Subjects

Who is it for?

If you want to know the science behind why your cooking sometimes does not work out then this is the subject for you. This is also a great subject for you if you want to know more about how food and diet can keep you healthy. This subject is great for students who want to help others make wise food choices also.

So if you are planning on studying health and nutrition in the future or you are thinking about pursuing a hospitality course, this subject can help you develop some important skills and knowledge to take forward into further study or a relevant career.

What do you do?

• cook a recipe three to four times throughout each unit
• develop evidence of cooking by producing PowerPoints, videos or iMovies
• taste tests
• sensory analysis
• ingredient and product comparisons
• research assignments
• contribute to class discussions
• develop menus and recipes to meet a specific need
• modify recipes to meet a certain need.

What skills do you need?

You will need to know how to read and produce a recipe and to perform basic food preparation skills. It would be great if you have had some cooking experience but it will not be a problem if you have not.

You will need to be self-motivated, organised and enthusiastic. Sometimes you might need to find your own information and recipes to complete learning activities so you will need to have good research skills in order to find the information you need.

From time to time, you will be asked a question about a food related topic. You need to be able to say what your opinion is and explain why you have that opinion. If you already have some knowledge about basic nutrition, that would be helpful, but not necessary.

What skills do you develop?

• organisation in the kitchen
• safe food handling skills and knowledge
• basic food preparation skills
• how to use food preparation tools and equipment safely
• research skills
• the ability to identify, analyse, explain and compare a range of food-based information from websites, TV shows or magazines. You will learn how to trust the information you are presented with
• you will develop the ability to evaluate your written and practical work and if something went wrong, you will learn more about how to make appropriate suggestions for how to improve in the future.

Requirements

• The prescribed text for Unit 3 and 4 Food Studies is – Heath, G., McKenzie, H. and Tully, L., Food Solutions – Food Studies Units 3 and 4, Fourth Edition, Nelson, South Melbourne, 2016.
• Mobile phone or digital device to photograph production work
• You are required to buy the ingredients required for your food productions
• You need regular access to a kitchen with a range of appliances and utensils.

Note: Very few activities are taken from the textbook. However, as a VCE student you should be completing wider reading and consulting a range of resources. This is why the text is recommended. The textbook also includes a range of review questions and revision activities that students can complete as additional work to prepare for School-assessed Courseworks and the end of year exam. However, if you do not wish to purchase the textbook you can complete the course without it – you just need to be aware that from time to time you may need to conduct your own additional research in order to gain additional information.

Please be aware that this course is a fully online course – there is no printed course-book available. However, many resources are hyperlinked on VSV Online for you to print yourself if you wish.

Things to think about

This subject is called ‘Food Studies’ because it is more about the study of food rather than the preparation of it. You will plan and prepare food three to four times per unit, but cooking is just one of the many different types of activities you will complete in this subject. The other activities include written work and other practical activities such as taste tests and comparing products.

Practical work is a small component of VCE Food Studies. It is much more ‘academic’ than the previous ‘Food and Technology’ where practical work and the production of a hamper or folio was the main focus. As an academic VCE subject, you’ll find that you will need to be just as organised and committed for Food Studies as you would be for any other VCE subject. You can expect to spend five to six hours a week on Food Studies, just like you would for any Unit 3 and 4 Mathematics, English or Science subject.

You will not necessarily have to submit work every week. For some weeks, you will just have to attend and participate in online lessons.

From time to time the cooking work may still require you to do some written work so that you can demonstrate to your teacher knowledge around what you are cooking and why you are cooking it. For each cooking task, you will need to prove to the teacher it has been completed. You can do this by making a movie or presenting a range of photographs. Food studies includes practical work and written work. It is enjoyable and fun but it is not an ‘easy’ practical subject.

Things you can do now

Have a basic understanding of what causes food poisoning to develop and how you can prevent it.

Be familiar with what you can do to use tools and equipment safely in the kitchen.

Familiarise yourself with a range of food preparation techniques and how to perform them.

Familiarise yourself with the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

Have a basic understanding of the main nutrients, their role and the foods that provide these nutrients.

Go to the VCAA website for more information about this subject.