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Culinary Basics

The School Nutrition Programs Culinary Basics online training.

Course Description

Learn about the importance of portion control in food preparation and meal service and the benefits of using proper equipment and utensils to measure and control portions. Participants will also be able to compare weight versus volume measurements, and access references and resources to accurately prepare standardized recipes, and control portions for school food service.

  • Course Number: 130
  • Training Length: 45 minutes
  • Certificate: Available at the end of the training
  • Target Audience: Food Service Director and Staff
  • Mandatory: No
  • Cost: Free
  • Date Recorded: August 2017

Online Course

Begin the Culinary Basics course.

Referenced Resources

The following resources are referred to throughout this online course:

Crediting

  • Crediting: 0.75 hour
  • Key Area: Operations (2000)
    • Training Topic: Food Production (2100)
      • Learning Objective: Culinary Skills (2130)

For more information on crediting, access the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Professional Standards Learning Objectives & Training Topics web pageExternal link opens in new window or tab..

Additional Information

  • USDA Food Buying Guide External link opens in new window or tab. (FBG) assists with buying the right amount of food and the appropriate type of food and determine the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements.

  • USDA FBG Interactive Web Based Tool External link opens in new window or tab. includes the FBG Calculator which is used to determine quantities to purchase and prepare recipes.

  • Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) Basic Culinary Math teaches basic culinary math skills. Search for ‘Basic Culinary Math’ on the ICN iLearn web page External link opens in new window or tab.. Registration is required for these online classes.

Contact Us

If you have technical difficulties or questions regarding the course content, contact SNPInfo@cde.ca.gov.

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Thursday, July 16, 2026
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