Food Technology

Our Food Technology program is based around the Victorian Curriculum for Years 7 to 10 students. The classes are taught in our purpose built state-of-the-art Food Technology space featuring top-of-the-range cooking facilities and our co-located classroom for theory and discussion.

Food Technology at Peninsula Grammar is an interdisciplinary area of study that encompasses hospitality, food science, nutrition and community engagement and builds capacity in critical and creative decision making, collaboration and problem-solving skills.

Our Middle Years Food Technology program offers an introduction to the subject, comprising a combination of hands-on practical lessons in the kitchen and theory-based studies in the classroom. All students will participate in Food Technology in Years 7 and 8.

Students will actively explore all facets of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and begin to build upon their knowledge of nutrition, food labelling and making healthy choices. Students are introduced to a variety of preparation and basic kitchen skills and techniques to allow them to produce a range of healthy food options whilst being
mindful of sustainability in packaging and responsible disposal of food waste.

They are also introduced to the design process, which enables them to create independent food products based around a design brief, where they research and investigate options, produce the food product in class and then evaluate their product and performance.

In Years 9 and 10 Food Technology is offered as a semester elective and designed to explore the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating in more depth including elements of food science, food safety, preservation, presentation and sensory perceptions of food.

This acts as foundation knowledge if students wish to undertake VCE Food Studies in the future. Students participate in both theory and practical sessions each week as well as a range of hands-on interactive sessions where they learn about the key foods. The level of practical skills is also extended to introduce a variety of complex processes such as pasta and pastry making and yeast cookery.

As the students progress through their elective they continue to utilise the design process to develop products from design to production, as well as critically analyse their products and skills.

We offer students the opportunity to complete Units 1 & 2 and Units 3 & 4 Food Studies. Both subjects are taught with a combination of theory and practical skills to allow for an all-round learning experience.

In Units 1 & 2 Food Studies, the focus is on food origins in Australia and around the world. Students study the development of food industries and the current food industry with regards to product development of new products. Students also investigate food production in the home and other small-scale settings when designing and adapting meals.

In Units 3 & 4 Food Studies, students explore food in daily life, including the science of food and the impact of food choice on health and wellbeing. They also investigate current food issues, challenges and futures with a focus on the environment and ethics, as well as skills to navigate food information in their daily lives.

In the future, we plan to offer more specialised elective classes that cover topic areas such as: international cuisine, café style food and meals suitable for entertaining.