Tradition and innovation in Danish children's cookbooks

Karen Wistoft

Research output: Contribution to conferenceConference abstract for conferenceResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Aim: Since the first Danish children's cookbook was published in 1847, cooking has been taught to Danish children. Traditionally, the cookbooks addressed children from more affluent families, but today they are dedicated to children from all socio-economic groups. The objective of this paper is to present a historical based didactic analysis of Danish children's cookbooks, and to present a new Danish children cookbook MY Cooking [MIT Kokkeri] published in 2014. MY Cooking is a result of studies of Danish school children's desire for cooking and learning in regard to food and meals. My Cooking is prepared by researchers and food educators in collaboration with eight Danish master chefs. The starting point in this proposal is the didactic idea generation behind this new innovative cookbook and a recently published evaluation generated by Danish education researchers.
Methods: The proposal has two parts. Part one draws on a historical source analysis. All Danish children's cookbooks since 1847 are recorded. All children cookbooks published since 1970 [N=456] are reviewed and analyzed didactically in relation to learning goals, upbringing values and taste dimensions. Part two reflects on the current cookbook development of MY Cooking reflected in a taste pedagogical and didactic perspective.
Findings: The main finding in part one is a historical account of trends in Danish children's cookbook history. Compared with this, part two describes the new cookbook My Cooking's effectiveness among Danish school children. There is no doubt that Danish children are very concerned with making their own food and want to capture the kitchen for themselves. They strive to get the parents out of the kitchen to experiment with their own dishes and recipes. Furthermore, a main outcome is that although it was not the primary intention with MY Cooking, it is used in teaching home economics at most Danish public schools. The cookbook appeals to students as well as teachers and parents.
Conclusion: For more than 150 years cooking has been taught to Danish children through cookbooks and different educational values have influenced traditional trends in food and taste education. Today children want to take mental and practical ownership to their own cooking. School teachers express great recognition of a new innovative children's cookbook and involve the book as a teaching tool in Home economics education.
Original languageEnglish
Publication date1 May 2017
Number of pages1
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2017
EventARAHE: The 19th Biennial International Congress in Japan - Tokyo, Japan
Duration: 6 Aug 201710 Aug 2017
Conference number: 19

Conference

ConferenceARAHE
Number19
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityTokyo
Period06/08/201710/08/2017

Keywords

  • Cook books
  • Children
  • Historie
  • Cooking
  • Taste
  • Senses
  • Kreativity
  • Children chefs
  • SfL 2.0: Smag for Livet - med smagen som brobygger

    Wistoft, K. (Project manager), Mouritsen, O. G. (Project manager), Hedegaard, L.-L. (Project manager), Sørensen, S. (Project manager), Schneider, M. (Project coordinator), Højgaard Christensen, J. (Participant), Stovgaard, M. (Participant), Thrane, C. (Participant) & Brahe, T. (Participant)

    01/07/201830/06/2021

    Project: Research

    File
  • Danske børnekogebøger 1971-2016

    Wistoft, K. (Participant), Qvortrup, L. (Participant) & Leer, J. (Project manager)

    01/11/201528/02/2018

    Project: Research

  • SmagForLivet

    Mouritsen, O. G. (Applicant), Wistoft, K. (Project manager), Leer, J. (Participant), Højlund, S. (Participant) & Povlsen, K. K. (Participant)

    01/07/201430/06/2018

    Project: Research

  • International Nutrition, Health Literacy and Education Conference

    Wistoft, K. (Invited speaker)

    11 Feb 2021

    Activity: Presentations, memberships, ownership and other activitiesLecture and oral contribution

    File
  • Teaching Taste

    Wistoft, K. (Participant)

    25 Oct 2019

    Activity: Presentations, memberships, ownership and other activitiesOther

  • Smagens didaktik

    Wistoft, K. (Lecturer)

    17 Apr 2018

    Activity: Presentations, memberships, ownership and other activitiesLecture and oral contribution

    File

Cite this