Food and recipes - some activities to improve English using digital tools

Talking about food and recipes can help ESL learners improve their: 

• food related vocabulary
• oral skills (brainstorming, discussion, giving instructions)
• written skills (describing and giving instructions)
• knowledge of different cultures (learning foreign recipes, food and traditions)
• healthy habits

RECIPES VOCABULARY AND ACTIVITIES

Here's a great site with exercises and activities about cooking and kitchens:

http://www2.issbc.org/janis-esl/subtopicrecipes.html

Some printables:

http://www.eslprintables.com/vocabulary_worksheets/food/recipes/

Cooking worksheets:

http://busyteacher.org/classroom_activities-vocabulary/food_and_drinks/cooking-worksheets/

Vocabulary about cooking:

http://englishwilleasy.com/english-through-pictures/food/food-preparation-recipes/

http://www.vocabulary.cl/Lists/Cooking-Instructions.htm

Students' task

Prepare a mindmap about cooking vocabulary using a mindmapping tool.

BRITISH RECIPES

Some British recipes:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/british

http://www.britainexpress.com/articles/Food/index.htm

Recipes and meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/cuisines/british

British and Irish festive cooking:
http://britishfood.about.com/od/festivecooking/

Cuisines by country:

http://www.foodbycountry.com/

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/80dishes

Students' task

Choose one recipe and prepare it at home. The next day show your classmates how you prepared it (or make a video!).

HEALTHY RECIPES

Recipe calculator to calculate the nutritional information of a recipe:

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

Healthy recipes:

http://uktv.co.uk/food/homepage/sid/6037

Healthy food to prevent heart disease (British Heart Foundation):

http://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/prevention/healthy-eating.aspx

Students' task

What do you do to keep yourself fit? Describe your diet and your habits using a presentation tool.

You have a lot of information about food and cooking, now. You are ready to create...your digital magazine! With Glossi you can publish your own magazine with text, images, links or videos. It's very simple, have a look at my short example:

Click on the image to open

Students' task

Create your own web magazine with Glossi! Write your articles, add images and videos and have fun!