This study examines current issues concerning cooking classes in high school-level home economics textbooks. Cooking textbooks in home economics show some model cases although teachers do not exactly follow them. We examined 19 senior high school home economics textbooks from the following perspectives; contents and design, the model cases of cooking classes, dishes, cooking methods, and the aims of the cooking classes. The results summarized as follows; (1) All textbooks show recipes with illustrations, but it is important that students understand the written recipes and think about cooking. It is necessary to reconsider the use of illustrations. (2) Half of all dishes in textbooks were Japanese dishes. It is necessary to explain the reasons why the recipe and certain foods are used. Teachers need to think about the relationships between the food and recipe, and the daily lives of the students. (3) It is important to include recipes in textbooks with scientific knowledge. (4) Many cooking examples in textbooks are aimed at teaching "how to" get cooking skills. It is desirable to have various aims in cooking classes, including food science, food culture, and food in each stage of life, not just demonstrating how to cook.
