New
New
Year 9

Our dynamic food culture

I can describe a range of food cultures and customs.

New
New
Year 9

Our dynamic food culture

I can describe a range of food cultures and customs.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Food is deeply ingrained in cultural identity, passing on intangible cultural heritage from generation to generation.
  2. Food culture is the set of beliefs, attitudes, and practices related to producing and consuming food, which can change.
  3. Traditional food, cooking and customs form cultural identity, representing our heritage, history and values.
  4. Food plays a significant role in social interactions and rituals, often being associated to celebrations and gatherings.
  5. Chefs and others take inspiration from their own food culture, and others, creating dishes and honouring heritage.

Keywords

  • Cultural identity - the sense of belonging to a group based on shared cultural elements like traditions, beliefs, values, and practices

  • Intangible cultural heritage - a tradition, practice, or living expression of a group or community

  • Cultural appropriation - the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption or use of elements of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture, often in a way that is disrespectful, stereotypical, or exploitative

Common misconception

Cultural appropriation is just appreciation and admiration of other cultures.

Cultural appropriation can be the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption or use of elements of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture, often in a way that is disrespectful, stereotypical, or exploitative.


To help you plan your year 9 cooking and nutrition lesson on: Our dynamic food culture, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Where possible, use food examples from the traditions, cultures and heritage in your school. Highlight the soical dimensions of food culture; how it develops over time, but also the importance of preserving our intangible cultural heritage around the world.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the ingredients to the country:

Correct Answer:India,spices

spices

Correct Answer:Japan,rice and fish

rice and fish

Correct Answer:Nigeria,cassava

cassava

Correct Answer:Italy,pasta

pasta

Q2.
What cooking technique is being shown here?

An image in a quiz
Ttukbaegi - a traditional Korean pot
Tagine - a traditional Moroccan dish
Correct answer: Tandoor - a traditional Indian clay oven
Tawa - a traditional Indian pan

Q3.
Reducing the amount of is a key part of making our diets more sustainable, whatever type of diet we choose to eat.

Correct Answer: food waste, foodwaste, waste food, wasted food

Q4.
What might influence what we eat consciously?

role models
Correct answer: religion
advertising
Correct answer: food preferences

Q5.
A cuisine is ...

a style of a piece of equipment from a certain country.
Correct answer: a style or method of cooking (in a country, region or restaurant).
a type of ingredients produced and processed from a country.

Q6.
In the UK, all population groups, no matter their cultural background, are advised to:

Correct answer: follow the Eatwell Guide
eat more foods higher in fat, salt and sugars
Correct answer: have at least 5 A DAY
reduce the amount of fibre in the diet
Correct answer: have 6 - 8 drinks a day
Q2 A clay tandoor by aash j is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the food cultures and dishes:

Correct Answer:Chinese,spicy Sichuan food, Cantonese dim sum

spicy Sichuan food, Cantonese dim sum

Correct Answer:Italian,pasta, pizza, olive oil, cheese

pasta, pizza, olive oil, cheese

Correct Answer:Jamaican,ackee and saltfish, rice and peas, and curried goat

ackee and saltfish, rice and peas, and curried goat

Q2.
True or false? Cultural appropriation is just appreciation and admiration of other cultures.

True
Correct answer: False

Q3.
Over time food culture changes due to a number of factors, including:

Correct answer: migration and globalisation
food safety
Correct answer: technology and innovation
Correct answer: health and ethics

Q4.
Food are the rituals and traditions followed around food.

Correct Answer: customs, custom

Q5.
True or false? Chefs and others can take inspiration from their own cultural roots and other food traditions around the world.

Correct answer: True
False

Q6.
Match the following food customs:

Correct Answer:Afternoon tea, with scones,UK

UK

Correct Answer:Day of the Dead, with pan de muerto,Mexico

Mexico

Correct Answer:Mid-autumn festival, with mooncakes,China

China

Correct Answer:Communal eating, with thieboudienne,Senegal

Senegal