Food and Cooking Essentials

Level: 1

TCE credit points: 10

Course code: FCE110114

Course span: 2018 — 2025

Reading and writing standard: No

Mathematics standard: No

Computers and internet standard: No

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This course is current for 2024.

Food and Cooking Essentials is designed for learners to develop the basic food knowledge, preparation, consumer and social skills required for transition into adulthood

It enables learners to develop practical skills in decision-making in relation to healthy food choices. There is an emphasis on demonstrating and experiencing economic and nutritious food choices within practical food preparation sessions. Learners will apply health priorities and economic constraints in the selection and preparation of food to assist learners develop skills for independent living.

Course Description

This course is designed for learners to develop the basic food knowledge, preparation, consumer and social skills required for transition into adulthood. It enables learners to develop practical skills in decision-making in relation to healthy food choices. There is an emphasis on demonstrating and experiencing economic and nutritious food choices within practical food preparation sessions. Learners will apply health priorities and economic constraints in the selection and preparation of food to assist learners develop skills for independent living.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

identify and select foods and recipes consistent with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating*
describe the importance food variety, eating to appetite and physical activity have on health
list the recommended proportions of food groups to promote long term health
describe the benefits of healthy eating and consequences of imbalances in the intake of energy, fat, sugar, salt and fibre
communicate decisions made as a food consumer to select food using economic and nutritional values
select food based on basic personal budgeting and economical strategies
prepare basic foods and follow recipes for meals and snacks suitable for independent living
work safely and hygienically when storing, preparing and handling food
follow basic personal and kitchen hygiene principles in practical situations
identify essential requirements for a basic home kitchen.

* See the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (accessed 20 June 2017)

Pathways

Learners who have completed prior study in Preliminary Technologies, Preliminary to Level 1 or Australian Curriculum: Technologies - Design and Technologies in the context of Food Specialisations will be well placed to engage in Food and Cooking Essentials Level 1. Learners who successfully complete Food and Cooking Essentials Level 1 will have attained the knowledge and skills to progress to further study through Food, Cooking and Nutrition Level 2, Food and Hospitality Enterprise Level 2 or entry level Vocational Education and Training (VET) pathways in the areas of Hospitality or Kitchen Operations.

Resource Requirements

Learners are required to complete practical food preparation activities so access to a kitchen with domestic equipment and a dining space is required.

Course Size And Complexity

This course has a complexity level of 1.

At Level 1, the learner is expected to carry out tasks and activities that draw on a limited range of knowledge and skills. The tasks and activities generally have a substantial repetitive aspect to them. Minimum judgement is needed as there are usually very clear rules, guidelines or procedures to be followed. VET competencies at this level are often those characteristic of an AQF Certificate I.

This course has a size value of 10.

Course Content

All areas must be covered except those topics which are indicated as ‘optional’. The sequence in which areas/topics are delivered is not prescribed.

Healthy Food and Lifestyle Choices

Health eating principles:

encouragement of increased food variety and enjoyment of healthy eating
use of a food selection model, such as Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
identification and selection of foods and recipes consistent with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
energy balance and healthy weight range
healthy food options for meals and snacks
take-away food evaluation
benefits of healthy eating and consequences of imbalances in energy, fat, sugar, salt and fibre (overweight, obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes)
lifestyle factors contributing to health and wellbeing such as physical activity levels, smoking, alcohol and breastfeeding.

Food and the Consumer

reading food labels
budgeting for food
economic and nutritional values in making food choices
managing food costs:
- unit pricing, unit sizing
- sources and methods of purchasing, e.g. bulk buying, greengrocers, food markets, food specials, growing your own, eating out vs. cooking your own
- relative cost of foods, e.g. rice and pasta in comparison to meat, processed foods in comparison to home preparation
- seasonal food choices
social techniques:
- preparing a plate of food for others
- setting a table place setting
- table manners including use of cutlery and social behaviours when eating with others.

OPTIONAL:

environmental impact of food packaging and some food production techniques
growing own vegetables/fruit/herbs for cooking and eating
general effects of processing on cost and nutritional value
locate information on food labels such as nutrition claims and what they mean.

Food and Personal Safety

food safety and hygiene:
- safe storage, preparation and handling of food
- correct freezing/thawing techniques
- food spoilage (how / why) and ‘shelf life’
- susceptible foods causing food poisoning
- cleaning of food storage and preparation areas and equipment in kitchen
personal hygiene and kitchen safety:
- personal hygiene standards
- hazards
- first aid for cuts and burns
- kitchen safety procedures.

Food Preparation

basic food preparation of dishes, meals and snacks with an emphasis on healthy eating and cooking methods:
- follow simple procedures including recipes
- measurement techniques for ingredients and temperature
- correctly identify, select and use tools, equipment and materials
- understand simple food preparation terms.

Range of foods and dishes

food preparation and cooking of a range of commodities including rice, pasta, noodles, vegetables, fruit, lean meats, legumes, lentils, reduced fat dairy products and eggs
foods should provide examples of healthy food choices such as:
- salads
- vegetable dishes
- low cost meat dishes
- vegetarian foods
- breakfasts
- healthy snack foods
- soups
- fruits.

Cooking techniques

while a range of cooking techniques are possible, the emphasis will be on methods which:
- promote health such as steaming, grilling, stir-frying, baking and microwaving
- use readily available kitchen equipment and appliances.

Work Requirements

Learners will be involved in practical activities involving selecting, preparing and producing food at least 80% of the design time (100 hours).

Assessment

Criterion-based assessment is a form of outcomes assessment that identifies the extent of learner achievement at an appropriate end-point of study. Although assessment – as part of the learning program – is continuous, much of it is formative, and is done to help learners identify what they need to do to attain the maximum benefit from their study of the course. Therefore, assessment for summative reporting to TASC will focus on what both teacher and learner understand to reflect end-point achievement.

The standard of achievement each learner attains on each criterion is recorded as a rating of ‘C’ (satisfactory standard) according to the outcomes specified in the standards section of the course document.

A ‘t’ notation must be used where a learner demonstrates any achievement against a criterion less than the standard specified for the ‘C’ rating. The ‘t’ notation is not described in course standards.

A ‘z’ notation is to be used where a learner provides no evidence of achievement at all.

Providers offering this course must participate in quality assurance processes specified by TASC to ensure provider validity and comparability of standards across all awards. To learn more, see TASC's quality assurance processes and assessment information.

Internal assessment of all criteria will be made by the provider. Assessment processes must gather evidence that clearly shows the match between individual learner performance, the standards of the course and the learner’s award. Providers will report the learner’s rating for each criterion to TASC.

Quality Assurance Process

The following processes will be facilitated by TASC to ensure there is:

a match between the standards of achievement specified in the course and the skills and knowledge demonstrated by individual learners
community confidence in the integrity and meaning of the qualification.

Process

TASC will verify that the provider’s course delivery and assessment meet the course requirements and community expectations for fairness, integrity and validity of qualifications TASC issues. This will involve checking:

Provider standard 1: scope and sequence documentation:
- course delivery plan
- course assessment plan, assessment matrix
Provider standard 2: student attendance records
Provider standard 3: examples of assessments tools and instruments and associated rubrics and marking guides
Provider standard 1 and 3: examples of student work including that related to any work requirements articulated in the course document
Provider standard 4: class records of assessment

This process will be scheduled by TASC using a risk-based approach.

Criteria

The assessment for Food and Cooking Essentials Level 1 will be based on whether the learner can:

1. identify, select and describe the benefits of healthy foods
2. identify and use basic food consumer knowledge in food choices
3. follow essential food safety and hygiene procedures
4. follow recipes and prepare basic foods

Standards

Criterion 1: identify, select and describe the benefits of healthy foods

The learner:

Rating C
correctly identifies foods that are ‘core/everyday’ or ‘sometimes’ foods according to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
selects healthy foods in planning a simple menu or when choosing a recipe
identifies appropriate proportions of a range of healthy foods using the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
identifies key reasons for eating a varied diet with foods from all of the core food groups
identifies a limited range of benefits of healthy eating and possible consequences of imbalances in fat, sugar, fibre and salt
identifies the role of breakfast, healthy meals and snacking in maintaining a healthy weight range
lists key lifestyle factors which contribute to health and wellbeing.

Criterion 2: identify and use basic food consumer knowledge in food choices

The learner:

Rating C
locates basic information about fat, fibre, salt and sugar on labels of processed packaged food
compares the cost of foods and selects appropriate items according to budget
identifies basic money saving strategies for purchasing/obtaining foods
constructs an independent living budget to identify amount of money available for food
uses appropriate social skills in sharing food with others.

Criterion 3: follow essential food safety and hygiene procedures

The learner:

Rating C
follows basic safety and hygiene procedures in the storage, preparation and handling of food
identifies susceptible foods which can cause food poisoning
cleans food storage, preparation areas and equipment in kitchen
follows essential personal hygiene procedures
identifies key hazards in the kitchen
follows basic kitchen safety procedures
identifies basic first aid procedure for cuts and burns.

Criterion 4: follow recipes and prepare basic foods

The learner:

Rating C
follows simple procedures, including basic recipes
uses key measurement techniques for ingredients (e.g. cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, grams)
safely applies skills in temperature control and knife handling
identifies, selects and uses a limited range of tools, equipment and materials
outlines basic food preparation terms (e.g. grill, sauté, stir-fry, steam)
uses skills in basic food preparation within a limited range of specified tasks
uses steaming, stir-frying, baking, grilling and microwaving to cook a limited range of ingredients
logically sequences tasks and cooking processes using learning from previous practical experiences.

Qualifications Available

Food and Cooking Essentials Level 1 (with the award of):

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT (PA)

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT (SA)

Award Requirements

The final award will be determined by the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification from 4 ratings.

The minimum requirements for an award in Food and Cooking Essentials Level 1 are as follows:

Satisfactory Achievement (SA)
'C’ ratings in all 4 criteria

Preliminary Achievement (PA)
‘C’ ratings in 3 criteria

Course Evaluation

The Department of Education’s Curriculum Services will develop and regularly revise the curriculum. This evaluation will be informed by the experience of the course’s implementation, delivery and assessment.

In addition, stakeholders may request Curriculum Services to review a particular aspect of an accredited course.

Requests for amendments to an accredited course will be forwarded by Curriculum Services to the Office of TASC for formal consideration.

Such requests for amendment will be considered in terms of the likely improvements to the outcomes for learners, possible consequences for delivery and assessment of the course, and alignment with Australian Curriculum materials.

A course is formally analysed prior to the expiry of its accreditation as part of the process to develop specifications to guide the development of any replacement course.

Course Developer

This course is based on the content and standards of the course Food and Cooking Essentials (FCE110109) developed by the Department of Education.

Expectations Defined By National Standards

There are no national content statements relevant to this course.

Accreditation

The accreditation period for this course is from 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2025.

During the accreditation period required amendments can be considered via established processes.

Version History

Version 1 – Accredited 4 June 2013 for use 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2018. This course replaces Food and Cooking Essentials (FCE110109) that had accreditation expiring on 31 December 2013.

Version 2 - Accreditation renewed on 22 November 2018 for use from 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2021. Addition of Pathways to course document and amendments to: Learning Outcomes; and standard element of Criteria 1, 2 and 4.

Version 2.a - Renewal of Accreditation on 14 July 2021 for the period 31 December 2021 until 31 December 2024, without amendments.

Accreditation renewed on 22 June 2023 for the period 1 January 2025 until 31 December 2025 without amendment.

Supporting documents including external assessment material

FCE110114CourseAccreditation.pdf (2017-07-21 01:05pm AEST)