# Handout 06.12: Menu Option Cards and Constraint Card

Name: ______________________ Date: __________ Station: ______

Lesson 6.12, Feed the Class launch. Pages 1 to 6. Print pages 2 and 3 as five cards and set them at five spots in the room for the option walk. Every student gets pages 1, 4, and 5. Page 6 is the no-kitchen version.

All prices are real Long Island supermarket prices and are marked **[update from this week's circular]**. The math works no matter what the prices are.

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# Page 1. The Constraint Card

Post this at your station. Every one of these is a rule, not a suggestion. Fill in the right column as your teacher names each one.

| # | The constraint | What this rules out |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | **No knives.** Butter knives and kitchen shears only, and only if your station card says so | |
| 2 | **No frying** | |
| 3 | **Pre-cooked meat only**, reheated to 165 degrees F, or no meat at all | |
| 4 | **Stovetop, oven, and microwave only.** Nothing the room does not own | |
| 5 | **The posted class allergy list.** Copy the allergens here: ______________________________ | |
| 6 | **40 minutes**, and the whole class has to eat inside the period | |
| 7 | **$20.00 per station** for 28 portions plus 2 spares | |

**The symbols** (so you can read this card without the sentences): a crossed-out knife, a crossed-out pan of oil, a cooked drumstick, a stove and an oven, a warning triangle, a clock, a dollar sign.

Signed by the Station Manager: ______________________

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# Page 2. Menu Option Cards, A to C (cut apart, one per table)

## OPTION A: Spaghetti with Marinara and Parmesan

**MAIN | STOVETOP | MEDIUM**

**Makes 28 portions. Total: $18.31. Per person: $0.65. Under the station budget by $1.69.**

| Item | Size | Unit $ | Qty | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spaghetti, store brand | 1 lb box | $1.29 | 4 | $5.16 |
| Marinara sauce, store brand | 24 oz jar | $2.79 | 4 | $11.16 |
| Shredded parmesan, store brand | 6 oz bag | $1.99 | 1 | $1.99 |
| Large spoon, colander, pot | | room | | $0 |
| | | | **Total** | **$18.31** |

**Quick instructions**
1. Fill the pot 3/4 full with hot water. Cover it. Burner on HIGH.
2. When it boils hard, add all 4 boxes of spaghetti. Stir so it does not stick.
3. Timer for 8 minutes. Stir every 2 minutes.
4. **Call the teacher to drain.** Stand back; the steam is hot.
5. Pasta back in the pot. Pour in all 4 jars of sauce. Stir.
6. Parmesan on top. Serve.

**Watch out for:** the water. Nothing else can happen until it boils, and a full pot takes a while. This is a medium dish because the timing is tight, not because the steps are hard.

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## OPTION B: Pizza Tortillas

**MAIN | OVEN | EASY TO COOK, HARD ON BUDGET**

**Makes 28 portions (1 tortilla each). With pepperoni: $21.32, which is $1.32 OVER the station budget. Without pepperoni: $16.33.**

| Item | Size | Unit $ | Qty | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flour tortillas, fajita size | 20 count | $3.49 | 2 | $6.98 |
| Pizza sauce, store brand | 14 oz jar | $1.69 | 2 | $3.38 |
| Shredded mozzarella, store brand | 8 oz bag | $1.99 | 3 | $5.97 |
| Pepperoni, pre-sliced | 8 oz pack | $4.99 | 1 | $4.99 |
| Foil, sheet pans | | room | | $0 |
| | | | **Total** | **$21.32** |

**Quick instructions**
1. Oven to 400 degrees F. **The teacher opens the oven.**
2. Tortillas flat on foil-lined sheet pans, one per student.
3. Two tablespoons of pizza sauce on each. Spread with the back of a spoon.
4. Shredded mozzarella over the sauce.
5. Pepperoni on top, 5 or 6 slices each. Already sliced, so no knife.
6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese bubbles. Teacher pulls the trays.
7. Cool 2 minutes. Fold in half or eat it flat.

**Watch out for:** this option is over budget as written. If your station picks it, you owe the teacher a fix in Lesson 6.13. The pepperoni is the biggest line. Also: the oven takes about 8 minutes to reach 400. That is your critical path.

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## OPTION C: Bean and Cheese Burritos

**MAIN | STOVETOP AND ASSEMBLY | NO MEAT | EASY**

**Makes 28 portions. Total: $19.42. Per person: $0.69. Under the station budget by $0.58.**

| Item | Size | Unit $ | Qty | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flour tortillas, fajita size | 20 count | $3.49 | 2 | $6.98 |
| Refried beans | 16 oz can | $1.99 | 3 | $5.97 |
| Shredded Mexican cheese blend, store brand | 8 oz bag | $1.99 | 2 | $3.98 |
| Salsa, store brand | 15.5 oz jar | $2.49 | 1 | $2.49 |
| Foil, spoons, pot | | room | | $0 |
| | | | **Total** | **$19.42** |

**Quick instructions**
1. **The teacher opens the cans.** Beans into a pot on MEDIUM. Stir until warm and smooth, about 5 minutes.
2. Warm the tortillas: wrapped in foil in the oven at 350 for 2 minutes, or 15 seconds each in the microwave.
3. Assembly line: tortilla flat, spoon of beans down the middle, sprinkle of cheese, spoon of salsa.
4. Fold the bottom up, the sides in, and roll.
5. Optional: back on a foil-lined tray for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

**Watch out for:** beans scorch on the bottom if nobody stirs. Give that job to one person for the whole cook block. **Stretch:** instant rice is $4.79 for 28 oz. Adding it puts you at $24.21, which is over. If you want rice, find the money somewhere else.

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# Page 3. Menu Option Cards, D and E (cut apart)

## OPTION D: Garlic Bread and Vegetable Tray

**SIDE | OVEN | EASY | THIS STATION HAS SUPPORT DUTY**

**Makes 28 portions. Total: $18.93. Per person: $0.68. Under the station budget by $1.07.**

| Item | Size | Unit $ | Qty | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italian bread, bakery | 14 oz loaf | $2.99 | 3 | $8.97 |
| Salted butter, store brand | 1 lb, 4 sticks | $3.99 | 1 | $3.99 |
| Garlic powder, store brand | 3.12 oz jar | $1.99 | 1 | $1.99 |
| Baby carrots, washed and peeled | 1 lb bag | $1.99 | 2 | $3.98 |
| Foil, butter knives, trays | | room | | $0 |
| | | | **Total** | **$18.93** |

**Quick instructions**
1. Oven to 375 degrees F. **The teacher sets the temperature and opens the door.**
2. One stick of butter on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave 20 seconds until soft, not melted.
3. Two large sheets of foil. One loaf on each. (Third loaf on a third sheet.)
4. Butter knife: spread the soft butter on the TOP of each loaf, end to end.
5. Shake garlic powder over the buttered tops.
6. Wrap each loaf loosely in foil, a little space inside so air moves.
7. Into the oven. Timer for 10 minutes.
8. Teacher pulls the loaves with mitts. Cool 2 minutes. Tear into serving pieces. No knife.
9. Baby carrots into two trays. Nothing to cut; they come washed and peeled.

**Support duty:** once your bread is in the oven you have about 8 free minutes. Go help Stations 1 and 2: stir their pots, set out plates and forks, get napkins ready, wipe counters. Your flowchart has to name which block that is. Come back when your timer goes off.

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## OPTION E: No-Bake Cookie Dessert Cups

**DESSERT | NO HEAT AT ALL | EASIEST**

**Makes 28 portions. Total: $18.94. Per person: $0.68. Under the station budget by $1.06.**

| Item | Size | Unit $ | Qty | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate sandwich cookies, store brand | 14.3 oz pack | $2.99 | 2 | $5.98 |
| Whipped topping, aerosol can, store brand | can | $2.99 | 3 | $8.97 |
| Plastic cups, 9 oz | 50 count | $3.99 | 1 | $3.99 |
| Gallon zip-lock bags, bowls, spoons | | room | | $0 |
| | | | **Total** | **$18.94** |

**Quick instructions**
1. Count out 4 cookies per person, 112 total.
2. Half of them into a gallon zip-lock bag. Squeeze the air out. Seal it tight.
3. Crush with your hands, right through the bag, until the crumbs are small. No big chunks.
4. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat with the rest.
5. Set out 28 cups in rows.
6. Two big spoonfuls of crumbs in the bottom of each cup.
7. Shake the whipped topping can 5 seconds. Upside down, a layer on the crumbs.
8. Another crumb layer. Then one more swirl of topping on top.

**Watch out for:** dairy, wheat, and soy are all in this dish. Read your allergen box carefully. **Allergy note:** check the cookie package for a "made on shared equipment" line.

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# Page 4. The Option Walk Comparison Table

Fill this in as you rotate. 90 seconds per card.

| Option | Dish | Total for 28 | Cost per person (total ÷ 28) | Difficulty | Equipment it needs | One way this could go wrong in 40 minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Spaghetti with Marinara | $18.31 | $______ | | | |
| B | Pizza Tortillas | $______ | $______ | | | |
| C | Bean and Cheese Burritos | $19.42 | $______ | | | |
| D | Garlic Bread and Vegetable Tray | $18.93 | $______ | | | |
| E | No-Bake Cookie Dessert Cups | $18.94 | $______ | | | |

**The rule:** the class menu needs at least one main, at least one side or vegetable, and one dessert. No two stations take the same option.

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# Page 5. The Station Choice Sheet and the Role Sheet

## Our top two

First choice: Option ______ Second choice: Option ______

## Our justification (three sentences, one per constraint)

We picked Option ______ because it is ______________________.

It clears the no-knife rule because ________________________________________.

It fits in 40 minutes because ________________________________________.

It comes in at $______ per person, which is under the station budget because ______________________________________.

## Allergy check

Does our dish contain anything on the posted class allergy list? Circle: YES / NO

If YES, our substitution is: ________________________________________

## Our seven project roles

| Role | What you own | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Station Manager | The team, the constraint card, the allergen box. Reads the allergy list at pre-flight. Calls the critical path at minute 10 on cook day | |
| Menu Lead | The choice sheet and the justification. Can say why this dish in three sentences | |
| Scale Lead | The scaling table and the yield check. Reads every scaled line aloud before it is written | |
| Cost Lead | The costing sheet and the running total. Writes the total after every line, not at the end | |
| Flow Lead | The poster flowchart and the station card. Circles the critical path | |
| Shopping Lead | Our lines on the class shopping list. Runs the unit price check | |
| Reflection Lead | The reflection. Collects the actual times and the receipt numbers | |

Teacher approval: ______________________ Date: __________

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# Page 6. The No-Kitchen Options (use these instead of A and B if the room has no stove or oven)

Same 28 portions, same $20.00 station budget, same math, same flowchart, same station card. No heat.

## OPTION N1: Build-Your-Own Wrap Bar

**MAIN | NO HEAT | COLD CHAIN MATTERS**

| Item | Size | Unit $ | Qty | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flour tortillas, fajita size | 20 count | $3.49 | 2 | $6.98 |
| Deli-sliced turkey or ham, pre-sliced | 1 lb | $5.99 | 2 | $11.98 |
| Shredded lettuce, bagged | 8 oz bag | $2.49 | 1 | $2.49 |
| Mayonnaise and mustard packets, napkins | | room | | $0 |
| | | | **Total** | **$21.45** |

**Over by $1.45.** Fix: drop to 1.5 lb of deli meat ($8.99) and add one 8 oz bag of shredded cheese ($1.99) for a total of **$19.46**. Cold items stay in a cooler with ice packs and go out at minute 5, not minute 0.

## OPTION N2: Snack Board

**MAIN OR SIDE | NO HEAT | EASIEST**

| Item | Size | Unit $ | Qty | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crackers, store brand | box | $2.99 | 2 | $5.98 |
| Cheese sticks | 12 count pack | $3.99 | 2 | $7.98 |
| Baby carrots, washed and peeled | 1 lb bag | $1.99 | 2 | $3.98 |
| Trays, napkins | | room | | $0 |
| | | | **Total** | **$17.94** |

Nothing to cut, nothing to heat, nothing to drain. Per person: $0.64.

## OPTION N3: Overnight Oats Cups

**MAIN OR BREAKFAST | NO HEAT | MADE ONE DAY, EATEN THE NEXT**

| Item | Size | Unit $ | Qty | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolled oats | 42 oz canister | $4.29 | 1 | $4.29 |
| Shelf-stable milk or milk alternative | 1 quart | $2.99 | 2 | $5.98 |
| Raisins | 15 oz box | $3.49 | 1 | $3.49 |
| Plastic cups with lids | 28 count | $3.99 | 1 | $3.99 |
| Cinnamon, honey, spoons | | room | | $0 |
| | | | **Total** | **$17.75** |

This one needs a refrigerator overnight, which makes it the best hold-time lesson in the set. Per person: $0.63.

## OPTION N4: Salsa and Chips with Beans and Vegetables

**SIDE | NO HEAT | TEACHER OPENS THE CANS**

| Item | Size | Unit $ | Qty | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tortilla chips, store brand | 13 oz bag | $2.99 | 2 | $5.98 |
| Salsa, store brand | 15.5 oz jar | $2.49 | 2 | $4.98 |
| Black beans, canned | 15 oz can | $1.19 | 3 | $3.57 |
| Pre-diced tomatoes, refrigerated cup | 8 oz cup | $2.49 | 2 | $4.98 |
| Colander, bowls, spoons | | room | | $0 |
| | | | **Total** | **$19.51** |

Beans get drained and rinsed in a colander. Per person: $0.70.

## OPTION N5: No-Bake Cookie Dessert Cups

Same as Option E on page 3. $18.94 for 28. No heat, so it works in either version of this project.

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# Teacher key

**Cost per person (page 4 column 4):** A $0.65; B $0.76 with pepperoni or $0.58 without; C $0.69; D $0.68; E $0.68. All divisions are the total divided by 28. A student who divides by 7 (the station size) instead of 28 has made the most common error in this lesson.

**Difficulty marks as written on the cards:** A medium; B easy to cook but over budget; C easy; D easy with support duty; E easiest.

**The critical path for each option**, which students will need again in Lesson 6.14: A the water boiling; B the oven reaching 400 degrees (about 8 minutes); C the beans warming through; D the oven reaching 375 degrees and the butter softening; E none, which is why it is the easiest, and the team should be able to say that out loud.

**Option B's over-budget fix, three legal answers:** drop the pepperoni entirely and save $4.99 (total $16.33); swap to a store-brand pepperoni if the circular has one, which usually saves $1.00 to $2.00; or drop one bag of mozzarella from 3 to 2 and save $1.99 (total $19.33). All three clear $20.00. A team that says "we will just go over" has not answered the question.

**Allergens in each option:** A wheat, dairy. B wheat, dairy, and pork in the pepperoni. C wheat, dairy, soy possible in the tortillas. D wheat, dairy. E wheat, dairy, soy. Every single option contains wheat and dairy, which is worth saying to the class: if the allergy list has a wheat or dairy allergy on it, every station needs a substitution plan, not just one.

**The teacher's answers to "what this rules out" on page 1:** (1) chopping, slicing, dicing; anything that needs cutting must come pre-cut, pre-shredded, or be torn or pulled apart with two forks. (2) cutlets, anything in a pan of oil, anything in a fryer. (3) raw chicken, raw ground beef, raw fish, raw egg as an ingredient students handle. (4) grills, blenders, food processors, air fryers, anything the room does not own. (5) every item on the posted list unless a written substitution is on the card. (6) anything that bakes 45 minutes, anything that has to rest an hour, anything with more than about 18 minutes of active cooking. (7) steak, shrimp, fresh berries in May, anything that cannot cover 30 portions for $20.