May
Advice For Schools
Bringing Cooking to Life in the Primary Curriculum
Lucie Welch discusses the importance of cooking and nutrition in the primary curriculum, offering tips and guidance for teachers in the EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2…
Children today are growing up in a world with busier routines, jam-packed schedules and greater reliance on convenience foods, which means there are fewer chances to see cooking happen and to see how meals are made from scratch.
Whilst we cannot always change what happens in the home – schools can have a huge impact on children’s understanding of healthy eating and set them up with skills for life.
Teaching children how to cook healthy, balanced meals is about far more than food alone. It helps build independence, supports wellbeing, boosts confidence and gives children practical skills they will use in the future.
Some primary schools may be lucky enough to have specific food technology areas, but not having a designated space shouldn’t mean that high-quality cookery learning is out of reach.
With careful planning, the right equipment and a clear focus on building skills over time, cooking can be woven into everyday classroom practice and become a valued and enjoyable part of school life.
Why cooking belongs in the primary curriculum
Cooking offers an additional opportunity to bring learning to life. It supports children’s understanding of healthy eating and nutrition at a time when diet-related health concerns are increasingly visible across society.
When children are actively involved in preparing food, they are more likely to try new ingredients, develop positive attitudes towards fruit and vegetables and understand what a balanced meal looks like in practice, not just in theory.
Beyond health, cookery naturally supports a wide range of curriculum areas. Measuring ingredients strengthens mathematical understanding, following recipes develops reading and sequencing skills, and observing how food changes when mixed or heated supports scientific thinking.
Cooking together also builds communication, cooperation and confidence – all of which are essential life skills that extend far beyond the classroom.
Core Principles for Success
Before planning cooking into the curriculum, schools should:
Complete risk assessments for all activities, ensure hygiene routines are in place and choose age-appropriate tools.
Just like PE or art, cooking skills build over time and by using a skills passport, these can be mapped out to be built upon year on year.
- Early years/Foundation: basic measuring, exploring flavours, safe handling of simple tools.
- Key Stage 1: combining ingredients, chopping soft foods, simple no-cook recipes.
- Lower Key Stage 2: using induction hobs with supervision, following sequences, weighing ingredients.
- Upper Key Stage 2: multi-stage recipes, adapting recipes, food choices and budgeting.
Cooking naturally brings together maths, science, PSHE and design technology – but can also enhance history, RE or geography teaching.
We know that children learn well through immersive activities, so why not taste your way through Tudor England or celebrate Diwali with traditional dishes.
Cooking without a kitchen: thinking creatively about space
For many schools, the challenge is not enthusiasm but facilities. Yet cooking does not need to be confined to a fixed kitchen space.
Classrooms, halls and even outdoor areas can be transformed into temporary cooking spaces with the right approach.
Portable equipment such as induction hobs, hotplates, air fryers and party pans can be safely used with children of all ages (alongside robust risk assessments and clear routines-of course). These allow children to experience heat-based cooking without the infrastructure of a full kitchen.
Equally valuable are no-cook and low-risk activities, particularly for younger pupils. Preparing salads, wraps, dips, fruit dishes or simple breakfasts gives children hands-on experience of food preparation while building essential skills such as measuring, chopping, mixing and tasting. These activities are highly accessible and require minimal equipment, making them ideal for classroom-based learning.
Setting up your mobile/portable cooking stations
Consider investing in:
- Portable induction hobs: safer than gas, cool edges and are easy to store.
- Hotplates or party pans for simple stovetop tasks- these can be plugged in anywhere.
- Air fryers and slow cookers as these mimic what the children have at home, so provide transferable skills.
- Weighing scales, mixing bowls and utensils: think about what you use for cooking at home.
- Quality, sharp, safety knives to ensure the children learn how to hold and cut food safely.
- Chopping boards with colour-coded sets to help children understand food hygiene.
- And don’t forget storage! Where is your equipment going to be stored and how easily can it be accessed?
Making cookery lessons meaningful and manageable
Successful classroom cooking relies on clear structure. Children benefit from seeing techniques modelled before they begin, particularly when using new tools.
Visual recipe cards, photographs and step-by-step instructions support independence and help pupils stay focused.
Structuring a cookery lesson in class:
1. Set clear learning objectives. What skill will pupils practise? (e.g. weighing, sequencing, chopping).
2. Model key techniques before pupils start. Show safe use of tools and explain hygiene steps.
3. Use visual supports. Recipe cards, step-by-step posters and photos help learners follow sequences
4. Group roles. Assign roles (weighing, mixing, hygiene monitor) to build teamwork.
5. Reflection and evaluation. Ask pupils what worked well, what they learned, and how the food tasted.
Discussing what worked well, how ingredients changed and how the final dish tasted encourages children to evaluate their learning and make connections to nutrition and personal choices. These conversations help turn a practical activity into a deeper learning experience.
Extending learning beyond the school day
Cooking in school often has its greatest impact when it connects with home and the wider community.
Sharing simple recipes with families, inviting parents to events or celebrating food from different cultures reinforces learning and strengthens relationships. These experiences help children see cooking as a normal, enjoyable part of everyday life rather than something that only happens at school.
By embedding cooking into your curriculum, you can also enhance:
- Share simple recipes with parents/carers.
- Host “tasting evenings” or food-based events.
- Get parents/carers in to school to cook with the child.
- Partner with local cafés or chefs for guest sessions.
- Use local allotments or gardens to grow ingredients.
- Explore global cuisines.
- Encourage pupils to share recipes from home.
Summary
Teaching children to cook is an investment in their future health, independence and confidence. Whether in a fully equipped kitchen or a classroom with portable equipment, primary schools have the power to ensure every child develops essential food skills.
With thoughtful planning, a commitment to progression and a willingness to think creatively about space and resources, cooking can become a meaningful, memorable and transformative part of primary education.
If you found this blog useful, you may also be interested in reading the following blogs:
Jan
Bring the Curriculum to Life: Sign Up for the 2026 Cookathon
Ready to turn your classroom into a hub of culinary discovery? Join schools from across Birmingham, the UK or even around the globe for SFE’s Health for Life Cookathon 2026 on 3rd June.
The Cookathon offers pupils a real-life opportunity to build life skills, explore new flavours, and understand where their food comes from.
You can use the Cookathon to:
- Create or strengthen links with parents and families (if you invite them in to join in).
- Inspire your pupils to consider future careers in catering and hospitality, whilst experiencing fun and healthy eating.
- Promote healthy eating.
This year we are really excited to be joined by Michelin-starred chef and Chef Director of Grace and Savour and Kynd at Hampton Manor, David Taylor, who will be creating a brand-new recipe for school children.
Don’t miss your chance, sign up below!
sign up for the 2026 cookathon About the Author
Lucie Welch – Adviser, Services For Education
Lucie Welch has worked in the field of Primary Education for the last 15 years, holding the positions of Assistant Head of School, Designated Safeguarding Lead, Attendance Lead and Designated Teacher for Looked After Children. Through working across several local authorities and within multi-academy trusts, Lucie has garnered a passion for safeguarding and supporting children and young people to enable them to thrive.
At Services For Education, Lucie is an integral part of the Safeguarding team, sharing her expertise with schools, colleges, trusts, and other educational settings across the city of Birmingham and beyond. Dedicated to improving safeguarding practices in an actionable and impactful way, Lucie works closely with settings to provide bespoke training, supports with reflection on their own practices during Safeguarding audits and always strives to contribute to a better learning environment for all children. Through delivery of statutory training for DSLs and Safer Recruitment, Lucie works with colleagues in all age ranges and is a source of expertise within these areas.
Lucie also wears other important hats within the School Support Team. Not only is she dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of students through her role in safeguarding, but she also plays a key part in the PSHE/RSE and Health for Life teams. Additionally, Lucie partners with the Best Practice Network to deliver the Early Career Framework, supporting new teachers in their professional development.
