What's Next

As stated in my previous post, my potential timeline to reach my goal is 6 weeks. This is based on the research I have already done on learning how to cook gluten-free and the typical length of classes that are offered. I also mentioned a few goals, but the one I have chosen to target first is:

How to cook gluten-free meals that are practical, easy, and cost-efficient.

There are a couple ways I can measure my progress in reaching this goal. First, I plan to record and keep track of each new gluten-free dish I make. This includes expanding on the few simple dishes I usually make (e.g., gluten-free pasta with marinara sauce, sandwich with a gluten-free bun) to ensure I incorporate more of a variety of foods into my diet. I will record information about the ingredients I used, how complex it was to make, how long it took to make, and how successful the final product was. I will also capture the process of cooking through pictures and videos. 

In order to evaluate the cost-efficient aspect of my goal, I plan to keep track of how much I spend on each meal in its entirety, and the individual ingredients used. This will help me compare which materials are more costly and which are more practical to use in everyday meals. This will most likely be done in an Excel spreadsheet, to best organize the data. This data will also help identify any modifications I might be able to make to the recipe, in regards to possibly substituting expensive ingredients for more reasonably priced items. 

Based on what I know about Genius hour so far, one of the initial components of this project should be based around research, data collection, and brainstorming ideas for a potential action plan. This is explained in more detail in this blog Teaching with Technology, which explores what Genius Hour looks like in the classroom. 

Therefore, I plan to spend most of my time during the initial few weeks on research. This leaves less time for experimenting and putting my plan into action, so for week 1 my goal is to create only 1 new meal. The success of this first meal will determine how many I plan to make the following week, but generally I hope to increase by 1-2 additional meals each week. That way, by week 6 I should be able to cook a feasible, cost-efficient, gluten-free meal each day of the week. 

James, Victoria. (2009, September 18). Gluten free shopping list. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/70016969187029562/

As of right now, I wanted to leave off with one of my favourite research finds - this guide to foods that are naturally gluten-free, which are categorized by food groups and types of beverages. Check out more helpful links and resources on my Pinterest, which I have attached to my blog on the right-hand side.