LESSON 1

FOOD and Applied Nutrition

Introduction
Think about the meals you ate yesterday. Write all the food items you consumed in the table given
below. You will realize that you ate different kinds of food item. Why do we need to eat variety of food? How do
these food items help us? In this lesson you will find answers to these questions.
Table 1. Food items consumed by you yesterday:
Breakfast Lunch Snack Dinner

Objectives:
After studying these lesson you will be able to:
1. Define the term Food and explain its function in our body.
2. State important functions and sources of each nutrient in our body.
3. Explain the role of nutrition and nutrients in healthy living.
4. Classify food items into different food groups.

1.0 FOOD AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR HEALTHY LIVING

Food satisfies our hunger and provides our energy for day to day living. It is also an important part of our social
occasions. When you go to a friend’s house, you are generally greeted and offered something to eat and drink.
So food serves as social functions. Similarly when you are away from your home you not only miss your family
but also food. Thus food is important in our life.

1.1 FOOD GIVE US ENERGY TO WORK

We need energy to do our work.
We need energy for walking,
Playing, eating, working in the
house or outside and for
other activities
1.2 FOOD HELPS IN THE GROWTH AND REPAIR OF TISSUES
A small child grows into an adult. Do you know the relationship between the growth of our body and the food we
eat? The body is made up of thousands of small cells. New cells are added to help the body to grow in size. We
need food for the formation of new cells. In addition to growth, new cells are made to replace the dead and
damaged cells. Therefore, food helps not only in growth but also in the repair of tissues.

1.3 FOOD GIVES STRENGTH TO FIGHT AGAINST DISEASES

We are always surrounded by disease causing organisms. The food we eat helps us in providing protection
against them. If we fall ill, food helps us to recover from illness.

1.4 FOOD HELPS THE BODY TO FUNCTION NORMALLY

Do you think we need energy even when we are at rest? Yes you are right, it is because the vital organs inside
your body are always working. For example, our heart is pumping blood, stomach is digesting food and lungs are
breathing in air. These organs need energy to perform their role which is provided by the food we eat.
ACTIVITY 1
Aljun and Kent were living happily with their parents, younger brother and a dog. Suddenly they lost their parents
one after the other then their dog. The younger brother also left them because of his posting in other town. The
brother went into depression and initially stopped eating regularly and then totally. They became weak and
stopped communicating with others. Finally they had to be admitted in a hospital in a state of acute depression
and nutritional deficiency. Aljun died due to severe under nutrition. Kent survived and had to be treated by
doctors, nurses and social workers for a long time for both depression and malnutrition. He had to learn to eat
proper meals all over again.
Think about this situation and try to find answers on the basis of the functions performed by food:
Q1. What could be the reasons due to which the brother stopped eating?
Q2. Do you stop eating food when you are angry or sad?
You have seen that food performs many functions in our body and all of them are important for not only our
existence but also for a healthy life.
1.5 FOOD SATISFIES HUNGER
We eat food to satisfy our hunger. It also provides mental and psychological satisfaction. Therefore is the prime
need to be satisfied in life.
1.6 SOCIAL FUNCTIONS
Food has always been a central part of our social existence. It helps to relax and creates a friendly mood.
People take special care in planning and cooking food for social occasions, so food promotes a sense of
community.
1.7 PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
In addition to social functions food must also satisfy our items emotional needs. These include a sense of
security, love and attention. Familiar food items make us feel secure. A baby gets emotional security while being
breast feed. Anticipating food needs and fulfilling them are expressions of love, care and attention. Similarly,
sharing of food is a token of friendship and acceptance.

2.0 NUTRITION AND NUTRIENTS

Have you ever thought what happens to the food we eat? How do we get energy from the food? Now we will
discuss about the science behind food and its functions. We can define nutrition as the science which tells us
about what happens to the food when it enters our body and thereafter. How is food digested and utilized in our
body? How does one grow from a little child to a young adult and then an old person? The food we eat contains
many chemical substances. These chemical substances are known as nutrients. We can say that nutrients are
invisible compounds in the food which are necessary for keeping the body healthy. These nutrients have
different names and functions to perform in our body.
The common nutrients in our food are:
• Carbohydrates
• Proteins
• Fats
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Fibre
• Water
2.1 FUNCTIONS AND SOURCES OF NUTRIENTS
We will now learn about the functions of various nutrients and their sources.
2.1.1 CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates are as important to our body as fuel is to a car. As fuel makes a car run, similarly carbohydrates
provide energy to our body, which keeps it going throughout the day. Which food items in our diet contain
carbohydrates?
Yes, foods like potatoes, rice and sweets give carbohydrates.
There are two types of carbohydrates in food sugar and starch.
Sugar: Sugar is also called simple carbohydrate. Fruits, honey and sugar are some sources of sugar.
Starch: starch is called complex sugar. Plants store energy in the form of starch. When we eat plant products
containing starch, our digestive system breaks down starch into glucose. This glucose is absorbed in blood and
provides energy.
Some foods give carbohydrates to our body in the form of starch. These are cereals, potatoes, sweet potatoes
etc. Some other foods give carbohydrates in the form of sugar. For example sugar, honey, jam, jaggery, etc.
One gram of carbohydrate gives four kcal. An adult person needs 400-420 gms of carbohydrates everyday.
Functions of Carbohydrates Sources
 Give energy and feeling of Starch sources: cereals – like wheat, rice,
fullness. bajra, maize, potatoes, sweet potatoes,
calocasia, etc.
 Increase the bulk of our food.
 Spare proteins to perform other
functions
 Helps to make the food tasty.

sugar sources: sugar, honey, jaggery,

sweets, jam, murabba, etc.
2.1.2 PROTEINS
Proteins are needed for muscle building and repairing worn out cells and tissues. Our muscles, organs and
even blood are made up of mostly proteins. If we do not eat proteins our body will not be able to repair damaged
cells or build new ones. Proteins in our diet come from both animal and plant sources.
The proteins from animal source are known as animal proteins and the proteins from plant sources are known as
plant proteins. One gram of protein gives four kilo calories of energy (kcal). An adult needs 1gm of protein for
every kilogram of body weight per day. For example if Shivali weighs 52 kg then her protein requirement would
be approximately 52gms per day.
Functions of proteins Sources
 Needed for making new cells in the Animal Sources
body Meat, egg, fish, Meat, egg, fish,
poultry, milk, curd,
 Helps in repairing old and damaged cheese, etc.
cells.
 Helps in healing wounds.
 Needed for making blood, enzymes
and hormones

Plant sources
All cereals, pulses,
peas, soyabean, nuts
especially groundnut,
etc.

ACTIVITY 2
Calculate the amount of protein you would require for yourself and for other members of your family. Enter their
body weight and protein requirements in the table below:

Member Body Weight Protein requirement

(kg) (g)/ day
Self
Father
Mother
Brother/Sister

2.1.3 FAT
One gram of fat gives you nine kcal. Fat which we get from animals are called animal fat. Fat which we get from
plants are called plant fat.
 Although fat gives more energy than carbohydrates, you eat very little fat and hence fat is not the major source
of energy in our body. Food containing large amount of fat can lead to obesity. An adult needs only 30 gms (2
table spoons) of fat everyday. Do you know that chocolate, biscuits, pakoras and patties also contain fat?
Functions of Fat Sources
butter, ghee,
• Give energy groundnut oil,
• Helps to keep our body warm. vanaspati, fried coconut oil,
• Help in the utilization of fat oods, chocolates, soluble vanaspati, fried oods,
vitamins like etc. A, D, E, K. chocolates,
• Provides protection to delicate organs like heart, liver etc.
and also provides padding on our skeleton and
muscles.
• Makes the food tasty.

ACTIVITY 3
Find out the average monthly consumption of oil and/or ghee in your family and calculate your average daily fat
consumption. Keeping in view the number of family members, find out if your consumption is adequate or not?
Carry out the activity in the space provided below:
Total consumption of oil in the family per month………………………..kg (or lt)
Total consumption of ghee in the family per month……………………...kg (or lt)
Number of family members……………..
Total fat consumption per member/month =…………………..
Total fat consumption per member/day =……………………..

*Hint – Fat consumption = Total consumption/number of family members

*Hint – 1 lt of oil = 910 gm (approximately)

INTEXT QUESTIONS 1
1.State four reasons for eating food.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
2. Choose the correct alternative given at the end of each statement given below:
(i) The main use of proteins in (a) energy for work and play the body is
(ii) Besides energy fat helps in (b) growth and repair of tissues
(iii) Carbohydrates are needed (c) making food tasty to provide
(d) protection to delicate organs in the body
3. Name the main nutrient present in the following:
No. Food Nutrient present No. Food Nutrient present
(a) Fish liver oil (g) Milk
(b) Butter (h) Jaggery
(c) Vanaspati (i) Wheat
(d) Cheese (j) Egg
(e) Dal (k) Sweet Potato
(f) Meat (l) Mustard Oil

4. Find out the answers for following questions from the puzzle below. You may look horizontally or vertically.
Write your answer in the space provided
C E R E A L S
A P I S Z Q D
B R K X F W S
D O M W A H A
C T G A T R K
N E R Q V Y K
M I F W B I L
T N D E M K Y
P O T A T O T

a) Which nutrient provides maximum amount of energy ___________________

b) Nutrient found in eggs in abundance ___________________
c) Major source of energy in our daily diet ___________________
d) Good source of carbohydrate ___________________

Minerals
Minerals are present in all body tissues and fluids. Minerals like calcium and phosphorus are found in bones and
teeth.
Iron is a mineral which is found in blood as a part of the red pigment haemoglobin. Minerals occur in food as
salts.
Calcium and Phosphorus are present in the body in large amounts especially in bones and teeth and are known
as macro or major minerals.
Iron and Iodine are found in the body in smaller quantities, hence are known as micro minerals.
Ten year old Ajay and his eight year old sister Priyanka asked their mother why she insists that they should
consume more milk and green vegetables. Mother showed them their childhood photographs. The children were
surprised to see the photographs. They asked their mother how had they become so tall and big! Their mother
explained that it’s the milk and green vegetables that helped them grow so well.
What is there in milk and green vegetables that helped Ajay and Priyanka grow? Have you ever wondered what
role do minerals perform in our bodies?
 The main functions of minerals are:
Function of Minerals Sources

• Growth of our body and strength of Milk

bones.
• Maintenance of water balance in the
body.
• Contraction of muscles.
Green Vegetables
• Normal functioning of nerves and
clotting of blood when needed.

(a ) CALCIUM
We all require calcium in our daily diet as it performs the following functions in our body:
(i) Helps bones to grow and become strong.
(ii) Makes teeth healthy and strong.
(iii) Helps in clotting of blood. You may have noticed that in case of a minor injury blood stops flowing in
few seconds and a hard crust is formed on the wound this is known as clotting of blood, for which
calcium is needed. Blood clotting can prove to be a life protecting function.
(iv) (iv) It also helps in the movement of muscles. Calcium is required in large quantity for optimum
growth during childhood. A pregnant woman also needs additional calcium to support the growth of
foetus. Absorption of calcium is reduced as a person grows old. So, we should be careful regarding
the calcium needs of the elderly persons.
Sources
• Milk and its products like paneer, cheese, curd, lassi, chhach, butter milk etc. These are the best sources
of calcium.
• Green leafy vegetables like spinach, fenugreek, curry leaves and coriander leaves are also good sources
of calcium.
(b) IRON
Functions Iron is a very important mineral. It is needed for the formation of a compound called haemoglobin
in our blood which helps in carrying oxygen to all parts of the body. Do you know in adolescence (10-19
years) iron requirement of the body increases? The need for iron increases specifically for girls. We must
include iron rich foods in our daily diet.
Sources
• Green leafy vegetables like spinach, mustard leaves, fenugreek, mint, etc.
• Whole cereals and legumes
• Liver, heart, kidney and egg yolk.
• Gur/jaggery
• Dates and pomegranate.
ACTIVITY: 2.3
Amla is the richest source of iron. It is a very economical source to enhance the iron content in our food and
can be eaten on a regular basis. List two food items made of amla.
(c) IODINE
Iodine is required for normal functioning of our brain and the growth of our body.
Deficiency of iodine leads to a disease called cretinism.
Functions Iodine is needed for proper functioning of thyroid gland in our body.
Sources
• Sea foods like fish and sea weeds. Cretinism is a condition of severely
stunted physical and mental growth.
• Plants which grow in iodine rich soil.
• Salt fortified with Iodine.
Food fortification or enrichment is the process of adding micronutrients to food.
VITAMINS
These are the substances which are required in very small amounts in our diet, but are essentials for proper
functioning of the body. Vitamins cannot be produced by the body, therefore must be present in our diet.
Vitamins are classified into two groups on the basis of their solubility in fats and water.
• Fat soluble vitamins are those vitamins which are soluble in fat e.g. Vitamin A, D, E, and K.
• Water soluble vitamins are those vitamins which are soluble in water e.g. Bcomplex vitamins and vitamin
C.
You must know the functions and sources of vitamins. Table 2 lists of vitamins, their functions and sources.

VITAMINS FUNCTIONS SOURCES DEFICIENCY

DISORDERS
Fat Soluble
Vitamins
Vitamin A
 For better vision Vegetables, Fruits Specially in Night Blindness
specially in dim light dim light yellow ones), milk,
cheese, eggs yolk, butter,
 Makes our skin healthy ghee, liver green leafy
 Necessary for normal
growth and
development
 Provides resistance to
infection.
Vitamin D Works with minerals Oily fish, milk, cheese butter, Rickets in children
-phosphorus and ghee, etc. Our body can make and Osteomalacia
calcium to make teeth Vitamin D when the skin is and Osteoporosis
and bones strong exposed to sunlight. in adults
Vitamin E
Prevents tissue Whole pulses and cereals
breakdown. It is an
antioxidant

Vitamin K
Needed in the process Green Leafy Vegetables
of clotting Avitaminosis

Water Soluble
Vitamins
B Complex Helps the body to use Pulses, whole grains cereals,
energy wheat, rice etc
 Keeps the digestive
system health

All the body cells need

Vitamin C Fruits, leafy vegetables,
Vitamin C. Because it potatoes, sprouted grains,
helps to hold cells Scurvy
guava. and amla re the richest
together. It also keep sources
our teeth and gums
healthy.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 2.2

Choose the correct option to complete the statements given below.
1. i. Calcium is needed for
(i) improving the taste of food.
(ii) healthy bones
(iii) strong teeth
(iv) clotting of blood
(ii). Richest source of iron is
(i) iodized salt
(ii) milk
(iii) leafy vegetables
(iv) wheat
(iii). Fortified salt is rich in
(i) iron
(ii) iodine
(iii) calcium
(iv) all the above
(iv). Person suffering from iodine deficiency must eat/drink
(i) sea food
(ii) root and tubers
(iii) milk products
(iv) fibre rich food
(v). Movement of muscles definitely requires presence of
(i) iodine
(ii) iron
(iii) calcium
(iv) all the above.

2. Tick Mark (√ ) the fat soluble vitamins from the choices given:
 (a) Vitamin A
(b) Vitamin B
(c) Vitamin C
(d) Vitamin D
3. Which vitamin will you get from the following food items?
(i) amla………………..………… (vii) sprouted pulses……………
(ii) carrot………………………… (viii)sunlight on skin…………
(iii) cereals……………….…….... (ix) milk………………………
(iv) eggs………………………..… (x) butter………………………
(v) fish oil……………………..…. (xi) pumpkin……………………
(vi) green leafy vegetables.…… (xii) liver………………………
4. Fill in the blanks:
(i) Vitamin D can be produced by the ……………… in the presence of ……………
(ii) One function of Vitamin A is to keep our……………. healthy.
(iii) To keep our gums and teeth healthy we must take ………………..
(iv) The vitamin which makes bones and teeth strong is …………….
2.4 DIETARY FIBRE
Shruti’s grandmother is an active and cheerful old lady. However, she was uncomfortable as she had not passed
stool since last three days. She realized that the in last two-three days she had not been taking enough fresh
fruits, vegetables and water. Fresh fruits and vegetables contain fibre that helps in relieving constipation
Dietary fibre, also known as roughage, is the indigestible carbohydrate present in food. Fibre is present in foods
of plant origin only.
Foods rich in fibre are:
• whole wheat flour, dalia (porridge)
• fruits such as guava, apples, pineapples ,banana
• whole pulses like lentil, rajmah, bengal gram
• vegetables such as peas, beans, carrots, cauliflower, green leafy vegetables
When foods are processed there is loss of fibre, vitamins and minerals. For example unpolished rice has higher
fibre content than polished rice. Can you think of some other examples? Wheat flour is something many of us
consumes everyday. Often people sieve the flour and then make chapaties out if it. In the process, wheat bran
which is rich in fibre is removed. Thus, reducing the fibre content of the flour. The skin of fruits and vegetables is
also rich in fibre.
Fibre performs many essential functions in the body;
– It increases the bulk and softness of stool, thus making it easier to pass;
– Foods which contain fibre require more chewing and thus have a high degree of satiety.
High fibre diet helps in the prevention of:
• Constipation
• Cancer of the large intestine
• Diabetes
• Obesity
ACTIVITY 2.4
Recall what did you eat yesterday and list the fibre rich foods included in your meals.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

2.5 WATER
Mohan’s mother was travelling to Jaipur in Rajasthan in the month of May for some work. She packed two
bottles of water along with her lunch. Mohan asked his mother about the necessity of carrying the water bottles.
Mother explained that during hot weather, our body sweats a lot. This results in depletion of body water. We
should drink plenty of water to replenish the loss. Body water need can also be fulfilled by beverages like
buttermilk (lassi), milk, fruit juices etc. On the other hand, our body’s need for water is less during winters.
Now Mohan understands that water requirement vary with the season. On an average, one should drink about 8-
10 glasses of water everyday.
Water is not a nutrient, yet it is very important for our body because;
• It is a constituent of all body fluids.
• It helps to digest food and takes the nutrients from the food to the different cells of your body.
• It helps to keep our body temperature constant. In summer, when we sweat, extra heat is removed from the
body.
• It helps to remove the waste products from your body in the form of urine.
ACTIVITY 2.5
Observe the colour of your urine when you do not drink water for about 6-8 hours and then when you drink water
every ½ hour. Answer the following.
Interval between water intake Colour
Water after 6-8 hours (when you pass urine for the first
time in the morning)
When you drink water after every ½ hour

INTEXT QUESTIONS 2.3

State whether the following statements are true or false, if true, give the justification:
(i) True/False Fiber is not essential in the diet................................................................................................
(ii) True/False We must remove the outer skin of apples before eating..........................................................
(iii) True/False Fiber helps in the prevention of cancer………………………………………………………….
(iv) True/False Fiber makes fat……………………………………………………………………………………
(v) True/False Fiber is found in tomatoes and grapes…………………………………………………………..
(vi) True/False Fiber increases bulk of the food…………………………………………………………………..
(vii) True/False You will lose weight if you do not eat fibre……………………………………………………….

3.1 FOOD GROUPS

You have already learnt about the nutrients, their functions and food sources. Now you must be wondering what
are food groups. Based on the functions that are performed by various types of food items available, they can be
broadly divided into three groups as presented in table

Function Nutrient Food

1 energy giving food carbohydrates and fats cereals, fats, sugar
2 body building food proteins pulses, milk, meat,
chicken
3 Regulatory and protective Vitamins and Minerals fruits and vegetable
foods

There are several types of food items and each type cannot be studied individually. Therefore, they have been
categorized into different food groups. This grouping has been done on the basis of the nutrient content of each
food. Let’s learn about various food groups.

The five food group system

Table 3.2 Food Groups
FOOD GROUPS FOOD MAJOR NUTRIENTS

cereals, grains and their rice, wheat, ragi, bajra carbohydrates, proteins,
products maize, jowar barley, rice vitamin B, iron, fibre
flakes, wheat flour etc.

Pulses and legumes bengal gram, black gram, carbohydrates, protein,

green gram, red gram vitamin B, iron, fibre
lentil (whole as well as
dals), cowpea, peas,
rajmah, soyabean, soya
nuggets, etc.

Milk, Egg, and Meat milk, curd, paneer, proteins, fat, vitamin B,
products cheese, chhachh, lassi, calcium, vitamin A
buttermilk, skimmed milk.
meat – chicken, liver, fish, protein, fat, vitamin A
egg, meat.
fruits viz. mango, guava,
orange papaya, banana, Vitamin A, C and Fibre
fruits and vegetables
sweet lime, water, apple
and vegetables viz.
correct, pumpkin tomoto
etc
green leafy vegetables like
amaranth, spinach,
 coriander leaves mustard
leaves and fenugreek
leaves and fruits like amla
and pomegranate
other vegetables:
brinjal, lady finger, vitamin A, Clcium, Iron and
capsicum, beans, onion, Fibre
drum stick, cauliflower
potato etc
carbohydrates and fibre
fats and sugar fats: butter, ghee, carbohydrates , fats
hydrogenated oil, ground
nut, mustard, coconut oil

carbohydrates
sugar, jaggery, honey

3.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF FOOD GROUPS

3.2.1 Cereals
Cereals like rice, wheat and maize form the main component of our diet. As they are consumed in large
quantities, they become the main source of energy in our diet. Whole cereals and grains contain considerable
amount of fibre which, though not a nutrient, has a great importance in maintaining a healthy digestive system.
In addition to this, fibre plays a crucial role in preventing several lifestyle diseases. You will learn about them
later. We should eat cereals in the unrefined form to get sufficient amount of fibre. Cereals are also rich in
vitamin B complex. This gets lost when cereals are refined, e.g. maida and polished rice. So our diet should
have whole wheat flour instead of maida and home pounded or parboiled rice instead of polished rice. Daliya
and brown rice should also be included in our meals.
You also know that most of us always eat cereals along with pulses, curd, milk, meat and vegetables. For
example, dal-rice, khichri, sambar, idli, dosa, dal-bati and biryani. Can you guess why? Yes, because when
cereals are combined with pulses or vegetables, the nutritive quality of our meal improves.
3.2.2. Pulses and legumes
Pulses and legumes like arhar, urad, rajmah and bengal gram, green gram dal are the major source of protein in
Indian diets especially for vegetarians. They have a appreciable amount of vitamin B, calcium and iron.
You have already learnt that protein quality of pulses can be improved by combining them with cereals.
Vegetarians should be careful in including both pulses and cereals in every meal to obtain optimum quality of
protein.
Soya nuggets can be added for variety in the food.
3.2.3 Milk, egg and meat products
All of us know that milk is considered to be the best and complete food for small children. Do you know why?
Yes, because it is a rich source of protein, fat, vitamin A and calcium. Curd and paneer also contain all the
nutrients but skimmed milk contains very little fat.
You must have seen that while making paneer, we drain away the water and hence water soluble nutrients are
also drained off. Therefore, cheese and paneer have mainly protein as a nutrient. Remember this water can be
used in cooking dal and kneading dough for chapati.
Eggs are a rich source of almost all nutrients except vitamin C. Eggs contain proteins of excellent quality
therefore they are specifically recommended for growing children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Meat products include meat, chicken and fish. They are a rich source of high quality protein, vitamin A and
vitamin B. As you know that a large percentage of population in India is vegetarian, it is advisable that they
consume a combination of cereals, pulses and milk products. This combination is comparable with animal foods
in terms of protein quality. Many of our traditional food combinations such as khichri, dal-rice, dal-roti, idli-
sambar, dosa-sambar along with curd and butter milk are excellent examples of high protein quality meals. We
must continue to value these traditional food combinations and avoid junk food.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 3.1
1. Match the food groups in column A with foods in column B:
GROUP A GROUP B
1 cereals i rajmah and soyabean
2 pulses ii papaya and guava
3 Milk products iii ragi and bajra
4 fruits iv brinjal and carrot
5 vegetables v paneer and curd
vi ghee and butter

2. State whether the following statements are true or false. Give reasons for the same.
(i) Cereals are the main source of energy in our body. True/False
because ________________________________________________ .
(ii) We should eat cereals in refined form. True/False
because ________________________________________________ .
(iii) Milk is considered the best food for small children. True/False
because ________________________________________________ .
(iv) We should not consume a combination of cereals and pulses. True/False
because ________________________________________________ .
(v) Pulses are specially recommended for vegetarian people. True/False
because ________________________________________________ .
3.2.4 Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits: Citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons are rich in vitamin C. Amla and guava are cheap and good
sources of this vitamin. Yellow fruits like mango, papaya contain carotene which is converted into vitamin A in
the body. We all know that vitamin A is very important for our eyes. Banana is a good source of iron, calcium and
carbohydrates. Pomegranate is rich in iron. All fruits contain plenty of fibre, which helps in bowel movement.
Dried fruits like raisins, figs, walnuts and almonds are rich in fats, iron, calcium and fibre. Locally available fruits
should be preferred by us as they are fresh and economical.
Green leafy vegetables: Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, fenugreek, soya, amaranth (cholai) and mint
are rich in carotene, calcium, iron and vitamin C. These are abundantly available in rural areas. We can easily
grow them in our kitchen garden. It is very important to include them in our daily meal.
Others Vegetables: Potato, sweet potato, turnip, raddish and carrots are some examples of roots and tubers.
These vegetables are a good source of carbohydrates. We all know that potato is considered to be the master of
all vegetables. It is added in most of the vegetables. Do you know that potato also contains vitamin C along with
carbohydrates?
Now let us discuss carrots. Carrots are rich in carotene and provide colour and taste to a meal. You must have
eaten sweet and tasty “Gajar Ka Halwa”, which is a very popular sweet dish made of carrots. Other vegetables
like ladys finger, beans, brinjal, gourds, tomato, cauliflower and capsicum provide variety, taste, colour along
with fibre to the daily meals. Some vegetables also contain an appreciable amount of vitamin C and minerals
such as iron, calcium, zinc, sodium and potassium.
3.2.5 Fats and sugar
Butter, ghee, oils like mustard oil, groundnut oil, coconut oil and soya oil are the common types of fats consumed
in India. Fats are a concentrated source of energy. Some amount of fat is needed in daily diet because they
supply essential fatty acids. Besides this, some vitamins like A, D, E and K are fat soluble and important for our
body.
Sugar, jaggery and honey are sweetening agents and provide carbohydrates to the body. Do you know that
jaggery is better than sugar? Jaggery contains iron which is important for formation of Red Blood Cells (RBC) in
our body. We should try to avoid excessive consumption of sugar or jaggery in our daily diet. Why? Extra sugar
eaten by us gets converted into fat and gets accumulated in the body and makes us obese.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 3.2
Help Jenita, Jaspreet and Victor choose their breakfast from the two meal choices given below. Select the more
nutritious meal out of the two and give reasons for the same.
Name Meal option 1 Meal Option 2 Reasons
Jenita Boiled egg and toasted Toasted bread with jam
bread
Jaspreet Stuffed potato paratha fenugreek, paratha,
and butter and whole milk butter, milk
cur
Victor Mixed vegetable daliya, puri and potato sabji
curd
 STANDARD RECIPE

Learning Objectives:

 List the parts of a well-written standardized recipe

 Explain the importance of standardized recipes as a management tool
 Explain advantages of using standardized recipes
 Describe common measurements used on recipes for food production
 Convert recipe and ingredient amounts from one yield to another yield (both larger and smaller)

Key Terms:

 Standardized recipe
 Standard yield
 Standard portion
 Mise en place
 Count
 Volume measurement
 Weight measurement
 Conversion factor
 Conversion factor method

STANDARDIZED RECIPES

All recipes are not created equal. Some recipes have missing ingredients, faulty seasonings, insufficient or poor
instructions causing more work, and some are simply not tested.

A standardized recipe is a set of written instructions used to consistently prepare a known quantity and quality of
food for a specific location. A standardized recipe will produce a product that is close to identical in taste and
yield every time it is made, no matter who follows the directions.

A good standardized recipe will include:

 Menu item name – the name of the given recipe that should be consistent with the name on the menu
 Total Yield – number of servings, or portions that a recipe produces, and often the total weight or volume
of the recipe
 Portion size – amount or size of the individual portion
 Ingredient list/quantity – exact quantities of each ingredient (with the exception of spices that may be
added to taste)
 Preparation procedures – Specific directions for the order of operations and types of operations (e.g.,
blend, fold, mix, sauté)
 Cooking temperatures and times, including HACCP critical control points and limits to ensure the dish is
cooked properly and safely
 Special instructions, according to the standard format used in an operation
 Mise en place – a list of small equipment and individual ingredient preparation
 Service instructions, including hot/cold storage
 Plating/garnishing

In addition to the list above, standardized recipes may also include recipe cost, nutritional analysis, variations,
garnishing and presentation tips, work simplification tips, suggested accompaniments or companion recipes, and
photos.

Standardize recipes can help with work simplification and incorporate HACCP into procedures. Many facilities
preparing food in large quantities also batch cook, so the standardized recipes will incorporate those procedures
into the instructions. The skill level of employees should also be taken into account when writing recipe
procedures or directions. Terminology within the standardized recipes should be at the skill level of employees,
for example, instruct an employee to melt butter and whisk with flour instead of saying “make a roux”, if more
appropriate for a specific operation. Finally, cooking equipment, temperatures, time, etc. are adjusted for the
facility.

A short side note on mise en place – a key component to efficiently producing menu items from recipes is to
have “everything in its place.” Many kitchens will have work stations with a standard mise en place set up, which
might include a cutting board, salt and pepper, tasting spoons, composting containers, etc. Standardized recipes
can help employees produce menu items most efficiently if they also list mise en place for small equipment
needed for the recipe, such as measuring tools, preparation tools (knives, peeler), holding pans, cooking
utensils, etc. Employees can gather everything they need before starting recipe preparation thus reducing
traveling around the kitchen during preparation, kitchen congestion, loss of focus from frequent starting and
stopping, and errors from interruptions to their work. Detailing the mise en place for individual ingredients, such
as peeling and cutting, with each ingredient can also improve the clarity and efficiency of recipe preparation.
Example: Raw white potato, peeled, ½ in. dice

Some things to remember when writing a standardized recipe:

 If you are starting with a home/internet recipe – make it first!

 Standardized recipes are a training tool for employees
 A good recipe is like a well-crafted formula – it has been tested and works every time
 S.A.M.E. – Standardization Always Meets Expectations

Recipes as a Control Tool

Standardized recipes are an important control tool for food service managers and operations. A standardized
recipe assures not only that consistent quality and quantity, but also a reliable cost range. In order for an
operation to set a menu selling price that allows the operation to make a profit, it’s vital that the cost of each
recipe and portion is calculated and relatively consistent.

Benefits of using a standardized recipe include:

 a consistent quality and quantity

 standard portion size/cost
 assuring nutritional content and addressing dietary concerns, such as special diets or food allergies
 helping ensure compliance with “Truth in Menu” requirements
 aiding in forecasting and purchasing
 fewer errors in food orders
 incorporating work simplification principles and aids in cross-training
 assisting in training new employees
 incorporating HACCP principles
 reducing waste

 more easily meeting customer expectations

Arguments often used against standardized recipes can include:

 take too long to use

 employees don’t need them, they know how to do things in establishment
 chef doesn’t want to reveal their secrets
 take too long to write/develop

An effective foodservice manager knows that these arguments against using standardized recipes, even if true in
some cases, cannot deter an operation from developing and consistently using standardized recipes. Our profits
depend on this very important practice. Our customers must be able to rely on a consistent nutritional quality and
allergen content at a minimum, but our customers also deserve to receive the SAME product every time they
order a menu item they like and appreciate.
An effective foodservice manager knows that these arguments against using standardized recipes, even if true in
some cases, cannot deter an operation from developing and consistently using standardized recipes. Our profits
depend on this very important practice. Our customers must be able to rely on a consistent nutritional quality and
allergen content at a minimum, but our customers also deserve to receive the SAME product every time they
order a menu item they like and appreciate.

STANDARD PORTIONS

A standard recipe includes the size of the portions that will make up a serving of the recipe. Controlling portion
size has two advantages in food management:

 portion costs for the item will be consistent until ingredient or labor costs change, and
 customers receive consistent quantities each time they order a given plate or drink.

Standard portions mean that every plate of a given dish that leaves the kitchen will be almost identical in weight,
count, or volume. Only by controlling portions is it possible to control food costs. If one order of bacon and eggs
goes out with six strips of bacon and another goes out with three strips, it is impossible to determine the actual
cost of the menu item.

Adhering to the principles of standard portions is crucial to keeping food costs in line. Without portion control,
there is no consistency. This not only could have drastic effects on your food costs (having no real constant
costs to budget for) but also on your customers. Customers appreciate consistency. They expect that the food
you prepare will taste good, be presented properly, and be the same portion size every time they order it.
Consider how the customer would feel if the portion size fluctuated with the cook’s mood. A cook’s bad mood
might mean a smaller portion or, if the cook was in a good mood because the workweek was over, the portion
might be very large.

It may be hard to grasp the importance of consistency with one single portion, but consider if fast-food outlets did
not have portion control. Their costs, as well as their ordering and inventory systems, would be incredibly
inaccurate, all of which would impact negatively on their profit margin.
Strict portion control has several side benefits beyond keeping costs under control. First, customers are more
satisfied when they can see that the portion they have is very similar to the portions of the same dish they can
see around them. Second, servers are quite happy because they know that if they pick up a dish from the
kitchen, it will contain the same portions as another server’s plate of the same order.

Simple methods to control portion include weighing meat before it is served, using the same size juice glasses
when juice is served, counting items such as shrimp, and portioning with scoops and ladles that hold a known
volume. Another method is using convenience products. These products are received usually frozen and are
ready to cook. Portions are consistent in size and presentation and are easily costed out on a per unit basis. This
can be helpful when determining the standard portion costs.

Note: Using convenience products is usually more costly than preparing the item in-house. However,
some chefs and managers feel that using premade convenience products is easier than hiring and
training qualified staff. But always keep in mind that if the quality of the convenience item is not
comparable to an in-house made product, the reputation of the restaurant may suffer.

Standard portions are assured if the food operation provides and requires staff to use such tools as scales,
measured ladles or spoodles, and standard size scoops. Many operations use a management portion control
record for menu items. The control record is posted in the kitchen so cooks and those who plate the dishes know
what constitutes standard portions. Some operations also have photographs of each item posted in the kitchen
area to remind workers what the final product should look like.

TYPES OF MEASUREMENTS USED IN THE KITCHEN

There are three types of measurements used to measure ingredients and to serve portions in the restaurant
trade.

Measurement can be by volume, by weight, or by count.

Recipes may have all three types of measurement. A recipe may call for 3 eggs (measurement by count), 8
ounces of milk (measurement by volume), and 1 pound of cheese (measurement by weight).

There are formal and informal rules governing which type of measurement should be used. There are also
specific procedures to ensure that the measuring is done accurately and consistently.

Number or Count

Number measurement is only used when accurate measurement is not critical and the items to be used are
understood to be close in size.

For example, “3 eggs” is a common measurement called for in recipes, not just because 3 is easy to count but
also because eggs are graded to specific sizes. Most recipes call for large eggs unless stated otherwise.

Numbers are also used if the final product is countable. For example, 24 pre-made tart shells would be called for
if the final product is to be 24 filled tart shells.

Volume

Volume measurement is usually used with liquids or fluids because such items are awkward to weigh. It is also
used for dry ingredients in home cooking, but it is less often used for dry measurement in the industry.

Volume is often the measure used when portioning sizes of finished product. For example, portion scoops are
used to dole out vegetables, potato salad, and sandwich fillings to keep serving size consistent. Ladles of an
exact size are used to portion out soups and sauces. Often scoops and ladles used for portioning are sized by
number. On a scoop, such a number refers to the number of full scoops needed to fill a volume of one quart.
Ladles and spoodles are sized in ounces.
 Weight

Weight is the most accurate way to measure ingredients or portions. When proportions of ingredients are critical,
their measurements are always given in weights. This is particularly true in baking where it is common to list all
ingredients by weight, including eggs (which, as mentioned earlier, in almost all other applications are called for
by count). Whether measuring solids or liquids, measuring by weight is more reliable and consistent.

Weighing is a bit more time consuming and requires the use of scales, but it pays off in accuracy. Digital portion
scales are most commonly used in industry and come in various sizes to measure weights up to 11 lbs. This is
adequate for most recipes, although larger operations may require scales with a larger capacity.

The reason weight is more accurate than volume is because it takes into account factors such as density,
moisture, and temperature that can have an effect on the volume of ingredients. For example, 1 cup of brown
sugar (measured by volume) could change drastically depending on whether it is loosely or tightly packed in the
vessel. On the other hand, 10 oz of brown sugar, will always be 10 oz. Even flour, which one might think is very
consistent, will vary from location to location, and the result will mean an adjustment in the amount of liquid
needed to get the same consistency when mixed with a given volume.

Another common mistake is interchanging between volume and weight. The only ingredient that will have the
same volume and weight consistently is water: 1 cup water = 8 ounces water.

There is no other ingredient that can be measured interchangeably because of gravity and the density of an
item. Every ingredient has a different density and different gravitational weight, which will also change according
to location. This is called specific gravity. Water has a specific gravity of 1.0. Liquids that are lighter than water
(such as oils that float on water) have a specific gravity of less than 1.0. Those that are heavier than water and
will sink, such as molasses, have a specific gravity greater than 1.0. Unless you are measuring water, remember
not to use a volume measure for a weight measure, and vice versa.

CONVERTING AND ADJUSTING RECIPES AND FORMULAS

Recipes often need to be adjusted to meet the needs of different situations. The most common reason to adjust
recipes is to change the number of individual portions that the recipe produces. For example, a standard recipe
might be written to prepare 25 portions. If a situation arises where 60 portions of the item are needed, the recipe
must be properly adjusted.

Other reasons to adjust recipes include changing portion sizes (which may mean changing the batch size of the
recipe) and better utilizing available preparation equipment (for example, you need to divide a recipe to make
two half batches due to a lack of oven space).

Conversion Factor Method

The most common way to adjust recipes is to use the conversion factor method. This requires only two steps:

1. Finding a conversion factor

2. Multiplying the ingredients in the original recipe by that factor.

Finding Conversion Factors

To find the appropriate conversion factor to adjust a recipe, follow these steps:

1. Note the yield of the recipe that is to be adjusted. The number of portions is usually included at the top
of the recipe (or formulation) or at the bottom of the recipe. This is the information that you HAVE.
2. Decide what yield is required. This is the information you NEED.
3. Obtain the conversion factor by dividing the required yield (from Step 2) by the old yield (from Step 1).
That is, conversion factor = (required yield)/(recipe yield), conversion factor = what you NEED ÷ what you HAVE

If the number of portions and the size of each portion change, you will have to find a conversion factor using a
similar approach:

1. Determine the total yield of the recipe by multiplying the number of portions and the size of each portion.
2. Determine the required yield of the recipe by multiplying the new number of portions and the new size of
each portion.
3. Find the conversion factor by dividing the required yield (Step 2) by the recipe yield (Step 1). That is,
conversion factor = (required yield)/(recipe yield)

ADJUSTING RECIPES USING CONVERSION FACTORS

Now that you have the conversion factor, you can use it to adjust all the ingredients in the recipe. The procedure
is to multiply the amount of each ingredient in the original recipe by the conversion factor. Before you begin,
there is an important first step:

 Before converting a recipe, express the original ingredients by weight whenever possible.

Converting to weight is particularly important for dry ingredients. Most recipes in commercial kitchens express
the ingredients by weight, while most recipes intended for home cooks express the ingredients by volume. If the
amounts of some ingredients are too small to weigh (such as spices and seasonings), they may be left as
volume measures. Liquid ingredients also are sometimes left as volume measures because it is easier to
measure a quart of liquid than it is to weigh it. However, a major exception is measuring liquids with a high sugar
content, such as honey and syrup; these should always be measured by weight, not volume.

Converting from volume to weight can be a bit tricky and will require the use of tables that provide the
approximate weight of different volume measures of commonly used recipe ingredients. A resource to use in
converting volume to weight is the Book of Yields. Once you have all the ingredients in weight, you can then
multiply by the conversion factor to adjust the recipe. Often, you must change the quantities of the original recipe
into smaller units, then multiply by the conversion factor, then put back into the largest unit that makes sense for
the recipe. For example, pounds may need to be expressed as ounces, and cups, pints, quarts, and gallons
must be converted into fluid ounces.

Example:

Original Common Conversion New New amount expressed in

Ingredient
amount unit Factor amount largest unit on recipe
96 fl. oz.
or
Skim milk 1 ½ cup 12 fl. oz. 8 3 quarts
12 cups
Cheddar
2 ¼ lbs 36 oz. 3 108 oz. 6 ¾ lbs. or 6 lbs. 12 oz.
cheese
Olive Oil 1 qt. 32 fl. oz. .5 16 fl. oz. 1 pt.
 CAUTIONS WHEN CONVERTING RECIPES

When converting recipes, conversion calculations do not take into account certain factors:

 Equipment
 Mixing and cooking times – this can be affected if the equipment used to cook or mix is different from the
equipment used in the original recipe
 Cooking temperatures
 Shrinkage – the percentage of food lost during its storage and preparation
 Recipe errors

Some other problems that can occur with recipe conversions are:

 Substantially increasing the yield of small home cook recipes can be problematic as all the ingredients
are usually given in volume measure, which can be inaccurate, and increasing the amounts dramatically
magnifies this problem.
 Spices and seasonings must be increased with caution as doubling or tripling the amount to satisfy a
conversion factor can have negative consequences. If possible, it is best to under-season and then adjust just
before serving.

The fine adjustments that have to be made when converting a recipe can only be learned from experience, as
there are no hard and fast rules. Generally, if you have recipes that you use often, convert them, test them, and
then keep copies of the recipes adjusted for different yields.

S.A.M.E.

Remember – Standardization Always Meets Expectations. Foodservice operations need to meet the
expectations of their customers, every time they visit. Foodservice operations need to meet expectations for
employees, their skill level and training. Foodservice businesses need to meet expectations for costs and profit
for all menu items. Standardized recipes are critical to the foodservice industry. They are simply good business!

REVIEW QUESTIONS (THINK ABOUT):

Why is using standardized recipes an important cost control tool for foodservice operations?

What are the benefits of using standardized recipes in a foodservice business operation?

Why is it important to understand the difference between volume and weight measurements when developing
recipes?

Place the words into the correct boxes

Volume measurement
Weight measurement
Conversion factor
Mise en place
Standard portion
Standardized recipe
Standard yield
1. A set of written instructions used to consistently prepare a known quantity and quality of food for a specific
operation.

2. Used to reduce or expand the number of servings a recipe will yield. 

3. The total amount (weight, volume or count) of product made by a recipe. 

4. Provided on a recipe –the consistent serving size for each customer. 

5. An organization system for kitchens meaning everything is in place. 

6. Usually used for liquids, examples include a cup, pint, quart, liter, gallon. 

7. The most accurate way to measure in a kitchen, examples include lb., oz., kg, gm. 

REVIEW EXERCISE
1. Information commonly found on a standardized recipe includes
a. ingredient list with quantities, procedures, yield, portion size
b. ingredient specifications, order quantity and purchase unit
c. name of employee who will make the recipe, cooking time, service instructions,
and food cost
d. name of recipe, portions, labor cost to produce recipe, and total recipe weight
2. The goal of mise en place is to do as much work in __________ as possible without loss of
________.
a. measuring, accuracy
b. advance, quality
c. organizing, flavor
d. recipe writing, creativity
e. the kitchen, service time
3. Your Aunt Sally’s chicken tortilla soup recipe makes 8 servings, but you want to make this for
lunch in Café Laura, where your recipe needs to yield 40 portions. What conversion factor will
you use for calculating the new ingredient amounts?
a. 10
b. 0.2
c. 8
d. 5
e. 4
4. A recipe for Marinara Sauce makes 2 quarts and calls for 1 pint of tomato puree. What
conversion factor will you use if you need to make 160 half-cup servings of marinara sauce?
a. 5
b. 26
c. 40
d. 20
e. 10
5. If a recipe calls for 4 lbs ground beef to make 20 three-ounce burgers, how much beef is
needed to make 45 four-ounce burgers?
 a. 4 pounds
b. 12 pounds
c. 8 pounds
d. 16 pounds
e. 9 pounds
6. Your favorite bakery makes brownies by the full sheet pan and you get the recipe, but now you
want to convert the recipe to one you can use at home in your standard cake pan, which is
9”x13”. What conversion factor should you use for all of the ingredients?
a. 0.50
b. 0.25
c. 4
d. 2
7. Standardized recipes limit the creativity of the chef.
a. True
b. False
8. Standardized recipes are a communication tool from the manager to the production employees.
a. True
b. False
9. Standardized recipes identify CCPs and specify critical limits from the HACCP process.
a. True
b. False
10. Using standardized recipes in a foodservice business operation is not cost effective because it
takes so much extra time to develop and prepare these recipes.
a. False
b. True

 Think about this: When you produce the expanded chicken tortilla soup recipe in Café Laura, you run
out of soup after serving only 30 customers? What are some possible reasons that this happened?

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KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

 Kitchen equipment is placed in the kitchen or the means used for cooking equipment, tools, collectively.

Learning Objectives:
 Identify the use of the different kitchen tools and equipment
 Familiarize the different kitchen tools and equipment.

Content:
 Knife sets
 Measuring Tools
 Strainers
 Cookware
 Other Kitchen tools
 Kitchen Equipments

The Different Types of Kitchen Knives and Their Uses

As a home cook, you can handle most cutting tasks in the kitchen with a good chef’s knife. However,
using a knife designed specifically for a task brings more ease and precision to the cut. The right knife can help
you focus on your cutting task rather than having to work out how best to approach it.

For those who get confused when faced with a kitchen knife set, this article aims to introduce the most popular
types of kitchen knives and the tasks they’re designed to handle in the kitchen.

Types of Kitchen Knives

There are probably more than a dozen different kitchen knives, some versatile, others, such as a bread knife,
dedicated for one specific use.

The 11 knives in this list are the most popular knives for daily cooking and food serving jobs. They are the ones
that make up the core of all professional as well as home cook knife sets.

The Must-Have Blades in Your Kitchen

1. The Chef’s Knife
Also called a cook’s knife, this is the most important blade in your kitchen . The chef’s knife typically has a broad
blade tapering upward to a point, allowing the knife to rock back and forth for fast mincing. It can be anywhere
between 6 and 12 inches long— the size is often chosen with consideration to how big the cook’s hands are.  

Chef’s knife can be forged or stamped. Because it has to endure frequent use, it usually comes with a full tang—
the bottom part of its blade extends to the whole length and width of the knife handle. This ensures better
stability and durability than a partial tang. 

The knife can be used for almost every cutting task in the kitchen, from cutting chicken to chopping carrots. That
is why it is the must-have item in every kitchen knife set collection.

2. The Santoku Knife

The Santoku knife is a Japanese version of the Western-style chef’s knife. It’s slightly shorter and thinner, and is
used in place of the chef’s knife by some cooks, especially those who prefer a smaller, lighter blade.

Santoku means “three virtues”, which are slicing, dicing, and mincing. This knife is an all-rounder and can do
almost everything a typical chef’s knife can.

Due to a flat blade, it doesn’t rock on the cutting board. This makes it less well-suited for when you want to
mince herbs, but a better choice for skinny slices of veggies. 

The Santoku is sometimes made with a hollow edge. The dimples along the blade allow it to cut through meat,
fish, and other soft and tough materials without the food sticking to it and reducing the speed and the precision of
the cut.

3. The Utility Knife

Measuring between 4 and 7 inches in length, the utility knife is usually used for cutting food that is too small for a
chef’s knife.

It’s not great for chopping or slicing large items, but the narrow blade and small tip allows it to handle tasks such
as thinner slicing, trimming, and filleting even better than a chef’s knife.

4. The Kitchen Shears

Though shears are not technically a type of knives, they can be used in place of a knife. Kitchen shears are a
pair of scissors with thick and strong blades to handle various food materials. They are useful for snipping herbs,
sectioning chicken, preparing shrimp, octopus, and many other cutting tasks. For many home cooks, they are a
favorite for slicing pizza.

Some shears designed specifically for fast cutting of green onion or other herbs may have more than one blade.
However, the blades on those shears are usually thin and weak. They also take more effort to sharpen than
ordinary shears, which themselves are already picky about what type of knife sharpeners work on them.

5. The Boning Knife

The boning knife, as its name suggests, is used for separating meat from the bone, fileting fish, and cutting up
meat. Smaller boning knives can also be used in place of a paring knife for peeling and trimming veggies.

Boning knives are typically about 3 to 8 inches in length, with slightly varying blade widths. The blades can be
flexi, semi-flexi, or stiff, with stiff blades being the most popular among home cooks due to the enhanced
precision of the cut.

6. The Bread Knife

Bread knives are used for cutting bread, cakes, and sometimes meat, poultry, and seafood. They are designed
in a way that allows you to saw through the bread without pushing down or squishing it.

Made to cut large chunks of food, the bread knife belongs to the longer spectrum of kitchen knives. It can be
between 7 and 10 inches long. Its blade is narrow and straight (i.e. having no belly), and is always serrated, with
big “teeth” along it.

7. The Cleaver Knife/ Butcher knife

The cleaver is usually the bulkiest and heaviest knife in the kitchen. 

A typical cleaver has a full tang, a thick spine and a very wide blade with little or no belly. This design allows it to
cut through bones, meat, and hard and thick materials such as squash or pumpkin in a chopping motion. 

With a wide and heavy blade, the cleaver is also ideal for beating and pulverizing meat, poultry and fish, and
crushing garlic.

8. The Paring Knife

If you love making garnishes for your food and drinks, the paring knife is a must-have.

A paring knife usually comes with a thin 3 – 4 inch blade with a pointed tip. It can be used for cutting and peeling
fruits and veggies, and trimming excess fat with great precision.

The most common styles of paring knives include the spear point, sheep’s foot, and bird’s beak, named after the
shape of the tip.

9. The Steak Knife

Also called table knives, steak knives are small knives that are used at the table for cooked food.
They’re great for steak, chicken, and fish.

Steak knives can come with serrated, semi-serrated, or non-serrated edges. Serrated steak knives stay sharp for
a longer period of time without honing or sharpening. Non-serrated knives become dull faster, but they’re also
easier to sharpen.

10. The Nakiri Bocho

The Nakiri bocho is a Japanese style knife used mostly for cutting vegetables. It features a thin and wide blade
and squared-off tips.

As it is designed for chopping veggies, the knife has a long straight blade. This allows it to cut long vegetables
(eggplants or carrots, for example) in half with ease. It’s the knife you should use when you want to make thin
slices out of cucumber, bitter gourd, or tomatoes.

11. The Fillet Knife

This knife looks very similar to the boning knife. However, there are subtle differences between the two.

Since a boning knife is designed to remove meat from the bone, it tends to be thicker and have better force
endurance. The fillet knife, meanwhile, is made to cut thin fish slices and thus is typically thinner, longer, and
more flexible. 

The distinctions are so small the two knives can substitute each other in most cases. Knifemakers sometimes
blend the two, hence the emergence of the boning fillet knife. If you’re an expert in sashimi or chicken boning,
you’d probably notice the differences. Other than that, either of the two should be sufficient for casual home
cooking.

12. Mincing knife

A mincing knife is a curved knife that is held with both hands and used by rocking it back and forth. This knife
can quickly mince vegetables or herbs into very small pieces with minimal effort.

13. Decorating knife

If a chef wants his or her food to have a designed edge (for example, cut in a zig-zag pattern), he or she can use
a decorating knife. Decorating knives have patterns in the blade that appear on the foods it cuts.

14. French knife

A French knife is versatile and can be used to chop, mince, slice or dice.

It  is typically about 8 inches in size and used for almost everything, from chopping vegetables and herbs to
slicing steaks and chicken.

15. Roast beef slicer

Used to curve rounds, boneless roasts, boiled briskets, pot roasts, butt roasts and standing rib roasts.

The narrow cold meat slicer is used to sliced ham or leftover cold roasts of all kind.
Activity 1.1

So there you have it, a quick round-up of the different types of kitchen knives. Answer the following questions.

1. Which of these knives are in your kitchen?

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2. Do you prefer a chef’s knife or a Santoku for general cutting work?

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3. Are there any other important knives that you think should be on the list?
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