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Cooking - a life skill a generation missed out on? |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 11,478
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Cooking - a life skill a generation missed out on?
When I was at school - late '70s - '80s we ALL had to do some cookery before choosing our 'O' levels. This seemed to be dropped by the '90s, but I understand its back on the curriculum.
So did you miss out on being taught cookery? Did your parents teach you? I do wonder how parents can allow their kids to grow up without being able to make the most basic meals, but clearly some do. |
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#2 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,739
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Quote:
When I was at school - late '70s - '80s we ALL had to do some cookery before choosing our 'O' levels. This seemed to be dropped by the '90s, but I understand its back on the curriculum.
So did you miss out on being taught cookery? Did your parents teach you? I do wonder how parents can allow their kids to grow up without being able to make the most basic meals, but clearly some do. |
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#3 |
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Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 2,594
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I didn't do any cookery at school, and I was there in the 70's and 80's.
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#4 |
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 155
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I don't think teaching kids to cook is entirely the school's responsibility, in the same way that it isn't the school's responsibility to teach children to conduct themelves in a sensible manner, about sexual relationships or handling money- that's the job of the parent/carer.
That said, people would have to cook if the convenience food wasn't so readily available. |
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#5 |
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: South Wales
Posts: 5,866
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I thought it quite damming of modern schooling that some of the candidates seemed to have very little cooking experience, even to the point of asking "does chicken burn" wtf!!
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#6 |
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 155
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Not damning of modern parents? Why is it only the education system's fault?
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#7 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,186
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I learned to cook when I was at school in 00s, but we didn't get close to preparing things like spicy noodles with Caribbean chicken
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#8 |
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 162
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I learnt to cook at University as it was cheaper than buying ready meals. It's also more interesting and of course there is time to learn in this period.
Learning how to cook is a good life skill and something you improve with experience. Does x go with y...? What happens if I put more of this with that. It's no surprise to me that the younger Apprentices can't cook. Learning to cook one dish really well is also a good way to get into someones pants. A pretty girl/boy is only pretty for a few years. Someone who can cook is pretty for the rest of their days...!
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#9 |
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 155
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Quote:
I learnt to cook at University as it was cheaper than buying ready meals. It's also more interesting and of course there is time to learn in this period.
Learning how to cook is a good life skill and something you improve with experience. Does x go with y...? What happens if I put more of this with that. It's no surprise to me that the younger Apprentices can't cook. Learning to cook one dish really well is also a good way to get into someones pants. A pretty girl/boy is only pretty for a few years. Someone who can cook is pretty for the rest of their days...! ![]() |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 251
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Quote:
I thought it quite damming of modern schooling that some of the candidates seemed to have very little cooking experience, even to the point of asking "does chicken burn" wtf!!
Actually it's quite sad really that Alan S has been made a peer for alleged business skills but he associates himself with these people as the cream of young business people...I'm sure he wouldn't just do it for the celebrity status it brings, would he? |
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#11 |
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 6,328
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They should teach all kids the basics of cooking.
We had to do cookery, needlework and the boys did carpentry etc - now I know this sexism wouldn't be allowed now but everyone should learn the basic life skills i.e. to make yourself a meal. They seem to leave school these days without hardly been able to read and write (learning to spell apparently squashes their imagination and artistic skills- what bollox! No employer is going to look at someone with poor handwriting and spelling). I'm all for teaching them in primary school about fruit, vegetables, and where fresh meat and milk comes from and then teach them how to cook with these things. Obesity would be cut because they wouldn't want ready meals and pizzas all the time. They think food just comes straight from the supermarket shelf in a box which you then put in the oven. |
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#12 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
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I'm 19 so I've been in the school system quite recently, and I can say from personal experience that we all learn at least the basics of cooking. In my school, everyone did it up in D&T up until Year 9, and I chose to do Food Tech as one of my GCSEs, and I did learn a lot. So I don't agree with the idea that it's just not taught in schools.
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#13 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 11,478
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Quote:
I don't think teaching kids to cook is entirely the school's responsibility, in the same way that it isn't the school's responsibility to teach children to conduct themelves in a sensible manner, about sexual relationships or handling money- that's the job of the parent/carer.
That said, people would have to cook if the convenience food wasn't so readily available. This over reliance on convenience foods is really going to bite us in the bum soon - these foods are stuffed with saturated fats, sugars and salt. I saw a meat feast pizza recently that, on its own, was more that the recommended adult salt intake for a day. |
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#14 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 11,478
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Quote:
I'm 19 so I've been in the school system quite recently, and I can say from personal experience that we all learn at least the basics of cooking. In my school, everyone did it up in D&T up until Year 9, and I chose to do Food Tech as one of my GCSEs, and I did learn a lot. So I don't agree with the idea that it's just not taught in schools.
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#15 |
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 65
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I was at school in the late 80s and 90s and i think i only had a short period of time during one year at school where they attempted to show us how to cook. I remember making a terrible lasagne with chunky carrots in it and an awful pizza with a scone type base and a soggy topping. Not good stuff.
I do take an interest in cooking to a degree though and i cant fathom how someone can declare that they can't cook and wouldn't know where to start. I would probably have gone completely the other way with that jerk chicken and blown the tasters heads off with my curry dulled taste buds and my inability to stop adding hot stuff to things. |
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#16 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 7,587
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Quote:
I was at school in the late 80s and 90s and i think i only had a short period of time during one year at school where they attempted to show us how to cook. I remember making a terrible lasagne with chunky carrots in it and an awful pizza with a scone type base and a soggy topping. Not good stuff.
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#17 |
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 5,191
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Do they really need to teach cooking in schools, when we have so many cooking channels and programmes on tv?
I think that children should learn about cooking and foods at home. Problem is cooking is no longer part of a modern family. I grew up in a family where my mum cooked but also my grandma and aunts. Home made food is a natural thing for me because my mum loves to cook and she always cooked fresh food. Today, when we are busy with work and we have so many ready meals, instant this or that, fast food and take-aways, nobody is bothered to cook anymore. It's not just about cooking, it's about eating as well. I remember when I was little, we would sit at the table and eat lunch, then dessert and we would talk after we finished eating. We would enjoy our meal for an hour. Today, people are just to busy to have a proper lunch as a family. Children just stuff themselves up with the food so they can leave the table and go resume playing their Xbox or PS4. |
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#18 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 7,587
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Quote:
Do they really need to teach cooking in schools, when we have so many cooking channels and programmes on tv?
I think that children should learn about cooking and foods at home. Problem is cooking is no longer part of a modern family. I grew up in a family where my mum cooked but also my grandma and aunts. Home made food is a natural thing for me because my mum loves to cook and she always cooked fresh food. Today, when we are busy with work and we have so many ready meals, instant this or that, fast food and take-aways, nobody is bothered to cook anymore. It's not just about cooking, it's about eating as well. I remember when I was little, we would sit at the table and eat lunch, then dessert and we would talk after we finished eating. We would enjoy our meal for an hour. Today, people are just to busy to have a proper lunch as a family. Children just stuff themselves up with the food so they can leave the table and go resume playing their Xbox or PS4. This reminds me of Hayley Forrester from YA2, she talked about this in her audition: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00l9fns |
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#19 |
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Button Moon
Posts: 7,251
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I'm in my thirties and absolutely despise cooking. Waste of time and effort.
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#20 |
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Wiltshire
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I'm in my thirties and absolutely despise cooking. Waste of time and effort.
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#21 |
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: South Wales
Posts: 5,866
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I'm in my thirties and absolutely despise cooking. Waste of time and effort.
Or are you lazy and expect others to wait on you "hand and foot" |
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#22 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 11,478
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Quote:
So I take it you just forage for plants and vegetables and eat them raw, or maybe a bit of raw "road kill" should you wish to eat meat!!
Or are you lazy and expect others to wait on you "hand and foot"
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#23 |
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: South London
Posts: 4,076
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I'm 24 and never had so much as 1 lesson on cooking during primary or secondary school and even though my mum made fresh meals every day she never showed me how to cook... When I left home I got by on ready meals and salads but when I had my son 4 years ago I taught myself to cook so that I could make him fresh meals. Now I don't even own a microwave and can't remember the last time that I cooked a ready meal.
I don't view it as school's job to teach kids how to cook... My kids are already learning by coming in the kitchen with me when I prepare their dinner and helping me with the non-dangerous bits. I'm their mum, making sure they can feed themselves healthily is my responsibility. |
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#24 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: South Wales
Posts: 5,866
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Quote:
Or maybe she eats, gasp!, "ready meals"
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#25 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,550
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I was feeling sorry for Francesca but than thought you only eat ready meals and can't cook a stir fry. My sympathy disappeared after that.
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