Do you think cooking should be taught at schools?

**Blobfish** · 2016-08-17, 07:40 AM

Yes.. I am so for Cooking at School

I had cooking at school when I was a young vegemite (about 11-12 years old).

It helped me learn to follow directions (the recipe), which also helped me with Chemistry at University (mixing chemicals together).

Cooking also created a sense of Achievement , which is good for a young Fella.

Cooking at school also gave me confidence in preparing my own healthy food, without relying on Takeaways & bad Pizza from down the road.

I say Cooking at school has a lot of good benefits which are learned, besides producing just a finished cake.

**Djuntas** · 2016-08-17, 08:14 AM

We already do that in most scandinavian countries.

Did that for years in school.

Today I make fine food, trough wasn't from this....school stuff, more just from home.

But yea...changing that in the USA is never gonna happen...failed country.

**Cephilia** · 2016-08-17, 08:35 AM

Yes it should and where I live it already is. It's not that cooking is hard, but it's a basic life skill. Especially kids whose parents don't cook (and there are lot of those in the US, working 2 or 3 jobs and just picking something on the way home) need these classes to show them they can cook. Also, homemade food is so much cheaper and healthier alternative I believe that, especially in poor neighbourhoods, it could affect peoples health greatly. This would mean people working longer, getting to pay more taxes, less healthcare and social support spending in a way that nobody suffers from it.

**belfpala** · 2016-08-17, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by Cephilia

. Also, homemade food is so much cheaper and healthier alternative I believe that, especially in poor neighbourhoods, it could affect peoples health greatly. This would mean people working longer, getting to pay more taxes, less healthcare and social support spending in a way that nobody suffers from it.

I've been running scratch cooking kitchens for years. Homemade food isn't automatically healthier, other than the fact you can control what's used. And it isn't necessarily cheaper, especially for a small family, unless you really know how to stretch a product. (How many containers of leftovers have died in your refrigerator?)

It isn't automatically cheaper, either. I can't make a single serving salad at home for the price I can get one at McD (economics of scale).

What I'd like to see, however, is an initiative to bring 16+ year kids into professional kitchens in my city to show them that working with their hands is a useful practice, and that there are many moving parts in a kitchen, involving your hands, your head, your voice, and your creativity.

Anyway... I'm a dreamer.

**Wildjade** · 2016-08-17, 09:40 AM

In my school we were forced to take Home Economics for 4 years, about ages 11-14 (option to continue it after 4 years) which covered cooking and sewing, for girls and boys :P Personally I felt like I didn't learn much from the cooking side of things as I was already heavily involved in cooking back at home with my parents as I really enjoyed it, but certainly my brother and others who were keen to learn in class picked up a fair amount of knowledge which they still use to this day

The sewing was good to learn although I admit in only picking a needle and thread up about twice since learning it, but at least I know how! (This was like 10 years ago)

Deleted · 2016-08-17, 10:05 AM

It was mandatory, teacher insisted we had to peel clementines like oranges with knife, god I hated that food-Nazi bitch!!!!!!!!@!

**vindicatorx** · 2016-08-17, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by Knadra

If anything, less privileged people are the ones who would be the most likely to know how to cook since they are likely more independent.

cup of noodles isn't cooking is it? PB and J isn't cooking either. Here in the US good quality food is expensive. I have to feed my family am I going to buy healthy vegetables when a green pepper costs $1.79 apiece or ramen that i get get 7 packs of for that same price?

**Kathandira** · 2016-08-17, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by vindicatorx

cup of noodles isn't cooking is it? PB and J isn't cooking either. Here in the US good quality food is expensive. I have to feed my family am I going to buy healthy vegetables when a green pepper costs $1.79 apiece or ramen that i get get 7 packs of for that same price?

It's a shame that vegetables are more expensive in your area. In NJ, a green pepper is like half that cost at our farmers markets.

One of the few reasons to like NJ, The Garden State. We have pretty cheap produce.

**vindicatorx** · 2016-08-17, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Kathandira

It's a shame that vegetables are more expensive in your area. In NJ, a green pepper is like half that cost at our farmers markets.

One of the few reasons to like NJ, The Garden State. We have pretty cheap produce.

yeah man, they have to ship everything here we can't grow shit on the great plains/ The only thing we get cheap is potatoes. Broccoli is like $3 a lb here

Deleted · 2016-08-17, 02:00 PM

It was taught in my school, I am from the UK and it wasn't a grammar school, but public.

**heerobya** · 2016-08-17, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by Zeta333

Typing class was so retarded. As there were about 3 of us out of 35 who knew how to type but we had to do the same dumb shit all the casuals did. We were forced to put paper over our hands and keyboard. Meanwhile i learned to type rather fast thanks to starcraft like 6 years beforehand.

- - - Updated - - -

Also by computer skills i think installing a fresh os and getting it setup for the internet and troubleshooting basic things should be a must. Everyone should be able to setup a new wireless router and brand new pc. Expand to an advanced class of building pc for those that want to learn more and you get people that arnt pants on heads retarded when dealing with computers.

Hah I had to take a typing class and the final objective at the end of the semester was like 120 WPM, I did like 210 on day one (thank you Ultima Online) and was given an A, pretty much just treated it as a free hour the rest of the semester, worked on stuff for other classes, included some C+ and VB for other classes (same teacher.)

**IntellectuallyChallenged** · 2016-08-17, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by belfpala

I'm having trouble seeing where a fortune could be made with kitchenless houses. Location, kitchen, and bathrooms are probably the highest on the list of driving a property value up. I'm not even sure it's legal to sell or lease out a property as residential here if there isn't a kitchen available (can be communal, as in renting out a room in a house).

Sarcasm meter broken? I know that it's not possible. People need their kitchens so they can show off all of their new unused expensive appliances. So they can show off their awesome marble and granite counter tops that never get dirty because nothing is ever actually prepared on them. People need to have a place to gather around to serve and eat their Pizza Hut and Panda Express.

Originally Posted by Bapestar

And this is why people are overweight, living off of microwave food and mcdonalds.

Believe me, I know. I work in the industry. I see the absolutely horrible eating habits that people have on a daily basis. My employees think I'm strange because I bring my own lunch and dinner from home. When I try to explain to them why I do, they can't even comprehend the reason. They think there is nothing else but takeout.

**Kathandira** · 2016-08-17, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by vindicatorx

yeah man, they have to ship everything here we can't grow shit on the great plains/ The only thing we get cheap is potatoes. Broccoli is like $3 a lb here

Shit man! That is crazy!

I learned that in a past thread about food costs. Apparently this is the one thing we have going for us in NJ. It is far cheaper to buy your own food and cook it, than it is to buy fast food. We are one of the few places where it is actually cheaper to eat healthier.