Cooking

Explain the most likely hazards in cooking (heat, blades, fire, choking, allergens, contamination) and describe what you will do to prevent, respond, and get help if something goes wrong.

Demonstrate food safety basics: proper handwashing, cleaning and sanitizing surfaces, and preventing cross-contamination when handling raw and ready-to-eat foods.

Using a current nutrition model (e.g., MyPlate), explain what a balanced plate looks like and how to identify common allergens from a food label.

Plan one day of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack or dessert) that feeds you and at least one other person, accounting for allergies/intolerances and safe food handling.

Create a shopping list and simple budget for your planned meals, including quantities and an estimate of total cost.

Build a cooking timeline for one of your planned meals so all components finish on time, and explain how you will keep the workspace clean while cooking.

Prepare and serve one complete home meal for at least one other person, using at least two different cooking methods (e.g., baking, simmering, grilling, pan frying, Dutch oven, foil cooking).

Prepare and serve an outdoor meal for a small group using a safe heat source (camp stove or approved fire method where legal), then lead cleanup and proper food storage afterward.

Plan and execute a trail-friendly meal (meal or snack) that minimizes bulk and trash, and demonstrate repackaging choices that reduce weight and waste without reducing safety.

Receive feedback from someone you served and then explain one specific improvement you would make next time to taste, texture, presentation, timing, or nutrition.

Describe how cooking can be an act of service and gratitude to God, and explain one way you can use this skill to ‘Just Serve’ at home, church, or in your community.

Explain how discipline in cleanliness, honesty with portions, and care for others’ needs builds Christlike character when you cook under pressure or fatigue.