Message Boards

To try and quickly clarify the work covered in food related subjects, basically schools follow one of two paths.
1. Food Technology - this covers projects mainly surrounding the practices of industry, similar to the pasta project in the previous message. The amount of practical work is basically down to the individual teacher concerned.
2. Food and Nutrition - this covers all aspects of cooking methods, ingredients, nutrition etc. The emphasis is on practical work, at least 1 lesson per week, more at GCSE level.
These are general rules and the amount of practical work is again down to the teacher concerned on how they will cover the syllabus required.

All of my three girls studied Food Tech to GSCE, one to A level. I have to disagree with what kazwilkie says about what they teach. All my kids cooked regularly (one, preparing home made pasta each work for a project) interspersed with lessons on the science of food/digestion/nutrition, as well as the topics mentioned by kazwilkie.

My eldest daughter will be studing Food Science & Nutrition at Reading University next year, one of the reasons - the excellent teaching of the subject at her previous school.

So I dont think it is fair to generalise. Not all Food Tech teaching in schools is bad.

I disagree with almost all you have said about Food Tech in schools today kazwilkie, sound it me like the person you were talking to isn't happy in there job and is speaking out of turn. The National Curriculum is plainly laid down and the way you have put it is totally distorted. If you are that frustrated then check out with your LEA that the school is following the guidlines and if its not then go see the head.

I work in a school and had a very interesting conversation with the Home Economics teacher (Food tech ?? whatever that is) and apparently they teach about factories and how food is made in these places and stuff like that rather than teaching children how to cook food themselves - they are learning about how processed meals come about!!!! There are hardly any colleges left to teach the Home Ec teachers. Why do schools/governments/local councils think we want to kill our children with this rubbish! V V frustrated mum

I think that's idea is great. My eldest hs just started school, she is a fantastic eater and prefers proper food to chicken nuggets. I've had a menu so I can check what's available on a day by day basis. On the days I don't think there's anything suitable I'll send her in with a packed lunch.
Why did it take Jamie Oliver to turn it around the government should have looked into this a long time ago.
I too think we need to bring back home economics / cooking in schools. We need to make food fun to kids.

It would be a good idea if parents were to go to school and try one of the school dinners, then you will know exactly what they get, is on offer and how the system works.

You might get a surprise.

I'll never complain about my daughter again...lol......she stopped having school dinners because as a vegetarian she was limited to a cheese sandwhich or pizza and chips and didn't want to eat this every day. She started taking a packed lunch without cake, crisps, biscuits just sandwhich and fruit and in winter a small flask of homemade soup.

I think it's great news that junk food will be banned in schools. I believe that the behaviour/lack of attention of many children today is because of their poor diets. I also think that the way advertising is aimed at kids should be looked at. If anybody is interested and you have a child under the age of 16 you can join the parent's jury which is part of the food commision
the link is
[link] and you will find the link for the parents jury on the home page. It makes interesting reading and I was a member until my daughter turned 16 earlier this year.

I agree Kazwilkie. I do think that teaching children to cook at school is a good idea though as these days many parents have lost the art . How are those who buy ready meals because they don't know how to cook supposed to teach their kids to cook?
As for junk food being banned from schools - I'm really pleased as both my girls took packed lunches for the secondary school years because after queuing for luch for ages all that was left was the unhealthy food as things like baked potatoes and pasta had sold out.
Luckily I do know how to cook and made sure they got healthy food at home!

BTW - Hello everyone!!!

Children's food habits start AT HOME nowhere else!! but in our convenient blame everyone else society it just becomes something else for people to say its not down to them! When will anyone take responsibility for their actions? My daughter is 16 months old and eats every veggie known to man and others - me and my husband both work but we cook a main mail in the evening most evenings - and the takeaway is a treat perhaps once a fortnight. Ok rant over have a nice day

I really dont think it matters what income a family has, as to wether they eat healthily or not. I think the case in a lot of families is lack of time when two parents are working. Its too easy to get the oven chips/fish fingers/chicken nuggets out of the freezer. Just needs a bit of pre planning to be able to give your kids healthy food at home.

I think it is down to the parents. Local chippy is fine once in a while but not every day.

Yes, I do agree also it is down to the parents to teach their children good food education, and I know a lot of parents try to....and succeed where others fail, just dont want to cause any offence by suggesting that its the parents fault in the first place as all families have different incomes and can only do so much with the little money they have....I will stay quiet now otherwise this can lead into another debate

So its ok for kids to starve just because they don't like whats on offer at school?

Nice attitude! thank God for the local chippy down the road then.

In my opinion kids are introduced to junk food before they ever attend school so is it not down to us parents that this problem has risen in the first place.

Like I said its a good idea for the ban as the kids either eat whats on offer or go hungry, if they have a packed lunch then the parents could have some influence over what goes into it.

I know that kids are also influenced by what they see on tv and their friends and they can still also buy junk outside of school, this is a good step in the right direction and gives the schools some breathing space to teach good food education and offer it in the meals they supply, I know some schools still dont have proper cooking facilities so it may be more difficult for them.

It also gives parents a chance to educate the younger childeren on good healthy food as they are growing up whereas teenagers are not so easily influenced by these changes and make choices for themselves, there are winners and losers all around but it is a step in the right direction and a good one.

my eldest is allowed out from school now for lunch, sometimes he comes home to eat or he buys a couple of filled baguettes from one of the local sandwich shops (and at the moment he could eat for england , he is 5' 10" and weighs 8.5 stone) on the other hand my youngest i still have a battle with when it comes to food for school, he refuses to eat school dinners (which i'm pleased about, until they get healthier) and he just takes a sandwich, choccie bicces, crisps, drink and a piece of fruit, but saying that he only eats the crisps, choccie bar and has the drink

i do think secondry schools need to get rid of vending machines, unless they are selling healthy food and drink stuff, my kids know i frown upon fizzy drinks and fatty foods, they also know that they are treats rather than an everyday things

Mingin was a word he used but I did not know how it was spelt!

I agree Light.....my daughter always chose the unhealthy option before they were removed from the menu.....it was pot luck that she likes chicken dinners and it was available that day.....otherwise,in her words ' they're mingin'! LOL

Come on people who are we trying to kid??

I am 45 years old and trust me if I was presented with a choice at school between burger and chips or a full roast dinner with veg the burger would win each time! And dont say if you was still at school you would not do the same, granted if we knew then what we know now then, yes you would pick the healthier option but we are talking about kids here.

My kids having moved to a new school where disgusted with the new school menu, no chicken nuggets, no pizza. But where even more disgusted with the "healthier option" of a roast or Ploughmans aparently they are inedible or so my eldest reckons.

When my Grandaughter started school she took a pack lunch and the school issued a set of rules about what could be in the pack lunches. Basically no junk food, no crisps, no cakes etc.. After a while my Grandaughter decided to have school dinners and what rubbish she was served. The school have rules for packed lunches but couldn't care less what they have for a school dinner !!

I agree with you george yes children do eat to much junk food and they still will after this but we cant really stop them my children are allowed treats when their good and on special occasions and yes thanks to jamie oliver

I think it's great George....at my daughters school,they have totally taken pizza and burgers off the menu! She says she had a chicken roast dinner today.....I'm a very happy mum!