Canada's food guide kids

Cooking methods

Match each cooking method with its description and picture.

Cooking method

  1. Broiling
  2. Baking
  3. Poaching
  4. Microwaving
  5. Pressure cooking
  6. Roasting
  7. Grilling
  8. Slow cooking
  9. Steaming
  10. Stir-fry or sautéing

Description

  1. Cooks food slowly and evenly in an oven. Often used to cook bread and casseroles.
  2. Simmers food in liquids like water or stock to cook it quickly. Often used to cook eggs, fish, and poultry.
  3. Uses very high heat for a short amount of time. Crisps and browns the top of a food. Often used to cook fish, lean meats, and some vegetables.
  4. Uses steam in an airtight container to cook food. Often used to cook food like rice, stews, and soups very quickly.
  5. Heats food by making the water in the food move around quickly. Often used to cook, reheat, and defrost.
  6. Cooks food slowly in an oven to crisp the top. Cooks evenly on all sides. Often used for vegetables and poultry.
  7. Cooks food over a long period of time using low heat. Often used for soups, stews, and casseroles.
  8. Cooks small or thin pieces of food quickly in very hot oil. Often used to cook vegetables, tofu, fish, or chicken.
  9. Cooks food on a barbecue, griddle, or grill pan. Often used for lean cuts of meat, some vegetables or fruits, or tofu.
  10. Cooks food using the steam from boiling water. Often used to cook vegetables and fish.

Picture

Broiling
Broiled fish and vegetables in oven
Microwaving
Dish in microwave
Baking
Baked muffins fresh out of oven
Poaching
Eggs poaching in silicone cups
Pressure cooker
Pressure cooker on stove top
Stir fry
Vegetable stir-fry being sautéed
Oven
Turkey roasting in oven
Grilling
Vegetable kebabs on grill
Slow cooker
Slow cooker on countertop
Steaming
Mixed vegetables in steamer basket

Answer key: Cooking methods

1. Broiling

C. Uses very high heat for a short amount of time. Crisps and browns the top of a food. Often used to cook fish, lean meats, and some vegetables.

Broiled fish and vegetables in oven
Broiling
2. Baking

A. Cooks food slowly and evenly in an oven. Often used to cook bread and casseroles.

Baked muffins in the oven
Baking
3. Poaching

B. Simmers food in liquids like water or stock to cook it quickly. Often used to cook eggs, fish, and poultry.

Eggs poaching in silicone cups
Poaching
4. Microwaving

E. Heats food by making the water in the food move around quickly. Often used to cook, reheat, and defrost.

Dish in microwave
Microwaving
5. Pressure cooking

D. Uses steam in an airtight container to cook food. Often used to cook food like rice, stews, and soups very quickly.

Pressure cooker on stove top
Pressure cooker
6. Roasting

F. Cooks food slowly in an oven to crisp the top. Cooks evenly on all sides. Often used for vegetables and poultry.

Turkey roasting in oven
Oven
7. Grilling

I. Cooks food on a barbecue, griddle, or grill pan. Often used for lean cuts of meat, some vegetables or fruits, or tofu.

Vegetable kebabs on grill
Grilling
8. Slow cooking

G. Cooks food over a long period of time using low heat. Often used for soups, stews, and casseroles.

Slow cooker on countertop
Slow cooker
9. Steaming

J. Cooks food using the steam from boiling water. Often used to cook vegetables and fish.

Mixed vegetables in steamer basket
Steaming
10. Stir-fry or sautéing

H. Cooks small or thin pieces of food quickly in very hot oil. Often used to cook vegetables, tofu, fish, or chicken.

Vegetable stir-fry being sautéed
Stir fry
Cooking methods

Download the Cooking methods activity sheet
(PDF format, 575 KB, 2 pages)

Download the Cooking methods answer key
(PDF format, 576 KB, 2 pages)

Page details

2026-03-31