Food Preparation & Nutrition

Content overview 

The syllabus is divided into 14 topics designed to develop students’ knowledge and skills in an area that is relevant to their own lives and also through understanding where food and nutrition fits in the modern, changing, multicultural society. 

1 Nutritional terms 

2 Nutritive value of food 

3 Digestion and absorption 

4 Meal planning and dietary guidelines 

5 Composition and value of the main foods in the diet 

6 Cooking of food 

7 Convenience foods 

8 Basic proportions and methods of making 

9 Raising agents 

10 Food spoilage and hygiene 

11 Food preservation 

12 Kitchen planning 

13 Kitchen equipment 

14 Kitchen safety and first aid 

Candidates must apply knowledge gained from the Food & Nutrition syllabus and use practical skills in a way that keeps in mind factors such as personal/family needs and lifestyles, available money and foodstuffs, and how diet relates to health.

Assessment Overview

All candidates take two components. Candidates will be eligible for grades A* to G. 

All candidates take: 

Paper 1 (2 hours - Theory - 50% - 100 marks)

Short, structured and extended response questions. 

This paper tests the subject content in section 3. 

These questions will assess AO1, AO2 and AO3.

Paper 2  (2 hours 30 minutes - plus a 1 hour 30 minutes Planning Session - Practical Test - 50% - 100 marks)

The Practical Test is split into two parts: 

• Planning Session, 1 hour 30 minutes. 

Candidates are given their allocated test question and complete three Preparation Sheets. 

• Practical Test, 2 hours 30 minutes. 

Candidates carry out the Practical Test. 

The test will assess AO1, AO2 and AO3. 

Internally assessed and externally moderated