Homegrown cooking

Our free resource gets students aged 7-14 cooking an athlete-inspired meal from scratch.

Vegetables can take as little as 6 weeks and as long as two years from planting until they are ready to be harvested. Homegrown Cooking activities help students to understand how crops are produced, what it takes to grow herbs at home and at school, and how herbs can feature in their own menu for a local hero. 

Key question

  • How can homegrown crops inspire a three-course meal for a local hero?     

Key learnings

  • Describing how crops are produced and understand how to harvest crops at school or at home.
  • Researching and planning a three course meal for a chosen local hero.
  • Preparing a three course meal for a chosen local hero, understanding the roles and processes involved.
  • Developing teamwork and creativity in a kitchen environment.

Film discussion points

Watch our Three Courses film.

  • Which dishes would make up the athletes' dream meal?
  •  Where did the ingredients of these meals come from? Can you identify which crops could have been grown in the UK?
  •  Which of the ingredients could you grow at home?

Activity ideas

Our Teacher Lesson Plan (available to download below) contains activity ideas for delivering a lesson on cooking. 

Student Resources

Homegrown Cooking Lesson Plan

Grow your ingredients and cook an athlete-inspired meal from scratch.

Resource type: Lesson plan

Learning focus: Biology - learning how crops are grown

Recommended age group: 7-14

Crop Production

Find out more about growing crops with the interview with Hammond Produce, an Aldi vegetable supplier.

Resource type: Information sheet

Learning focus: Biology - discovering how crops are grown

Recommended age group: 7-14

Grow your own food

Have a go at growing your own herbs with this information sheet

Resource type: Information sheet

Learning focus: Biology - how to grow edible foods

Recommended age group: 7-14

Recipe Card

Explore food and cookery techniques by creating a recipe for an Olympic athlete.

Resource type: Activity sheet

Learning focus: Cooking - create a recipe

Recommended age group: 7-11

Advanced Recipe Card

Prepare for a cookery practical by completing a recipe card for each course of a Team GB inspired meal.

Resource type: Activity sheet

Learning focus: Cooking - create a recipe

Recommended age group: 11-14

Menu

Students must describe and explain the dish they have chosen for their athlete.

Resource type: Activity sheet

Learning focus: Cooking - create a menu; English - describing

Recommended age group: 7-11

Advanced Menu

Students must describe each of their three courses and explain how the dishes work together as a meal.

Resource type: Activity sheet

Learning focus: Cooking - create a menu; English - describing

Recommended age group: 11-14

Team GB Menu

Information sheet using a menu from a Team GB ball to help inspire students.

Resource type: Information sheet

Learning focus: Cooking - create a menu; English - describing

Recommended age group: 7-14

Team Kitchen Chart

Help students manage their cooking safely as a group.

Resource type: Activity sheet

Learning focus: Cooking - dividing tasks and health & safety

Recommended age group: 11-14

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