About This Quiz
Did you take a home economics class in middle school? Home ec is not very common in U.S. schools anymore, and depending on which decade your tween years took place, the curriculum may have included a variety of household and family lessons that are somewhat outdated today. (Most schools have stopped requiring students to carry around a sack of flour for a week pretending like it's a baby.)
However, certain domestic factoids will never change. We're talking about baking measurements, oven temperatures, cleaning methods, basic hygiene and food safety. No matter what your home life or family dynamics are now, basic home ec trivia knowledge is really all about knowing how to manage a household, stay healthy, keep organized and function in your everyday life. (Nowadays, you might call this "adulting"!) Whether you took a home ec class in middle school or have only seen one portrayed on TV, it might be worth testing your knowledge of home life and family management.
Maybe you've taken a home ec class, or maybe you were more into shop or band. In any case, if you know your way around the kitchen, laundry room, medicine cabinet and pantry, maybe you've got what it takes to ace this middle school home ec test. Let's get started.
If you're not into drinking eight glasses of plain water each day, try sparkling water. You can also add cucumbers, strawberries, blueberries or other fresh fruits to water to keep things interesting.
Before you start cooking a meal, it's a good idea to wash your hands. This will prevent any bacteria on your hands from getting onto the food. It's a smart habit if you want to avoid spreading sickness among family members.
While there's no single right way to do laundry, most people separate their clothes by color. This means you might have a dark load, a light load and a load of colors. Just make sure you don't miss a red sock in your light load, because you might turn all your whites pink!
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Apples are in season during the fall, and one of the best ways to enjoy them is by baking them into a pie! There are endless yummy variations to this all-American dessert, including apple crisp, apple-fig tart and apple pie bars.
Cooking pasta is super simple, and you don't need much more than a pot of water. To make an easy-peasy Italian dish, cook spaghetti in salted boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes and add your favorite sauce. Bon appétit!
Fluoride is found in most toothpaste and other dental hygiene products, and it helps prevent cavities. If you brush your teeth twice a day and floss regularly, you should get an A+ on your next visit to the dentist.
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This easy-to-remember fire safety sequence should be taught to children so that they know what to do if their hair or clothing catches fire. There's even an old catchy song that goes with this phrase!
Sodium is a mineral that is used as a preservative in lots of packaged foods. When consumed in small doses, salt is great for cooking, baking, and sprinkling onto your favorite dishes.
Most children start kindergarten at the age of five. Singing, show and tell, drawing, napping and finger painting are a few activities in the curriculum. Forget middle school ... let's head back to kindergarten!
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Whether you prefer whole wheat, white or sourdough, when you make bread from scratch, you'll have to knead the dough. Kneading will help combine the ingredients and strengthen the gluten strands in the dough before it's time to pop it in the oven.
It's important for families to create a budget and spend wisely so that they can afford their recurring bills, save money, and pay for unexpected expenses. Luckily, most middle schoolers don't need to worry about this yet, but it's good to start thinking about it early!
Oranges, lemons and limes are all examples of citrus fruits. If you have a juice press or hand juicer, you can make fresh-squeezed orange juice, lemonade or limeade right at home. Yum!
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Unfortunately, styrofoam is a material that can't easily be recycled in most parts of the country. It is made from something called polystyrene, and it is not biodegradable. If you're looking to reel in your carbon footprint, steer clear of styrofoam containers!
A lot of cake recipes call for sifting flour, which involves running it through a sieve to remove lumps and make it smooth and fine. If you're new to the baking world, start with a simple white or chocolate cake. The process is easier than you might think!
This is an infection you'll definitely want to steer clear of. To avoid salmonella, be sure to thoroughly cook meat. Also, always use separate knives and cutting boards for meat and veggies.
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To make your flowers last as long as possible, cut the stems diagonally, using sharp scissors or shears. For best results, place your bouquet in lukewarm water in your favorite vase.
Minced garlic is the perfect ingredient to add to a wide range of dishes. By mincing a few cloves and adding them to a recipe, you'll get extra flavor, a nice aroma and mouth-watering goodness.
Different kitchen knives are designed to cut specific types of food. When cutting a loaf of bread, it's best to use a serrated knife. If you find yourself devouring baguettes on a regular basis, you'll want to have one on hand!
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When a recipe calls for dicing a vegetable, it means you should cut it up into small cubes. If you forget this the next time you're supposed to dice something, just think of the shape of six-sided dice.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. Too little or too much sleep can make you feel groggy all day and impact your overall health.
A healthy diet consists of a variety of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. If you eat plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, eggs, meats and legumes, you'll get plenty of each.
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Pantries are where households keep all the snacks! If your pantry is large enough, you can stock up on your favorites, like instant soups, chips, cookies and crackers. Snack like you're a middle schooler!
Before you buy a house, you'll need to get approved for a mortgage loan. Middle schoolers won't need to worry about this for a while, but saving money and being frugal are always good ideas.
Fresh or thawed turkey should be cooked in an oven at 325° to 350°F. While this may seem like a low temp for such a large bird, keep in mind that most turkeys need to cook for several hours, and the middle of the bird must reach a temperature of 165°. Gobble-gobble!
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If you regularly reach for ice cubes, ice cream, popsicles or frozen pizza, it's good to know the right temperature for your freezer. Water freezes at 32° F, but you'll want to keep your freezer set to about 0° F to so that all your frozen items last longer.
There are 16 ounces in a pound. If you're from somewhere outside the U.S., you might be used to the metric system. Pounds (lb.) and ounces (oz.) are useful to know, even after middle school!
Most natural clothing materials, such as cotton, linen and silk, can shrink in the dryer after you wash them. Synthetic fabrics typically won't. If you've got a cotton T-shirt you love, you might want to hang it to dry to avoid shrinkage.
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Poultry includes different types of birds that are raised for their meat or eggs. Chicken is one of the most popular types of poultry, and unless you're a vegetarian or vegan, you probably eat chicken or eggs almost every day.
To prevent fires and keep your home safe, the batteries in your smoke detectors should be replaced once a year. Don't wait for your smoke detectors to beep at you when the batteries get low! Mark your calendar to change them out.
Those printed dates are there for a reason. In most cases, an open carton of milk will last between four and seven days past its printed sell-by date. So, get some cereal and make use of it before it goes bad!
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It's not just middle schoolers who head to the fridge when they're craving a snack. To keep your milk, eggs, veggies and leftovers fresh enough to eat, keep your refrigerator set to 40° F.
Oatmeal is a whole grain that falls in the complex carbohydrate category because when you eat it, it will be slowly digested and won't spike your blood sugar. If you're not into eating it for breakfast, why not sneak this complex carb into dessert with oatmeal cookies?
This fun fact will be useful if you're into baking cookies, pies, cakes or pastries. Teaspoons and tablespoons are common baking measurements, and knowing this off the top of your head might be helpful next time you bake!
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There are 16 cups in a gallon. Luckily, most recipes don't call for more than a few cups of any ingredient, so you probably won't need to remember this fact outside of a middle school home ec classroom!
Most people get plenty of vitamin D from a well-rounded diet, but if you're deficient, drinking milk is a great way to get your daily dose. Another way to get vitamin D is to spend a few minutes out in the sun!