Which of the following is a key component of family and consumer sciences education?

A key component of family and consumer sciences education is nutritional science. This field focuses on the importance of diet and nutrition in promoting health and wellbeing, which is a central theme in family and consumer sciences. It emphasizes understanding food choices, meal planning, and the impact of nutrition on overall health, lifestyle, and family dynamics.

Nutritional science encompasses topics such as dietary guidelines, food safety, and the nutritional needs of various populations. This knowledge is essential for individuals to make informed choices about their health and to understand how nutrition affects family life and consumer habits.

The other areas listed, while valuable in their own right, do not specifically align with the core principles and goals of family and consumer sciences education as directly as nutritional science does. For instance, costume design pertains more to fashion and design, mechanical engineering focuses on technical applications in engineering, and information technology deals with computer systems and software rather than the holistic approach to family and community living that nutritional science embodies.