave for school. Any quick and healthy breakfast ideas?
Bite-sized bits
- snacks and appetizers
- What are some healthy afterschool snacks that I can make on my own?
- Do kids really eat Ants on a Log?
Potions, potions
- smoothies, dips, and other concoctions
- Is it hard to make my own smoothie?
- Is hummus really made from a garbanzo bean?
- Does salsa really grow from a salsa tree?
My lunchbox
- healthy lunch ideas
- I am tired of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in my lunchbox every day. What else can I eat?
- Is the strawberry milk at school good for my bones?
Eating a Garden
- salads and vegetable dishes
- Are frozen vegetables healthy?
- What is a Harvest Calendar? Does it matter to me and my family? Does it matter to our Earth?
- We forgot to eat our veggies this week? Why are the tomatoes and peppers mushy, but carrots and butternut squash still okay to eat?
- During our Healthy Food Day at school, each grade dressed in a different color. How many fruits and vegetables can you name in each color of the rainbow?
What’s for dinner?
- kid friendly recipes among various ethnic groups
- To cook rice or pasta the recipe asks for boiling water. Why does water boil?
- Why do we need yeast in the pizza recipe? How does it make the dough rise?
- What is poaching, blanching, baking, sautéing, steaming, broiling, frying and grilling?
- My friend loves to eat curry. Her parents are from India. What other spices and herbs are used in ethnic cuisine?
- What is a Slow Cooker? Can we really leave it on all day while we’re at work and school?
Sweet teeth
- desserts
- How do I know which measuring cups and spoons to use in my cookie recipe?
- The recipes says to preheat the oven. Can you explain what that means?
- Is it safe to eat the uncooked cookie batter?