Food-Applied Nutrition of Home Economics

Home economics used to be a womans field in which she learned home-making skills like sewing, mending, cooking and how to raise children. Presently, the field has expanded to include lessons such as managing personal finances and resume-building. Though the lessons in the field have changed throughout time, the nutrition and cooking element is still an integral part of home economics coursework.

Coursework

Coursework in food-applied nutrition includes education in vitamins, fiber, minerals, carbohydrates, calories and fats. The book, Examining Food & Nutrition, explains that a common home economics syllabus focuses on students learning about dietary reference values, the role of nutrients and factors affecting food choice. Students also learn how to safely prepare food by learning the correct temperatures at which meat should be cooked and stored and about food-borne pathogens.

Practical Lessons

Home economics courses often offer students hands-on skills by learning how to make healthy, nutritious dishes. Cooking and baking units are usually offered and provide training on how to use various kitchen appliances like a food processor and rubber spatula. Students also learn how to follow recipes and integrate healthy cooking preparation tips such as using olive oil instead of butter.

The Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education of Malta outlines a sample cooking syllabus that emphasizes hands-on dishes such as sauce-making, casseroling and cooking rice and pasta. The syllabus also stresses the use of healthy cooking techniques such as steaming, grilling and stir-frying. Some home economics courses may focus on special dietary meals including gluten-free and vegan or vegetarian dishes.

Significance

Students can incorporate what they have learned outside of the classroom by making healthy meals at home and making better food choices when grocery shopping. These students may raise a family and may one day teach them about making healthier eating choices.

Benefits

The University of Michigan cites benefits of a home economics program such as making students less susceptible to the media pressure to consume junk food. The University of Michigan also states home economics teaches students to consume fewer calories while being mindful of the effects of harmful eating disorders like anorexia.

Trends and Potential

The nutrition module of home economics will change based on new health information. For instance, baking lessons once commonly used ingredients like margarine, which contain harmful trans fats. A home economics class today would likely use a healthier ingredient like canola oil. Furthermore, the large increase in portion sizes since the 1950s means home economics students are taught how to make healthy decisions when eating at restaurants.