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Challenge

Fifteen Dollar Dinner Challenge

Here's one to try together!

Plan a whole dinner on a pretend budget, trade items to fit, then cook it and see what is left!

45 min10 min prepAges 10 and uplow messContains: milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree_nut, sesame, fish, shellfish

Reviewed by our team.

Safety first
  • hot stove and cooking heat require grown-up handling
  • sharp knives require grown-up handling
  • no online accounts or online ordering should be used
  • possible food allergens depending on chosen ingredients

What you need

  • Paper, 2 sheets
  • Crayons or markers, 2 pencils
  • Phone, 1 calculator or phone calculator
  • Receipt or store flyer, 1, with prices

How to do it

Grown-up prep: Gather a receipt or flyer with prices and a calculator. Decide which pantry items kids may count as free. Plan to handle the stove and knife jobs yourself during cooking.

  1. Write 15 dollars at the top of your paper. That is your budget!
  2. Hunt for prices on the receipt, flyer or shelf labels.
  3. Choose one main, one side and one vegetable for dinner.
  4. Write your shopping list with a price beside every item.
  5. Check your pantry and mark the foods you already own as free.
  6. Add up the total cost with the calculator.
  7. Over budget? Swap an item for a cheaper one and add again.
  8. Cook your dinner with a grown-up, then announce how much money is left! Ask for help if you need it
    Ask: How much money do you think we saved, and what would you buy with it?
  9. Now plan another dinner! Can you beat your leftover money next time?
    Ask: What would you change to save even more?

Play it again

  • Tiny budget: try to plan a full dinner for just 10 dollars.
  • Rainbow plate: your meal must include three different colors of food.
  • Team swap: trade lists with a family member and find a way to make theirs cheaper.
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