JC Home Economics study plan
JC Home Economics · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Food, Health and Culinary Skills
Classify the six nutrient groups and state the main function and energy value of each (protein and carbohydrate 4 kcal/g, fat 9 kcal/g).
Calculate the total energy and percentage energy from protein, fat and carbohydrate for a supplied one-day menu.
Match each macronutrient to three food sources and one deficiency or excess condition.
Reproduce a blank nutrient summary table from memory and self-correct it against notes.
Your checkpoint
One-page nutrient summary table plus a fully worked energy calculation for a one-day menu, scored at 90% or higher on self-marking.
Food, Health and Culinary Skills
Trace the digestion and absorption of protein, carbohydrate and fat from mouth to small intestine, naming the enzyme at each stage.
State the function, two food sources and one deficiency disease for iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin D, folate and vitamin B12.
Apply the national healthy eating guidelines and food pyramid to portion a realistic day of meals and snacks.
Compare the energy and nutrient needs of an adolescent, a pregnant woman, an older adult and a physically active adult.
Your checkpoint
Fifteen-question closed-book self-quiz with an answer key, scoring at least 12 out of 15, plus an annotated sample day menu justifying each food choice.
Food, Health and Culinary Skills
Sequence the seven principles of HACCP and apply them to a home kitchen preparing a chicken dish.
Identify high-risk foods and state correct temperature control: chilled storage 0-5 degrees C, freezer -18 degrees C, danger zone 5-63 degrees C.
Interpret a food label by ranking ingredients by weight, spotting the 14 declared allergens and comparing the nutrition panel per 100 g against per portion.
Explain three causes of food spoilage and three preservation methods with the mechanism behind each.
Your checkpoint
A one-page food safety flow chart for a named recipe plus a 10-mark exam-style question answered under a strict 12-minute timer.
Food, Health and Culinary Skills
Demonstrate three core culinary techniques (a named knife cut, the rubbing-in method and a roux-based sauce) using the correct method and hygiene routines.
Design a balanced two-course family meal for four people within a 15 euro budget and justify it nutritionally.
Write a minute-by-minute work plan for a 90-minute practical that sequences preparation, cooking and clean-down.
Evaluate two finished dishes on appearance, aroma, texture, flavour and cost, and propose one concrete improvement each.
Your checkpoint
A timed 90-minute practical producing two dishes, submitted with the written work plan, costing sheet and a completed sensory evaluation checklist.
Responsible Living
State the main consumer rights that apply to goods and services bought in Ireland and the EU, and name the bodies that enforce them.
Outline the escalation steps for a faulty-goods complaint from retailer contact to formal redress.
Analyse three advertisements for persuasive techniques and flag any claim that would be misleading under consumer law.
Compare four payment methods (cash, debit, credit, buy-now-pay-later) on cost, risk and consumer protection.
Your checkpoint
A model written complaint letter for a named faulty purchase plus a table resolving five purchase scenarios to the correct redress route.
Responsible Living
Build a monthly household budget that separates fixed, variable and irregular costs from a supplied net income.
Distinguish needs from wants and calculate the monthly saving produced by three realistic substitutions.
Explain the purpose of home, health, car and life insurance and compare two premium quotes for the same cover.
Describe the main housing options and their recurring costs (rent, mortgage, utilities, waste charges) in an Irish context.
Your checkpoint
A completed household budget showing a savings rate of at least 10%, with a one-page written reflection on the trade-offs made.
Responsible Living
Trace one food item from production to disposal, identifying food miles, packaging, water use and waste at each stage.
Apply the waste hierarchy to a weekly meal plan and cut avoidable food waste by at least 30%.
Compare the energy use of common household appliances and calculate the annual saving from two behaviour changes.
Read a textile care label and link two fibre properties to the correct washing, drying and ironing method.
Your checkpoint
A seven-day food waste audit recording weight or item counts before and after the intervention, with a written action plan.
Food, Health and Culinary Skills & Responsible Living
Complete a full-length written paper under timed conditions with no notes.
Identify the five most frequently repeated question types and draft model answers to marking-scheme standard.
Revise the weakest two topics flagged by the mock into a single-page cram sheet per domain.
Assemble and rehearse the equipment list and timing plan for the practical food skills assessment.
Your checkpoint
A full timed mock paper scored against a marking scheme with a target of 80% or higher, plus two completed cram sheets.
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 12 out of 15 on the closed-book nutrition quiz and explain digestion of all three macronutrients without prompts.
Week 4: Complete both practical dishes inside 90 minutes with a written work plan, and answer a 10-mark food safety question within the 12-minute limit.
Week 6: Produce a household budget that balances and hits a 10% savings target, and correctly resolve all five consumer redress scenarios.
Week 8: Achieve 80% or higher on the full timed mock paper, with no domain scoring below 70%.