Food and Nutrition Wānanga Day

By Emma Moore | Posted: Wednesday June 29, 2022

Food and Nutrition Level 2/3 combined class started the day at McDonald's to look at how some of the practices used by McDonald's influence food choice and eating patterns. The Level 3 students are currently working on the background for this as an internal.

This was followed by a visit to the Otago Polytechnic - Hospitality Department. Students were welcomed by Tony Heptinstall - Senior Lecturer in the Food Design Institute. Tony took students on a tour of Manaaki Restaurant, the edible gardens, and the hub. He talked about the ethos of the Polytechnic with regard to the programmes available to students.

Students then engaged in cooking in the commercial kitchens at the Polytech under Tony's guidance. Students looked at vegetarian versus vegan dishes to learn about the key differences between these diets. They used the MyFoodBag food and recipes, to look at quantities, as well as the nutritional balance of these meals. Students prepared, cooked, and ate a range of new foods today. They executed the recipes to a high standard, this encouraged them to try the new foods with an open mind.

Sam Gavin and Max Napier practiced their dish for entry into the Secondary Schools Culinary Competition in the commercial kitchens today. They sought valuable feedback from Tony which will see them in good stead moving forward with this.

A huge thanks to Tony and The Otago Polytechnic for hosting us today.