Fellow veggies, should I do Home Ec?

laurashambles

So I'm picking subjects for fifth year at the moment and I have to make a choice between Art and Home Ec. I'm not really keen on doing art, as I failed it pretty spectacularly at JC, but on the flip side of things, I'm terrified of having to handle meat if I choose Home Ec. I'm a pretty good cook and I like the idea of learning about nutrition and whatnot, but I have a major thing about touching meat and if it came down to it I think I'd pretty much have to choose art if that was the case.

Any sage advice??

the_syco

Maybe ask here about how much meat you'll be holding?

Do home ec because it is ridiculously easy to ace. Think of the lovely low stress points!

Have a word with your year head or one of the home ec teachers. See if you can make veggie alternatives to the dishes. The point is to learn to look after yourself, cooking something that you can't eat is doing you no favours educationally.

Whispered

the_syco wrote: »

Maybe ask here about how much meat you'll be holding?

*takes mind out of gutter*


I did home ec, I think I had to do only 2 meat recipes, and one fish one. Maybe speak to whatever teacher you'd have and ask if you would be allowed to do recipes but to do a vegetarian version of them?

Tar.Aldarion

Will just echo what has been said. Do what you like most, but maybe talk to the teacher first

Seren_

I did home ec for the LC and loved it! It's a lot of hard work because the course is so broad, but it's interesting

You really should ask the teachers about doing it if you don't like touching meat though, because of the practical bit (you have to cook 5 or 6 things and do a write up about them, it's worth 20% iirc). You're given a brief which outlines what the dish should be for (e.g. when I did mine, one of the briefs was to make a dessert suitable a diabetic). The only thing that I think mightn't work is that some of the briefs might ask for meat to be involved Definitely ask one of the home ec teachers in your school, they'll know more about that bit than me!

ztoical

Speak to the teachers....there has to be some guidelines in place for them to follow for people who can't cook certain foods for medical reasons [even if they don't eat the dish they would need to be tasting it while cooking and if they've allergies that could be an issue] or on religious grounds.

DonnieScribbles

I did Home Ec as a vegetarian and never had to go near any meat. This was 6-7 years ago now so hopefully the curriculum hasn't changed that much since then...

But yeah, as everyone else said, check with the teacher whether you'll have to cook any meat. It might depend on the teacher whether they'd let you off or not.

Aoifums

I don't know if it's too late, but I'm doing Home Ec as a vegan and hating it. I think it's partially because of my teacher as she insists on meat being cooked for each task I haven't eaten any of the dishes and you have to evaluate them.

On the flip side, the other 5th year Home Ec teacher is completley open minded minded and allows you to cook any vegetarian or ethinic dishes you want. The less average the better.

So talk to one of the Home Ec teachers in your school.

Oh, and try not to burn your Home Ec book if/when you get it. Mine has absurd (and really, really wrong) "facts" about veg*nism :rolleyes:

Tar.Aldarion

No way you could wrangle a change of teacher? I'd have a word with the head of the school.

Aoifums

Aoifums wrote: »

Mine has absurd (and really, really wrong) "facts" about veg*nism :rolleyes:

What kinda things does the book say?

Sorry to hear you have to put up with that. :S

Aoifums

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

No way you could wrangle a change of teacher? I'd have a word with the head of the school.

I could but I'd have to give up physics. And I could never do that

Moonbaby wrote: »

What kinda things does the book say?

Sorry to hear you have to put up with that. :S

It's grand. She's a see you next tuesday, to be really honest. She knows it and everyone knows it.
I can't remember much and I don't have it with me but it under deficiencies it has the usual iron thing and zinc. Then under sources of zinc it has beans, pulses and wholemeal products. I've never met a vegetarian who doesn't eat at least one of those
I never meantioned the suicide thing! She says whenever it's mentioned that veganism is a slow path to suicide :rolleyes:
And she's a nun!

Tar.Aldarion

Oh don't be giving up that! nomnom

Ah you get some people like that....you just have to be the bigger person...ignore them...and noegg them on the last day of school with some flour nearby :pac:

Aoifums

Noming over physics? Cool! And seriously fast reply!

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Ah you get some people like that....you just have to be the bigger person...ignore them...and egg them on the last day of school with some flour nearby :pac:

I think not! :P

Tar.Aldarion

And my physics teachers were the best too. Good times.


I think you read it wrong

sweet-rasmus

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Ah you get some people like that....you just have to be the bigger person...ignore them...and noegg them on the last day of school with some flour nearby :pac:

he he he

Ms. Koi

I was a vegetarian when I did home ec, never had a problem with it.
I turned vegetarian when I was 16, so I had 1st to 3rd year cooking with meat. But when I turned veggie, I never had to cook meat! My teacher was amazing though, which helped a lot. We drank a lot of tea in that class, she also used to buy us biscuits!!

Talk to your teacher, most of them will understand. usually you cook in pairs, so if you have to cook meat, your partner can cut and taste the meat. That's what we had to do in one situation...my fault...but I didn't have to go near it.

You'll be graand!! I loved Home Ec! =]

Pjays

There are only 5 practical cookery sessions at leaving cert level and it is definitely possible to avoid having to cook meat as part of the assignments. Most of the assignments can be adapted to suit individual needs and/or any specific dietary requirement. Rarely would an assignment ask you to use meat specifically in the dish.

Also, most teachers including myself get students to cook in pairs so even if meat had to be included, your partner could do it.

Overall, Home Ec is a good choice and I'm not just advocating it because I teach it. It is extremely useful and alot of the information you learn, you will use again outside of school and in later years. It is where I first learnt about vegetarianism and decided to become one. Don't let this turn you off Home Ec. There are lots of vegetarian Home Ec teachers out there too.

laurashambles

Hi everyone, thanks for all the replies.

So I mulled it over, and chose Home Ec. I don't actually go to the school where I'll be doing the LC at the moment, so I can't really have a chat the teacher right now but I figure if there's a problem I can switch over.

laurashambles

Aoifums wrote: »

I never meantioned the suicide thing! She says whenever it's mentioned that veganism is a slow path to suicide :rolleyes:
And she's a nun!

:eek: That is truly nuts. I'm sorry you have to put up with that.

Aoifums

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

And my physics teachers were the best too. Good times.


I think you read it wrong

Maybe

laurashambles wrote: »

:eek: That is truly nuts. I'm sorry you have to put up with that.

I know. But I'm comforted that she's a nun and will never have a fun life Best of luck with Home Ec

Tar.Aldarion

S'ok I did a ninja edit, you had read it right

miss5

I think once you discuss your concerns with your teacher she will advise you best.
I did it and thoroughly enjoyed the course.

Tar.Aldarion

hey miss5! Welcome to the veggie parts!

I wish I had did it, but then i would have had to give up something or do an extra subject outside of school ahhh. Cooking would have been great in school, could always smell it going past. Do people provide their own food?

miss5

Thank you Tar, I'm vegetarian and just noticed this forum.

My cooking skills are desperate but In home.ec you don't have
to cook for your leaving cert anymore (Thank god) You just have to hand in
a project discussing how you cooked, different methods, preperation etc
by far the easiest honours subject!

miss5

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

hey miss5! Welcome to the veggie parts!

I wish I had did it, but then i would have had to give up something or do an extra subject outside of school ahhh. Cooking would have been great in school, could always smell it going past. Do people provide their own food?

In my school when we were cooking we had to bring it in ourselves, Usually
ended up in the bin by the end of class lol

Tar.Aldarion

miss5 wrote: »

Thank you Tar, I'm vegetarian and just noticed this forum.

My cooking skills are desperate but In home.ec you don't have
to cook for your leaving cert anymore (Thank god) You just have to hand in
a project discussing how you cooked, different methods, preperation etc
by far the easiest honours subject!

miss5 wrote: »

In my school when we were cooking we had to bring it in ourselves, Usually
ended up in the bin by the end of class lol

Oh didn't know you were veggie, welcome! Do stay and have a look about. :-D
Hehe, can imagine cooking in an exam, oh slightly burned, that is a C. Sounds like a handy subject, is why most people did it. Can't have been that badly burned to go in the bin!

miss5

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Oh didn't know you were veggie, welcome! Do stay and have a look about. :-D
Hehe, can imagine cooking in an exam, oh slightly burned, that is a C. Sounds like a handy subject, is why most people did it. Can't have been that badly burned to go in the bin!

You would be surprised

I think most students should do home. ec, The booklet is 20% and you
can choose an elective worth 25%, which makes the exam very easy.

Tar.Aldarion

Would have loved to do it instead of Irish >.<