Anita Tull
PhD
Why teach young people to cook? - a critical analysis
Education
- B.Ed (Home Economics and Education)
- M.Sc (Human Nutrition)
- M.A. (Food Policy)
The study
The teaching of practical cookery skills to young people in schools in England and Wales has traditionally been a component of the subject of food education, as Home Economics / Food Technology. A lack of knowledge about the provenance and production of food and the effects of a globalised food system on local, national and international communities are perceived to be commonplace amongst consumers whose food is provided by modern agro-food industries. This is considered by some commentators to be a form of deskilling, whereby consumers are perceived to have diminishing knowledge, practical cookery skills and confidence to enable them to make discerning decisions about their food choices and eating habits, which may have negative effects on their long term health.
Schools have a captive audience of tens of thousands of potentially receptive minds, and can be viewed as being logical places in which to teach children about the many and varied issues concerning food provenance and provision. However, changes imposed by the introduction of the National Curriculum in the 1980s and societal developments have gradually diminished the extent of young peoples' exposure to and influenced the pedagogical style for cooking and other practical skills in schools in England and Wales; and concern has been expressed by a range of stakeholders over the deficit of food knowledge and cooking skills among young people and the diminishing expertise available to teach them.
In the current volatile and uncertain economic climate, the education of children remains a major fiscal commitment that politicians and education providers must strive to ensure and prove is sustainable and provides good value for money; and where increasing demands on the NHS for treatment for the consequences of diet related diseases have major long term policy and financial implications. Food and cooking skills education must compete for funding along with all the other demands on the finite resources of both publicly funded institutions.
Why it matters for food policy
The policy battleground for the provision and retention of food and cooking skills education in the curriculum is not new; there has been an ongoing struggle for adequate funding, academic recognition, advocacy and endorsement since Domestic Economy first appeared in the curriculum of elementary schools, and in the 21st century, it is still very much a live issue, the dynamics of which have involved various stakeholder groups in the development and implementation of numerous educational initiatives and whole school food policies, and the establishment of pressure groups and forums to debate the issues and raise awareness.
The research considers the complex issue of educating young people about food and teaching them how to cook while they are at school, and whether providing opportunities to handle, prepare, cook and sample a range of foods should be a part of the life skills education of all young people.
The research aims to explore the policy implications of this issue by finding out and analysing, through a series of studies, the perspectives of a range of stakeholders on food and cooking skills education, including the State (policy makers in the UK and other countries, educationalists, health professionals), the Food Industry (catering, food manufacture and retail sectors) and Civil Society (including adults and young people).
Publications
OCR Food and Nutrition for GCSE
Hodder Education
2009
Caribbean Food & Nutrition for CSECAnita Tull, Antonia Coward
Oxford University Press
2009
The Good School Food Guide
The Food and Health Partnership, East Sussex
2003
Healthy Eating Initiatives and Food Provision in Primary and Secondary Schools
East Sussex, Brighton and Hove School Food Action Group
/ Common Cause Co-operative
2001
Introduction to Food Technology
Oxford University Press
2001
Food Technology to GCSE
Oxford University Press
1998
Food and Nutrition (3rd Edition)
Oxford University Press
1996
Food Science and Technology
Oxford University Press
1989
Food Choice
Oxford University Press
1986
Food and Nutrition (2nd Edition)
Oxford University Press
1986
Food and Nutrition (1st Edition)
Oxford University Press
1983
Interests
The purpose, content, pedagogy, status and future of food and cooking skills education in schools in the UK.