Life Skills Arcade Middle school Family and Consumer Sciences, grades 6 to 8

Handout 6.12

Handout 06.12: Menu Option Cards and Constraint Card

Unit
Unit 6: From Farm to Table
Handout
6.12

Download PDF Download Word

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 . The math works no matter what the prices are.


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 constraintWhat this rules out
1No knives. Butter knives and kitchen shears only, and only if your station card says so
2No frying
3Pre-cooked meat only, reheated to 165 degrees F, or no meat at all
4Stovetop, oven, and microwave only. Nothing the room does not own
5The posted class allergy list. Copy the allergens here: ______________________________
640 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: ______________________


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.

ItemSizeUnit $QtyTotal
Spaghetti, store brand1 lb box$1.294$5.16
Marinara sauce, store brand24 oz jar$2.794$11.16
Shredded parmesan, store brand6 oz bag$1.991$1.99
Large spoon, colander, potroom$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.


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.

ItemSizeUnit $QtyTotal
Flour tortillas, fajita size20 count$3.492$6.98
Pizza sauce, store brand14 oz jar$1.692$3.38
Shredded mozzarella, store brand8 oz bag$1.993$5.97
Pepperoni, pre-sliced8 oz pack$4.991$4.99
Foil, sheet pansroom$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.


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.

ItemSizeUnit $QtyTotal
Flour tortillas, fajita size20 count$3.492$6.98
Refried beans16 oz can$1.993$5.97
Shredded Mexican cheese blend, store brand8 oz bag$1.992$3.98
Salsa, store brand15.5 oz jar$2.491$2.49
Foil, spoons, potroom$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.


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.

ItemSizeUnit $QtyTotal
Italian bread, bakery14 oz loaf$2.993$8.97
Salted butter, store brand1 lb, 4 sticks$3.991$3.99
Garlic powder, store brand3.12 oz jar$1.991$1.99
Baby carrots, washed and peeled1 lb bag$1.992$3.98
Foil, butter knives, traysroom$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.


DESSERT | NO HEAT AT ALL | EASIEST

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

ItemSizeUnit $QtyTotal
Chocolate sandwich cookies, store brand14.3 oz pack$2.992$5.98
Whipped topping, aerosol can, store brandcan$2.993$8.97
Plastic cups, 9 oz50 count$3.991$3.99
Gallon zip-lock bags, bowls, spoonsroom$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.


Page 4. The Option Walk Comparison Table

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

OptionDishTotal for 28Cost per person (total รท 28)DifficultyEquipment it needsOne way this could go wrong in 40 minutes
ASpaghetti with Marinara$18.31$______
BPizza Tortillas$______$______
CBean and Cheese Burritos$19.42$______
DGarlic Bread and Vegetable Tray$18.93$______
ENo-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.


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

RoleWhat you ownName
Station ManagerThe 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 LeadThe choice sheet and the justification. Can say why this dish in three sentences
Scale LeadThe scaling table and the yield check. Reads every scaled line aloud before it is written
Cost LeadThe costing sheet and the running total. Writes the total after every line, not at the end
Flow LeadThe poster flowchart and the station card. Circles the critical path
Shopping LeadOur lines on the class shopping list. Runs the unit price check
Reflection LeadThe reflection. Collects the actual times and the receipt numbers

Teacher approval: ______________________ Date: __________


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

ItemSizeUnit $QtyTotal
Flour tortillas, fajita size20 count$3.492$6.98
Deli-sliced turkey or ham, pre-sliced1 lb$5.992$11.98
Shredded lettuce, bagged8 oz bag$2.491$2.49
Mayonnaise and mustard packets, napkinsroom$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

ItemSizeUnit $QtyTotal
Crackers, store brandbox$2.992$5.98
Cheese sticks12 count pack$3.992$7.98
Baby carrots, washed and peeled1 lb bag$1.992$3.98
Trays, napkinsroom$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

ItemSizeUnit $QtyTotal
Rolled oats42 oz canister$4.291$4.29
Shelf-stable milk or milk alternative1 quart$2.992$5.98
Raisins15 oz box$3.491$3.49
Plastic cups with lids28 count$3.991$3.99
Cinnamon, honey, spoonsroom$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

ItemSizeUnit $QtyTotal
Tortilla chips, store brand13 oz bag$2.992$5.98
Salsa, store brand15.5 oz jar$2.492$4.98
Black beans, canned15 oz can$1.193$3.57
Pre-diced tomatoes, refrigerated cup8 oz cup$2.492$4.98
Colander, bowls, spoonsroom$0
Total$19.51

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

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