Resource created by M&S Archive.

 

This resource is intended to provide a broad picture of the development of M&S Food, using selected images from the M&S Archive collection. The overall aim of the Food Timeline resource is to show changes in food products throughout the history of M&S, and how this might link to social history, world events and technological developments.

Curriculum Links

• KS2 Design and Technology: Cooking and Nutrition
• KS2/3 History:  Understand historical concepts such as continuity and change; Britain since the 1930s
• KS2/3 Art and Design: Research, explore, create.
• KS2 Maths: Collecting and presenting data
• KS2 Literacy: Persuasive writing, advertisements and information texts

Learning Objectives

• Knowledge of how mass-produced food products have changed over time and what innovations have appeared in food production
• Understanding of why these changes occurred and their significance to retailers and consumers
• Skills to translate the knowledge and understanding into developing food product ideas

Discussion Ideas

How has the food we eat changed over the last 100 years?

Innovation: how many food items can you think of that were exciting innovations when they first appeared? 

• What might the next food 'first' be?
• Innovation is a key theme in M&S advertising materials, why do you think this is?
• How many sandwich fillings can you think of?
• Which ones do you think of as healthier and why?

Activity ideas

• KS2-3 Design & Technology: Food and Nutrition
  • Using the Food Timeline in the Resources section, ask pupils to identify what they think has been the most important innovation/change in M&S food, for example, they could choose self-service shopping or fresh chicken.
    • Pupils can then further research that subject and create a piece of work eg write an information leaflet, create a magazine advert for the product, plan and record a TV advert.

Further ideas:

Sandwich fillings 

1. Research fillings currently on sale and survey friends and family to find out which are most popular.
   • Data can be presented in graphs and charts.
2. Research what type of sandwich pupils in school would like (or families at home).
3. Create and send out questionnaires about favourite ingredients, assess the data, then plan a new menu of sandwiches for M&S.
4. Decide on one new sandwich to make.
5. Write a list of ingredients and a method.
6. Carry out a taste test and record the results.

Maths

• Produce a costing sheet showing how much the ingredients cost and how much each sandwich would cost to make.
  • Decide on appropriate pricing.

Design and Technology

• Plan and design innovative packaging for the sandwich.
  • Can pupils design packaging that means customers don’t have to touch the food with their hands?
  • Or packaging that stays chilled or has separate sauce compartments etc?
    Work out how to modify your sandwich to make it suitable for people with specific food requirements.

KS2/3 Art and Design:

• Design packaging for the sandwich created in the activities above.
  • Create a visual identity for the product ie. logo, slogan, colour scheme.
  • Design a marketing campaign for the product
• Look at archive food packaging design (see Related Links).
• Find examples of current food advertising and compare and contrast past and present.
  • What do you notice about design, language and format?