Preparation of Snacks, Drinks, and Meals – JSS3 Home Economics Lesson Note (Third Term)

Snacks are light, balanced foods that are easy to digest and do not stop a person from eating main meals.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. State the guidelines for preparing and serving snacks.
2. Prepare queens cake, chips and puff-puff using the recipes and methods given.
3. State the guidelines for making fruit drinks.
4. Prepare sugar syrup, orange drink and pineapple drink.
5. Prepare tea using a tea bag.

What are snacks, beverages and meals?

A snack is a light food eaten between main meals, a beverage is a drink, and a meal is food eaten at a set time of the day.

• Snack: light food such as queens cake, chips or puff-puff, eaten between meals.
• Beverage: a drink served with snacks or meals, such as tea or fruit drink.
• Main meal: a larger, balanced serving of food, such as breakfast, lunch or dinner.

What is the difference between a snack and a main meal?

A snack is small and quick to prepare. A main meal is larger and fills the person until the next meal.

What are the guidelines for preparing and serving snacks?

The guidelines for snacks ensure that they are healthy and suit the time they are eaten.

1. Balanced: the snacks should be balanced.
2. Light: they should be light and easy to digest.
3. Not filling: they should not prevent the individual from eating the main meals.
4. Served with drinks: snacks should be served with suitable drinks.

What hygiene rules apply when preparing food?

• Hands: wash your hands with soap and clean water before you start.
• Utensils: use clean bowls, spoons, trays and saucepans.
• Ingredients: wash fruits and vegetables before use.
• Water: use clean water for mixing and for drinks.

How are snacks prepared?

How is queens cake prepared?

Queens cake is a small sweet cake made from flour, sugar, fat and eggs, and baked in an oven.

Recipe

Method

1. Cream the sugar and fat together until soft and fluffy.
2. Cream with a wooden spoon in a circular motion.
3. Add the beaten eggs by degrees.
4. Mix the baking powder with the flour.
5. Fold in the flour little by little, adding a little milk at a time.
6. Continue to fold the mixture to a soft dropping consistency.
7. Add vanilla essence.
8. Half-fill the well-greased baking tin.
9. Bake in a moderately hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

How are chips prepared?

Chips are thin slices of food fried in deep oil until crisp.

• Green (unripe) plantain: gives crisp plantain chips.
• Yam: gives yam chips, prepared in the same way.
• Potatoes: give potato chips, prepared in the same way.

Recipe

Method

1. Wash and peel the plantain.
2. Slice thinly.
3. Season lightly with salt.
4. Fry in deep oil until it is crisp and light brown.
5. Drain in a clean basket and serve hot.

How is puff-puff prepared?

Puff-puff is a soft, round snack made from a yeast batter and fried in hot oil.

Recipe

Method

1. Sieve the dry ingredients into a bowl.
2. Add the sugar.
3. Cream the yeast with a little sugar.
4. Mix the yeast with the beaten egg.
5. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid.
6. Mix and beat well until smooth and free from lumps.
7. Cover with a clean cloth and put in a warm place to rise for 2 hours.
8. Heat the oil and fry in spoonfuls until golden brown.

How are beverages prepared?

What are fruit drinks?

Fruit drinks are drinks made from the juice of fruits such as oranges, pineapple, lemon and mango.

• Sweetening: syrup is often added to fruit drinks to sweeten them.
• Serving: fruit drinks are served chilled with snacks.

What are the guidelines for making fruit drinks?

There are four guidelines for making fruit drinks.

1. Choice of fruit: a fruit drink can be made from one type of fruit. When two are combined, one should give a sharp taste.
2. Cold syrup: add cold sugar syrup to sweeten fruit drinks. Hot syrup can destroy vitamins in fruit juice.
3. Chilling: chill fruit drinks before serving.
4. Containers: use glass or plastic bottles or containers. A metal container can change the flavour of the drink.

How is sugar syrup prepared?

Sugar syrup is a slightly thick sweet liquid made by boiling sugar in water.

Recipe

Procedure

1. Dissolve the sugar in a clean saucepan with the water.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer until the syrup is slightly thick.
4. Leave to cool.

How is orange drink prepared?

Orange drink is made from the juice of ripe oranges, mixed with cold water and syrup.

Recipe

Procedure

1. Wash the oranges thoroughly and rinse.
2. Cut the fruits into two halves crosswise.
3. Squeeze out the juice. Use a fruit juicer if available.
4. Strain through a clean strainer to remove any seeds.
5. Add the water and the syrup.
6. Pour into glasses or bottles and chill.

How is pineapple drink prepared?

Pineapple drink is made from grated pineapple, strained and mixed with cold water and syrup.

Recipe

Procedure

1. Wash the pineapple and rinse.
2. Peel and grate the pineapple.
3. Add water to the grated pineapple and pass through a clean strainer.
4. Add the lime juice and syrup.
5. Mix properly.
6. Chill and serve.

How is tea prepared?

Tea is a hot drink made by pouring boiling water over tea leaves, here in a tea bag, and leaving it to infuse.

Recipe

Procedure

1. Boil clean water.
2. Warm the teapot by rinsing it with hot water and emptying it.
3. Put one tea bag in the teapot for each person.
4. Add enough boiling water to the tea.
5. Leave to infuse for at least three minutes.
6. Pour into tea cups.
7. Serve with milk and sugar to taste.

Evaluation

1. Write the recipe and method of preparation for yam chips.
2. State two guidelines for making fruit drinks.
3. Describe the preparation of syrup.
4. How will you prepare a mango drink?
5. State the four guidelines for the preparation and serving of snacks.

Assignment

Write the recipe and method of preparation for puff-puff.