TEACHING THE FOODS OF TEXAS
HOW A FOCUS SHIFT TRIPLED THE ENROLLMENT OF A FOOD TECHNOLOGY AND SAFETY COURSE BY: E R I N ST U T T S C O L L E G E S TAT I O N H I G H S C H O O L A G R I C U LT U R E S C I E N C E T E A C H E R
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f you take a survey about the best things in Texas, the varied and breathtaking landscapes, friendly people, and diverse music scenes would probably be on the list. At the very top of the list, at least for me, is the amazing food in our state. From the boudin and crawfish of southeast Texas to fajitas originating on the border region, to modern twists on traditional BBQ which merge immigrant food cultures into a delicious new flavor fusion. With this in mind, I took a hard look at the Food Technology course name and curriculum a few years ago. The class was interesting and engaging once students registered for it, but it was difficult for us to get students to enroll in a class called “Food Technology and Safety,” especially at a school with 80+ other elective course options. One day, it hit me, restructure the course around the Foods of Texas! I could use the same TEKS but in the framework of those foods that we all love. We would explore the production, harvest, processing, and marketing of those foods and how the climate, 4
