WAEC & NECO 2025 Food and Nutrition Practical: Questions to Expect

Common Topics in Food Preparation and Cooking Techniques

In the WAEC and NECO Food and Nutrition Practical, food preparation and cooking techniques form the foundation of your tasks. These areas test your ability to handle various methods of preparing meals, from basic to advanced. 

Understanding these techniques helps you deliver meals that are both nutritious and visually appealing.

Some common topics you need to study include:

• Boiling: Cooking food in water or broth until tender, such as rice, yams, or vegetables.
• Steaming: Preparing delicate dishes like moi-moi or vegetables using steam to preserve nutrients.
• Frying: Techniques like shallow frying for pancakes or deep frying for snacks such as chin-chin.
• Baking: Making pastries like bread, cakes, or cookies, requiring precise temperature control.
• Grilling: Cooking meats or vegetables over direct heat for a smoky flavor.
• Stewing: Preparing soups or stews by simmering ingredients slowly in liquid.
• Roasting: Cooking items like chicken, fish, or root vegetables in an oven for a crispy finish.

Mastering these techniques involves understanding the best tools, heat control, and ingredient combinations, which are key to excelling in practical exams.

Nutritional Value Analysis of Specific Meals

Analyzing the nutritional value of meals is a key aspect of the WAEC and NECO Food and Nutrition Practical. 

This task evaluates your understanding of how different ingredients contribute to a balanced diet and the health benefits they provide. 

You can be asked to assess the macronutrient and micronutrient content of meals, ensuring they meet specific dietary needs.

The following are key areas you are to focus on:

• Protein content: Identifying sources like meat, fish, eggs, beans, or lentils and their role in body repair and growth.
• Carbohydrates: Analyzing staples such as rice, yam, or potatoes for energy provision.
• Fats and oils: Assessing healthy fats from sources like avocados, nuts, or olive oil and their contribution to energy and brain function.
• Vitamins and minerals: Highlighting vegetables and fruits as rich sources, focusing on their role in immunity and overall health.
• Fiber content: Evaluating foods like whole grains and vegetables that aid digestion.
• Caloric value: Calculating the overall energy provided by the meal in relation to the dietary requirements of the consumer.

Demonstrating your ability to balance meals while considering their health impacts shows a strong understanding of nutrition, which is essential for excelling in the practical.

Meal Planning for Specific Dietary Needs

Meal planning for specific dietary needs is an important aspect of the WAEC and NECO Food and Nutrition Practical. 

This section assesses your ability to design balanced meals that cater to the unique nutritional requirements of different individuals or groups. 

It involves creativity, precision, and an understanding of dietary principles.

Common dietary needs you can encounter include:

• Diabetic Diets: Planning meals with low sugar and high fiber content, such as whole grains, vegetables, and lean proteins.
• Low-fat Diets: Incorporating lean meats, low-fat dairy, and steamed or grilled dishes to minimize unhealthy fats.
• High-protein Diets: Creating meals with beans, eggs, chicken, or fish to support muscle repair and growth.
• Vegetarian or Vegan Diets: Ensuring adequate nutrients through plant-based sources like legumes, tofu, and a variety of vegetables.
• Gluten-free Diets: Avoiding wheat-based foods and using alternatives like rice, yam, or millet.
• Child-friendly Meals: Designing meals rich in calcium, iron, and vitamins to support growth and development.

Effective meal planning demonstrates your ability to address dietary restrictions while ensuring nutritional balance and variety, a vital skill in practical food and nutrition tasks.

Identification and Use of Kitchen Tools and Equipment

This section tests your ability to recognize various utensils and appliances, explain their functions, and use them correctly during meal preparation.

Proper handling of these tools ensures efficiency, safety, and quality outcomes.

Key tools and equipment often included are:

• Measuring Tools: Scales, measuring cups, and spoons for accurate ingredient quantities.
• Cutting Tools: Knives, peelers, and graters for slicing, chopping, or peeling ingredients.
• Mixing Equipment: Bowls, whisks, and spatulas for combining ingredients efficiently.
• Cooking Appliances: Stoves, ovens, and microwaves for boiling, baking, grilling, or reheating.
• Storage Tools: Airtight containers, plastic wraps, and foil for preserving food freshness.
• Specialized Utensils: Sieves, colanders, or rolling pins for tasks like straining, draining, or flattening dough.

Demonstrating your familiarity with these tools not only ensures precision but also reflects your readiness to handle practical tasks effectively, a key requirement for excelling in the exam.

Food Preservation and Storage Methods

Food preservation and storage methods are vital components of the WAEC and NECO Food and Nutrition Practical, it evaluates your understanding of techniques used to extend the shelf life of food, prevent spoilage, and maintain nutritional value.

These methods are essential for ensuring food safety and reducing waste.

Key preservation methods you can focus on include:

• Refrigeration: Keeping perishable items like meat, fish, and dairy at low temperatures to slow bacterial growth.
• Freezing: Storing food like vegetables, fruits, and leftovers at freezing temperatures to halt microbial activity.
• Drying: Removing moisture from foods like fish, grains, or fruits to inhibit spoilage.
• Canning: Preserving food in airtight containers to protect against microorganisms.
• Pickling: Using vinegar or brine to preserve vegetables or fruits.
• Salting: Applying salt to meat or fish to draw out moisture and prevent bacterial growth.
• Vacuum sealing: Removing air from packaging to extend the freshness of food.

Your ability to explain and apply these methods demonstrates a solid understanding of food preservation, a critical skill in practical food and nutrition tasks.

Hygiene and Safety Practices in Food Handling

Hygiene and safety practices in food handling are essential to preventing contamination, maintaining food quality, and ensuring the health of those consuming the meals. 

In the WAEC and NECO Food and Nutrition Practical, this section evaluates your knowledge of cleanliness, proper food handling, and safety precautions in the kitchen.

Key practices to focus on include:

• Personal hygiene: Washing hands before cooking, wearing clean aprons, and covering hair to prevent contamination.
• Cleanliness of work area: Sanitizing countertops, cutting boards, and utensils before and after use.
• Proper storage: Keeping raw and cooked foods separate to avoid cross-contamination.
• Safe cooking temperatures: Ensuring meats, poultry, and seafood are cooked thoroughly to eliminate harmful bacteria.
• Waste disposal: Disposing of food scraps and packaging promptly to maintain a clean kitchen environment.
• Handling sharp tools: Using knives and other sharp equipment carefully to prevent injuries.
• Fire safety: Avoiding loose clothing near open flames and knowing how to handle small kitchen fires.

Practicing these hygiene and safety measures not only demonstrates professionalism but also ensures that your prepared meals meet health and safety standards, a critical requirement in food and nutrition practicals.

Question to Expect during the practical 

The WAEC and NECO Food and Nutrition Practical often include a variety of questions designed to test your knowledge, creativity, and technical skills. 

Below are 30 questions you can encounter:

1. Plan a three-course meal suitable for a family of four.
2. Prepare a dish using steaming as the main cooking method.
3. Explain the nutritional benefits of your prepared dish.
4. Demonstrate the correct way to chop vegetables for a stir-fry.
5. Identify three kitchen tools used for baking and explain their functions.
6. Prepare a meal for a diabetic patient and justify your choice of ingredients.
7. Explain how to preserve leftover food using freezing.
8. Outline hygiene practices you must follow when handling raw poultry.
9. Cook a traditional dish from your locality and describe its cultural significance.
10. Prepare a protein-rich breakfast suitable for an active teenager.
11. Describe how to sanitize kitchen utensils after use.
12. Demonstrate how to safely light and use a gas stove.
13. Prepare a balanced lunch meal and analyze its nutrient composition.
14. Explain the steps involved in making puff-puff or buns.
15. Prepare a meal using leftover rice and minimize food waste.
16. Describe the process of canning fruits for long-term preservation.
17. Present a garnished dish and explain your choice of garnishes.
18. Outline the steps to make a simple salad and a suitable dressing.
19. Identify the safety precautions to observe when frying foods.
20. Cook a dish using grilling as the primary cooking method.
21. Explain how to store fresh vegetables to maintain their quality.
22. Prepare a high-calorie meal for an underweight individual.
23. List the steps to make akara (bean cakes) and identify key ingredients.
24. Explain the importance of time management during food preparation.
25. Demonstrate how to prepare a thickened soup using vegetables.
26. Describe how to handle and dispose of kitchen waste hygienically.
27. Prepare a dish using plant-based ingredients only.
28. Identify signs of spoilage in common perishable foods.
29. Demonstrate how to use a food thermometer to check the temperature of cooked meat.
30. Prepare and serve a fruit platter suitable for a festive occasion.

These questions reflect the broad range of tasks and skills assessed during the practical, helping you to prepare effectively.

Dos and Don’t in the Food and Nutrition Practical

Dos:

• Wash your hands thoroughly before handling any food.
• Wear a clean apron and ensure your hair is covered properly.
• Organize your workspace to ensure efficiency and cleanliness.
• Read and understand the instructions given before starting.
• Use the correct kitchen tools for each task to ensure safety and precision.
• Practice proper portioning of ingredients to avoid waste.
• Clean utensils and surfaces immediately after use.
• Label ingredients or prepared dishes if required for assessment.
• Ensure all cooking is done at the appropriate temperatures.
• Work within the time allocated to complete all tasks.
• Communicate clearly with the examiner if you need clarification.

Don’ts:

• Do not start cooking without washing your hands or cleaning your workspace.
• Avoid using dirty or damaged utensils during the practical.
• Never mix raw and cooked foods on the same surface to prevent contamination.
• Do not guess measurements; use appropriate measuring tools.
• Do not use unsafe or expired ingredients.
• Refrain from being disorganized, as it may slow you down.
• Do not ignore safety precautions, especially when handling sharp tools or hot appliances.
• Avoid rushing; focus on accuracy and neatness.
• Do not leave any waste or spills unattended in your workspace.
• Never argue with the examiner or other participants during the practical.