AQA GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition specification (8585)
Understanding the exam specification is key to doing well in your AQA GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition exam. It lays out exactly what you need to learn, how you'll be assessed, and what skills the examiners seek. Whether you're working through the course for the first time or revising for your final exams, the specification helps you stay focused and confident in your preparation.
We've included helpful revision tools to support you in putting the specification into practice. Wherever you're starting from, you'll find everything you need to feel prepared, from the official specification to high-quality resources designed to help you succeed.
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In the next section, you'll find a simplified summary of the official AQA GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition specification, along with a breakdown of key topics, assessment structure, and useful study resources. We've also included links to topic-level guides and revision tools to help you put the specification into practice.
Contents
Disclaimer
This page includes a summary of the official AQA GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition (8585) specification, provided to support your revision. While we've made every effort to ensure accuracy, Save My Exams is not affiliated with the awarding body.
For the most complete and up-to-date information, we strongly recommend consulting the official AQA specification PDF.
Specification overview
This GCSE in Food Preparation & Nutrition is a creative and practical course that equips students with the knowledge, understanding and skills to cook and apply principles of food science, nutrition and healthy eating. Emphasising the development of strong practical cookery skills, the course integrates these into the study of key topics including nutrition, food safety, food choice, food provenance and food science. Students gain insight into the working characteristics of ingredients, the impact of diet on health, and sustainable food practices. This qualification prepares students for further study or careers in catering and food-related industries:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}.
Subject content breakdown
3.1 Food preparation skills
- Integrated across five sections, not taught separately.
- Covers general practical skills, knife skills, fruit and vegetable prep, use of cooker and equipment, cooking methods, shaping and combining, sauce making, tenderising, dough, raising agents, setting mixtures.
3.2 Food, nutrition and health
- Macronutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrate – functions, sources, dietary impact.
- Micronutrients: vitamins and minerals – functions, sources, deficiency/excess.
- Nutritional needs and health across life stages and dietary groups.
- Energy balance: BMR, PAL, energy percentages by macronutrient.
- Diet, nutrition and health: diet-related conditions and analysis.
3.3 Food science
- Cooking methods and heat transfer: conduction, convection, radiation.
- Functional and chemical properties of proteins, carbs, fats, fruits/vegetables, raising agents.
3.4 Food safety
- Food spoilage, contamination, microorganisms and enzymes.
- Principles of food safety: buying, storing, preparing, cooking, serving.
3.5 Food choice
- Influences: lifestyle, health, religion, culture, ethics, allergies.
- Labelling and marketing.
- British and international cuisines; sensory evaluation methods.
3.6 Food provenance
- Sources and sustainability: farming, fishing, food waste, Fairtrade.
- Food production and processing: primary and secondary.
- Technological developments and fortification.
3.7 Food preparation and cooking techniques
- Apply theory in practice; choose appropriate ingredients, techniques, methods, portion sizes and evaluate results.
Assessment structure
Paper 1: Food preparation and nutrition
- 1 hour 45 minutes written exam
- 100 marks, 50% of GCSE
- Section A: Multiple choice (20 marks)
- Section B: 5 structured questions (80 marks)
- Assesses theoretical knowledge from Sections 1–5
Non-exam assessment (NEA)
- 50% of GCSE, 100 marks total
- Task 1: Food investigation (10 hours)
- Written report (1,500–2,000 words) with photos
- Investigate functional and chemical properties of ingredients
- 30 marks: research (6), investigation (15), analysis/evaluation (9)
- Task 2: Food preparation assessment (20 hours)
- Plan, cook, and present 3-dish menu in a single 3-hour session
- Portfolio of up to 20 pages with photos
- 70 marks: research (6), technical skills (18), planning (8), final dishes (30), evaluation (8)
Assessment Objectives
- AO1: Knowledge and understanding – 20%
- AO2: Application – 30%
- AO3: Plan, prepare, cook, present – 30%
- AO4: Analyse and evaluate – 20%
- Equal weighting across exam and NEA (50% each):contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Key tips for success
Doing well in your AQA GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition isn't just about how much you study, but how you study. Here are a few proven tips to help you stay on track
- Start with a clear plan: Break the subject into topics and create a revision schedule that allows enough time for each. Start early to avoid last-minute stress.
- Focus on understanding, not memorising: Use our revision notes to build a strong foundation in each topic, making sure you actually understand the material.
- Practise regularly: Attempt past papers to familiarise yourself with the exam format and timing. Mark your answers to see how close you are to full marks.
- Be strategic with your revision: Use exam questions by topic to focus on weaker areas, and flashcards to reinforce important facts and terminology.
- Learn from mistakes: Whether it's from mock exams or practice questions, spend time reviewing what went wrong and why. This helps prevent repeat mistakes in the real exam.
- Stay balanced: Don't forget to take regular breaks, eat well, and get enough sleep, a healthy routine makes revision much more effective.
With the right approach and consistent practice, you'll build confidence and improve your chances of exam success.
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