Food Studies 

Food Studies has an emphasis on extending food knowledge and skills and building individual pathways to health and wellbeing through the application of practical food skills. Food Studies includes cooking, demonstrations, creating and responding to design briefs, dietary analysis, food sampling and taste-testing, sensory analysis, product analysis and scientific experiments.

Unit 1: Food origins

• Food around the world
• Food in Australia

On completion of this unit the student should be able to:

• Identify and explain major factors in the development of a globalised food supply, and through practical activities critique the uses and adaptions of selected food from earlier cuisines in contemporary recipes. 
• Describe patterns of change in Australia’s food industries and cultures, and through practical activities critique contemporary uses of foods indigenous to Australia and those foods introduced through migration.

Unit 2: Food makers

• Australia’s food systems 
• Food in the home

On completion of this unit the student should be able to:

• Analyse relationships, opportunities and challenges within Australia’s food systems, and respond to a design brief that produces a food product and demonstrates the practical application of commercial food production principles. 
• Use a range of measures to evaluate food products prepared in different settings for a range of dietary requirements, and create a food product that illustrates potential adaption in a commercial context.

Unit 3: Food in daily life

• The science of food
• Food choice, health and wellbeing

On completion of this unit the student should be able to:

• Explain the process of eating and digesting food, and the utilisation of macronutrients, and justify the science behind the development of the Australian Dietary Guidelines, and apply principles of nutrition in practical activities to examine specific dietary needs. 
• Analyse factors affecting food behaviours of individuals through examining the relationships between food access, values, beliefs and choices, and demonstrate practical skills to evaluate factors affecting planning and preparing healthy meals for children and families. 

Unit 4: Food issues, challenges and futures

• Navigating food information 
• Environment and ethics

On completion of this unit the student should be able to:

• Analyse food information by applying principles of evidence–based research and healthy eating recommendations to evaluate a selected food trend, fad or diet, and claims on food packaging and advertisements, and undertake practical activities. that meet the healthy eating recommendations of the Australian Dietary Guidelines
• Critique issues affecting food systems in terms of ethics, sustainability and food sovereignty, and through practical activities propose future solutions that reflect sociocultural, sustainable and ethical food values and goals.