Food Activities

Food is a great way to connect relevance of STEM content to our lives. Activities explore the science of cooking and preparing food, some of the societal choices about how we grow and process food. Activities can be incorporated into events that involve cooking an eating, food festivals, and annual celebrations like Halloween and Valentine's Day.

Hands-On Activities and Resources

Building with Biology Bio Bistro activity components

Building with Biology: Bio Bistro

In this activity, learners decide what current and future synthetic biology-based food products they would, would not, or might eat.

Educator and group of children learning about self assembly using Gummy Capsules NanoDays activity

Exploring Fabrication - Gummy Capsules

In this activity, learners make self-assembled polymer spheres.

Kids making and tasting gummy worms

Sweet Self-Assembly

In this activity, learners make edible macrocapsules using techniques similar to those being used in laboratories to make nanocapsules or "smart drugs".

syringe of brownish gel ejecting into a small strainer over a bucket

Molecular Gastronomy

In this O Wow Moments video, Mr. O looks at the fusion of science and cooking by making a special ice cream topping.

What’s Nano About Chocolate?

In this 30-second video, viewers quickly learn about nanosized particles and the sense of smell.

A facilitator demonstrates how to mix and chew gum with a piece of chocolate

Gum and Chocolate

In this activity, learners practice observation and prediction skills as they experience an interesting chemical reaction in their mouths by chewing chocolate and gum at the same time.

NanoDays Nano Food activity components including sign, guides, and activity materials.

Exploring Products - Nano Food

In this activity, learners explore how nanotechnology may be used in food products.

Person wearing red safety gloves liquid nitrogen being poured into a vat of cream

Nano Ice Cream

In this public presentation, a presenter will demonstrate how liquid nitrogen cools a creamy mixture at such a rapid rate that it precipitates super fine grained (nano) ice cream.

Online Workshop Recording: Nano Brown-Bag: Nano in Food

Online professional development workshop recording (2013).

NanoDays Nano Food activity components including sign, guides, and activity materials.

Exploring Products - Nano Food

In this activity, learners explore how nanotechnology may be used in food products.

A facilitator adds scented oils into deflated balloons

Exploring Size - Smelly Balloons

In this activity learners use their sense of smell to explore the world on the nanoscale and learn that we can smell some things that are too small to see.

Pots on a kitchen stovetop next to vegetables on a kitchen counter

Kitchen Chemistry

In this stage presentation, learners discover the complex chemistry behind a seemingly simple bowl of spaghetti, and recognize the recognize the science that we practice every day in our very own home.

Presenter on stage with large powerpoint screen and props

Would You Buy That

In this stage presentation, learners explores social and ethical issues of consumer products from the past, present and future

Plastic grocery baskets along with grocery store purchases including sunblock

Buy It, Or Better Not?

In this activity, learners consider the costs, risks, and benefits of nanoparticles in various products.

What is nano about museum labels thumbnails of signs featuring signs of hot-chocolate, hamburger, glass of water, a window, and a toilet

Nano Museum Labels (Graphic Signs)

These museum graphic labels highlight everyday connections to nanoscale science including: chocolate, food packaging, water, a window, paint, a toilet, a soap bubble, fashion, a sock, a pencil, a butterfly, a gecko, a laptop, an elevator, and a local city.

More resources:

Search all resources related to food and cooking
HowToSmile.org collection of cooking activities
HowToSmile.org food activities