Sweden Home and Consumer Studies Curriculum (Grundskola)

Home and Consumer Studies

Home and family life are central to human existence. Our habits at home affect the well-being of individuals and families, as well as society and the natural world. Knowledge of consumer issues and household work provides people with important tools for creating a functional everyday life and promoting sustainable development by making informed choices as consumers with regard to health, finances, and the environment.

Aim

The aim of teaching Home and Consumer Studies is to ensure that pupils develop knowledge of and interest in household work, finances, and consumer choices. Pupils develop knowledge about food and meals through a process where thought, sensory experience, and action are intertwined. The teaching helps pupils develop their creativity and ability to take initiative in cooking, creating meals, and performing other household tasks.

The teaching helps pupils develop an awareness of the consequences of household choices for health, well-being, and shared resources. It also helps pupils develop knowledge about consumer conditions, payments, savings, credit, and loans. This gives pupils the skills to make informed choices about personal finances and to deal with various problems and situations that a young consumer may face. The teaching helps pupils develop knowledge about norms, gender equality, and the division of labor in the home, and provides opportunities to reflect on these issues. It also gives pupils the skills to develop knowledge about cultural variations and traditions in different households.

Core Content for Years 1-6

• Food and Cooking: Cooking for different contexts. Basic food preparation methods, including baking. Planning, organizing, and evaluating the work. Simple instructions and recipes, how to read and follow them, and common cooking terms. Discussion of taste, smell, consistency, and texture sensations in relation to cooking. Tools and technical equipment used in cooking and how to use them functionally and safely. Hygiene and food safety related to handling, preparing, and storing food.
• Personal Finances and Consumption: Young people's personal finances. The relationship between savings and consumption. Different ways of paying and saving. The difference between objective consumer information and other influences on consumer choices. Advertising in different forms, including hidden advertising messages. Comparisons of some common goods based on comparison prices.
• Lifestyle Habits: The importance of a varied and balanced diet for good health. How meals can be distributed throughout the day. The importance of meals for socialising. Different culinary traditions. Economical and sustainable use of food and other consumables in the home. Recycling in the home and locally, and how it works. Different certifications and labeling of food and other goods, and their importance. Cleaning routines and methods.