Who doesn't love food? It's fun to make, it's fun to eat, it's fun to ...study? That's right! There is a lot of science that goes into the everyday foods that you love. Try one of our food science projects to explore questions such as how baking ingredients work, how and why certain ingredients mix well together, and why people's tastes differ.
"Slurp...plop!" Recognize that sound? You might if your family usually serves jellied cranberries for the holidays. Jellied cranberries are thick, like gelatin, and retain the shape of the mold in which it was placed, which might mean Aunt Sue's turkey mold or even the shape of the can if you buy one of the popular canned versions. Taking a bite of wiggly jellied cranberries can be a fun addition to a delicious meal, but cranberries can also be served as a sauce. Both versions use the same…
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FoodSci_p061
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Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Adult assistance is required to make the cranberry sauce on the stovetop. The process involves boiling cranberries, sugar, and water. This mixture is prone to splattering as the cranberries pop open. Use caution to avoid being burnt by splattering cranberry sauce.
Spicy fried tofu. It's a delicious and savory main dish at many Asian restaurants. Stab a golden-brown piece, bite into it, and the juice inside rushes out, filling your mouth with rich flavors. Continue eating and you find the texture is very chewy and meat-like. Did you ever wonder how those white blocks of tofu you see in grocery stores are transformed into the chewy little sponges packed with flavorful juices you see in Asian restaurants? Try this cooking and food science fair project to…
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FoodSci_p045
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Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Two small graduated cylinders are required. A specialty item to help view the structure of the tofu is optional. Read the Materials and Equipment list for more information.
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Adult supervision is recommended when using the knife.
A nice hot cup of tea sure can wake and warm you up in the morning. In this project, you will investigate the chemistry of tea. The longer you steep a tea bag in hot water, the stronger the tea will be. But how does the strength of the tea change with longer brewing time? In this project you will make a very simple electronic device to measure the strength of tea. The device will determine how strong the tea is by measuring the amount of light the tea absorbs.
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FoodSci_p058
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Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Specialty electronics items are required. A kit is available from our partner
.
Oooey gooey cheese...yum! Who doesn't like a slice of warm pizza straight from the oven? There's nothing quite like a slice of pizza and a glass of milk, so what makes pizza so great? The cheese! But did you know that making cheese is all about science and chemistry? In this science fair project, you will learn more about the science of cheese making and what kind of milk works best. Try this science fair project and you'll learn about science and get something yummy to eat afterward!
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FoodSci_p041
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Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites
Access to a stove and a microwave.
Material Availability
Specialty items are required: rennet tablets, citric acid, and a dairy thermometer. See the Materials and Equipment list for more information.
Cost
Average ($50 - $100)
Safety
Always exercise caution when working with a stove and hot liquids. Adult supervision is required.
Maple syrup is deliciously gooey and great on breakfast foods like pancakes and waffles. But it has another amazing property. It can be turned into maple candies with a range of textures, like sticky maple taffy or molded maple sugar candy. In this science fair project, you will investigate how the temperature that maple syrup is heated up to affects what type of maple syrup-based candies can be made.
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FoodSci_p044
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Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Adult supervision is required when using the stove.
Whether you are sitting around a campfire, or drinking hot chocolate after a day in the snow, nothing says fun quite like a marshmallow! Even its name is soft and spongy! In this cooking and food science fair project, you will make your own marshmallows several different ways, and discover the three special ingredients that give marshmallows their unique texture. You will also find out why they melt so quickly. Explore the science of these sticky, spongy sweets!
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FoodSci_p065
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Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Be careful when heating syrup in the saucepan. Adult supervision is required.
Apple pie is one of America's traditional desserts. It can be enjoyed on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cool sweetness of the ice cream combines with the warm apples and flaky pastry to create a taste sensation. However, if the pastry that surrounds the apples is heavy or chewy then that can really affect how much you enjoy this treat. But how do you make a pastry that is light and flaky? In this cooking and food science fair project, you will find out by experimenting with…
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FoodSci_p055
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Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
You must have access to a refrigerator, an oven, and a stovetop.
A delicious and quick lunch is a cup of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Biting into the toasty, butter-soaked bread and gooey cheese is very comforting. But what makes the cheese melt so nicely? Do all cheeses melt this way? In this cooking and food science fair project, you will experiment with making and determining the best recipe for processed cheese.
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FoodSci_p054
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Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites
You will need access to a refrigerator, a stovetop, and an oven.
Material Availability
Specialty items are required. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Minor injury is possible. Adult supervision is required. Since the sodium phosphate dibasic is not a food-grade substance, do not eat any of the resulting processed cheeses.
What do you look forward to when the holidays arrive? Spending time with friends and family? Having lots of free time? How about the delicious food that comes out of the kitchen? You bet! What kinds of food do you have on your table during those special times of the year? For many people, mashed potatoes and gravy are usually on the holiday menu. Whether light and fluffy or smooth and silk-like, mashed potatoes are very satisfying. What is not satisfying is when the cook makes a mistake in…
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FoodSci_p069
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Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
You must have access to a stove top, a potato ricer, a food processor, a microwave, and a kitchen scale.
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
This science project requires the use of a stove top, a knife, a food processor, and peelers. Minor injury is possible. You will be steaming the potatoes. Avoid placing any part of yourself in the path of the steam, as steam can cause painful burns. Adult supervision is required.
Here's a riddle for you: What would a latté be without a froth of bubbly milk on top? Answer: Black coffee! And how about a pumpkin pie without the whipped cream? Answer: Sad. Delicious, edible foams are everywhere, from sodas, meringues, and soufflés to mousses and whipped creams. They provide a delicious, spongy contrast to the foods they accompany, and their airiness releases aromas that enhance the eating experience. So, what makes a good foam? One with high volume and lots of…
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FoodSci_p057
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- Less Details
Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
You will need to buy items from a science supply store. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Be sure to wear safety goggles. Wash your hands after handling raw eggs. You should not eat any of the foams you make in your experiment.
