Ingredients (7-11 Years)

a) A recipe is a set of instructions for preparing/cooking a food dish.

Talk to the children about a recipe. Ask them what they understand by the term. A recipe is a set of instructions for preparing/cooking a food dish, e.g. how to bake a cake.

Use the Recipe presentation to introduce children to the structure and contents of a recipe.

A recipe should include:

• Title – what it is called;
• Ingredients – the type, name and quantity of ingredients that are needed, in metric measurements;
• Equipment – a list of all the equipment that is needed;
• Method – a sequential plan, written and/or pictorial.

Get children to write a recipe. If children need extra support, allow them to use the My recipe worksheet. Ask them to write the recipe for making a breakfast of their choice, e.g. porridge, fruit salad, toast with topping, beans on toast. If you have time, you could allow children to make the breakfast recipes. 

b) To ensure that a recipe works, it is important to weigh and measure ingredients accurately.

To ensure that a recipe works, it is important to weigh and measure ingredients accurately.

Using the Measuring worksheet as a stimulus, get small groups to weigh and measure precise quantities of food. Let one person measure and another check the measurement.

In small groups, challenge children to weigh and measure food and water, e.g. water in a measuring jug, flour using weighing scales. They can test each other on accuracy.

c) It is important to select and use the most appropriate ingredients and equipment to plan and cook a range of dishes.

Get children to help Ronnie select the most appropriate ingredients and equipment to cook a series of dishes.

In small groups, or individually, use the Ronnie cooks cards to set different recipe challenges. Children can either verbally feedback their answers, or complete the Ronnie cooks worksheet.

d) Many recipes can be modified to produce exciting and original alternatives.

Explain to the children that most recipes can be modified to make something different and original.

Often a basic recipe is used, where ingredients can be added to make it different, e.g. a basic scone recipe could be have cheese and mustard added (resulting in a savoury scone) or dried fruit and spice (resulting in a sweet scone).

Discuss the merits of each solution with the group.

• Are the ingredients suitable?
• How would it taste?
• Could it be made?

To illustrate this concept further, watch the following videos:

• Bread
• Coleslaw
• Scones
• Smoothie
• Cous Cous Salad

For each, ask children:

• How could the recipe be modified?
• What ingredients would you add?
• How would the ingredients be prepared?

Set up cooking activities with the children to allow them to successfully modify a number of recipes.

At first you may wish to limit the number of additional ingredients available – this will ensure a successful outcome. As children build confidence and competence, they can take bigger risks and try out new combinations of ingredients.

Use the Creative cook certificate as a reward for good practice during cooking for your children. This could be presented during assemblies.

Plenary

Recap with children:

• A recipe is a set of instructions for preparing/cooking a food dish, e.g. how to bake a cake.
• To ensure that a recipe works, it is important to weigh and measure ingredients accurately.
• It is important to select and use the most appropriate ingredients and equipment to plan and cook a range of dishes.
• Many recipes can be modified to produce exciting and original alternatives.

Further activities

Provide a selection of prepared vegetable and ask the children to choose 6 or 7 to make their own soup, stir-fry or salad. Discuss how you can make so many different recipes from the same basic ingredients. Ask pairs of children to write a recipe and swap, so that they follow each other’s instructions.

Reviewed August 2024