Preparing Food for the Family TLE Grade 4

2.  Discuss some factors to consider in planning, and preparing a
balanced meal for the family.
 Demonstrate the different processes involved in the preparation of
food.
 Explain how to conserve food nutrients.
 Observe health safety practices in the kitchen.
 Demonstrate how to set the table.
 Show table manners.

3.  Good nutrition and a balanced diet are the building blocks for a
healthy family. Planning food ensures a balanced diet and saves
time and money. Menus for young children should
1. Meet the nutritional needs of children
2. Help children feel comfortable by serving familiar foods
3. Encourage healthy food habits by introducing new foods.
4. Provide safe food prepared and served in clean surroundings
5. Stay with budgetary limits
6. Provide alternatives for children with food allergies.
7. Consider children’s opinions about food they like
8. Consider the preferences of the families in your program

4.  Preparing food involves handwork processes and different methods of cooking. To
be able to prepare a delicious and nutritious meal, one should know the following
simple handwork processes and cooking methods to prevent loss of food nutrients.
1. Beat – to make the mixture smooth and light by beating
it over and over.
2. Blend – to mix two or more ingredients.
3. Chop – to cut into small, uneven pieces.

5. 4. Cream – to rub, mash or work shortening against the side of a
bowl with back of a spoon until it is smooth and creamy.
5. Cube – to cut into pieces of uniform size.
6. Cut into strips – to cut into long, narrow, pieces.
7. Dice – to cut into small pieces of uniform size and shape.
8. Grate – to rub food against a grater in a circular motion
or back and forth to cut it into fine pieces.

6. 9. Pare – to cut off the skin or rind with a knife.
10 Peel – to pull off the outer skin or rind.
11. Scrape – to remove the skin by rubbing it with the sharp
edge of the knife.
9. Slice – to cut across flat pieces.

7.  To be able to prepare a delicious food easily, you must have a mastery of the
cooking methods. Below are some simple cooking methods. Do you think you can
do them
1. Boiling – is it the process of cooking food in boiling water.
2. Broiling or grilling – it is the cooking
of food under direct heat in a range broiler
or oven direct heat on an open fire or grill.
3. Baking – it is the cooking of food in an oven. This applies
to the cooking of bread, cakes, and cookies.
4. Frying – it is the cooking of food in hot as frying fish and
pork.

8. 5. Roasting – it is the cooking of meat or poultry uncovered
over heat or in a pan in the oven.
6. Sautéing – it is the cooking of food in a small amount of oil
or fat.
7. Steaming – it is the cooking of food by means of steam
as in puto, kutchinta, and siopao.

9.  A cooking utensils is a utensil used in the kitchen for cooking. Stores today offer a
large selection of utensils to make life easier in the kitchen. These are numerous
kitchen utensils and it is important to know what these utensils can do. The following
are the common utensils in preparing food.
1. Cookware – pots and pans are used for cooking on top of
the range. They come in various shapes and sizes.
2. Saucepan – it is made of stainless steel.
It comes in different sizes. It is used for
cooking nilaga and sinigang.
3. Frying pan – it is used for frying and sautéing.

10. 4. Chopping board – chopping boards come in all shapes and
sizes. They may be made of wood or plastic. They protect the
countertop form knife marks.
5. Colander – it is made of plastic or wire.
It is used for draining water from food.
6. Graters – these are used for grating fruits, vegetables
and cheese, or for slicing foods such as tomatoes.
a. Fruit juicer – it is used for squeezing juice.

11. 7. Knives – knives come in a variety of shapes and sizes
according to use. They are used for cutting and paring food.
8. Measuring cup – it is a kitchen utensil used
primarily to measure the volume of liquid or bulk solid cooking
ingredients such as flour and sugar.
9. Tongs – are perfect for turning meat handling barbecued
and fried foods or handling ice cubes tings have long arms
with gripping sections on the end.
10. Strainer – it has small holes and one long handle. It is used
to separate solid from liquid ingredients.

12.  Some tips or conserving nutrients in food preparation and cooking
1. Choose fresh foods that are not over-ripe, bruised, cut or scraped.
2. Wash vegetables before cutting. Soaking or washing time should be reduced to
minimize nutrients loss.
3. Cut vegetables into big pieces so that exposure of vitamins to water is less while
cooking and washing.
4. Use a vegetable peeler to remove skin as it helps remove only a very thin layer
of skin.
5. Use minimum water for cooking. Bring the water to boil and add the vegetables
to cook
6. Cook vegetables by steaming and pressure cooking to conserve nutrients.

13. 7. Cover the vessel with a lid while cooking as it hastens cooking.
8. Vegetables salads should be prepared just before serving to conserve
nutrients.
9. Use acids such as lime juice or vinegar to salads as if prevents loss
Vitamin C since Vitamin C is stable in acid.
10. Store food in a cool, dark place.
11. When boiling, add the raw food to the boiling water rather than to cold
water. Steaming is a way of cooking with a minimum amount of water.
12. Use the cooking water gravies, sauces or soups as it a source of water
soluble vitamins and elements (minerals).
13. Cook for the minimum time necessary to make the food palatable and
safe.
14. Do not use baking soda to help keep the green color of vegetables as this
increase loss of vitamin C.
15. Do not use copper utensils. (copper helps to destroy vitamin C).

14. 1. Never leave children alone in the kitchen. Children should be supervised at all time
while in the kitchen. Ovens, knives, hot liquids, hot pots, and electrical appliances
are all potentially dangerous.
2. Wash hands in hot, soapy water before and after handling foods, particularly raw
meats. Use proper towels to dry hands. If a dish towel touches the raw meats or the
juices from the raw meats, quickly remove it from the kitchens for laundering.
3. Clean the sink, counter tops or any areas that raw meat or their juices may have
touched.
4. Put foods that can spoil, like dairy products and meats, in the refrigerator right
after using them. Do not let perishable foods sit out on the counter.
5. Make sure children do not lick their fingers or put their hands in their mouth when
handling food. This is very important with raw foods such as cookies dough or meat.

15. 6. Do not put cooked food on an unwashed plate or a cutting board
that has had raw food on it. Always put cooked food on a clean
plate.
7. Use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose for sneezes or coughs,
and turn away from food while coughing or sneezing. Wash hands
right away after a cough or sneeze.
8. Turn the oven off and unplug all cooking appliances before leaving
the kitchen. Never leave an oven or stove on or with the door open
for room heat.
9. Keep electrical appliances away from water to avoid shocks. Stay
away from electrical sockets, especially if your hands are wet, and
instruct children not to put their fingers or hands anywhere near
sockets.
10. Always turn pot handles inward toward the back of the stove so
they cannot be reached or pulled down.

16. 11. Use a frying screen over pans to prevent grease splattering, if
grease catches fire, cover the pan with a lid.
12. Never add water to a pan that has hot oil on it. It could make the
oil spatter and burn someone. Throw baking soda or flour on a
grease fire
13. Always cover the food on the table and on the stove. This prevents
fire and cockroaches from getting into the food.
14. Wear a hair net an apron every time you cook.
15. Clean as you work. Keep kitchen utensils in their proper places.

17.  An attractive table setting adds to the enjoyment of every meal. Table setting
(laying a table) refers to the way to set a table with tableware such as eating
utensils and dishes for serving and eating. Table setting should be simple yet well
organized to provide comfort and ease while eating the food. Table appointments
are the implements used in fine dining. These include the dinnerware, flatware or
silverware, glassware, and linens.
a. Dinnerware are formerly called chinaware – it consists of big and small plates,
cups and sauces. They are used to hold foods.
b. Flatware formerly called silverware – it consists of spoons, forks, and knives.
c. Glassware – it is used to hold drinks or liquid. It is composed of drinking
glasses and pitchers.
d. Linens – these include table covering and napkins of all types. The most widely
used table covering are place mats.

18.  The first thing to learn in table setting is how to lay a cover for one person. A cover consists of
the dinnerware, flatware or silverware, glassware, and linens. Certain general rules are needed
to be followed.
1. Allow about 8 to 24 inches for each cover.
2. Put the plate in the center of the cove, which is about an inch from the edge of the table.
3. Place the knife at the right side of the cover, an inch away from the plate.
4. The spoon is placed next to the knife with the bowl facing up
5. The fork is placed at the left side of the cover not more than three per cover with tines upward
6. Place the water glass at the right about half an inch from the tip of the knife a beverage cup
is placed at the right of the spoon, with handle of the cup in the position for picking it up.
7. Place the napkin at the left of the fork with the open center of the napkin at the lower right.

20. 1. Foods should be served on bigger serving plates. Always put a serving spoon on
each dish.
2. Rice may be place in rice bow or big plates
3. Soup is served in a deep bowl
4. Arrange dish attractively to increase the appetite of family members
5. Place the primary dish at the right side of the table where the head of the
family sits.
6. Food must be served as soon as they are cooked.
7. Hove a pitcher of cold water ready

21.  You are invited to a party. The table is ready and the foods are delicious. But wait!
Let us review some good table manners which should be observed before, during,
and after eating. Table manners are the rules of etiquette used while eating,
which may also include the appropriate use of utensils. Good table manners at the
table make meals more enjoyable for others.
1. Wash your hands and comb you hair before coming to the table
2. Before eating, place your table napkin on your lap
3. Sit properly with both feet on the floor while eating
4. Take the soup spoon in the center at the soup plate and draw away from you.
Take a small sip at a time.

22. 5. Do not reach across the table for food. Ask someone to pass the
food to you. Thank him afterwards
6. Always show appreciation for the food served. Never criticize any
food on the table
7. When eating, coughing should be done behind the hand
8. Drinking glass should not be filled to the brim. Hold glass with
your right hand
9. Do not talk him when your mouth is full or when you are chewing

24. 1. Scrape the food from the dishes.
2. Group together dish of the same type. Carry the dishes to the kitchen sink
using a tray.
3. Wash the cleanest utensils first glasses, cups and saucers, spoon, fork. Wash
each dish with soapy hot water, then rinse and drain.
4. Wipe the dish using dry dishtowels
5. Knives should be scoured, rinsed, and thoroughly dried
6. Keep all the plates and utensils in their proper places
7. Wash the dish towel and dish pan
8. Wipe the kitchen countertop with a dry cloth
9. Clean the sink and the drain board