Name: ______________________ Date: __________ Station: ______ Option: ______
All prices are real Long Island supermarket prices marked .
Page 1. The three-step rule and your base recipe
The three-step rule
- Divide the number of portions you need by the number the recipe makes. That is your scale factor.
- Multiply every ingredient by the scale factor.
- Round up to the number of packages the store actually sells. Always up, never down.
The worked example (do this one with the teacher):
A recipe makes 4 servings and needs 8 ounces of dry spaghetti. We need 28 portions.
- Step 1: 28 ÷ 4 = 7. The scale factor is 7.
- Step 2: 8 oz × 7 = 56 oz.
- Step 3: 56 oz ÷ 16 oz per pound = 3.5 lb. The store sells 1 lb boxes. 3.5 rounds up to 4 boxes.
Why always up: running out at minute 30 is the one mistake you cannot fix. Buying one extra box costs $1.29. Not feeding six people costs the whole project.
The base recipes (all make 4 servings). Find yours.
Option A: Spaghetti with Marinara and Parmesan (4 servings)
- 8 oz dry spaghetti
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan
- Water to fill the pot 3/4 full
Option B: Pizza Tortillas (4 servings)
- 4 flour tortillas, fajita size
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
- 20 pepperoni slices (5 each)
Option C: Bean and Cheese Burritos (4 servings)
- 4 flour tortillas, fajita size
- 3/4 cup refried beans
- 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 1/4 cup salsa
Option D: Garlic Bread and Vegetable Tray (4 servings)
- 4 pieces of garlic bread (one 14 oz loaf makes about 12 pieces)
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 lb baby carrots, washed and peeled
Option E: No-Bake Cookie Dessert Cups (4 servings)
- 8 chocolate sandwich cookies (2 each)
- 3/4 cup whipped topping
- 4 plastic cups, 9 oz
Your scale factor
Portions we need: 28 ÷ Recipe makes: ______ = Scale factor: ______
Page 2. The scaling table and the conversion strip
The scaling table (Day 1, Step 2)
Every ingredient gets a row. The Scale Lead reads each row aloud before it is written.
| Ingredient | Amount for 4 | × scale factor | Scaled amount | Unit the store sells in | Packages to buy (round UP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| × ______ | |||||
| × ______ | |||||
| × ______ | |||||
| × ______ | |||||
| × ______ | |||||
| × ______ | |||||
| × ______ |
The conversion strip (Day 1, Step 3). Fill this in with the teacher and the real packages.
| What you need to know | The number |
|---|---|
| 1 cup = ______ fluid ounces | 8 |
| 1 pound = ______ ounces by weight | 16 |
| 1 stick of butter = ______ tablespoons = ______ cup | 8 tbsp = 1/2 cup |
| 1 tablespoon = ______ teaspoons | 3 |
| Shredded cheese: ______ ounces by weight is about 1 cup, so an 8 oz bag is about ______ cups | 4 oz = 1 cup, so 8 oz ≈ 2 cups |
| A 16 oz can of refried beans holds about ______ cups | 1 3/4 |
| A 14.3 oz pack of sandwich cookies holds about ______ cookies | 36 |
| A 14 oz loaf of Italian bread makes about ______ serving pieces | 12 |
| One aerosol can of whipped topping gives about ______ cups | 2 |
| An 8 oz pack of sliced pepperoni holds about ______ slices | 150 |
The two practice conversions
- A recipe wants 3 cups of broth. The store sells a 32 fluid ounce box. Is one box enough? Show the math.
3 cups × 8 fl oz = ______ fl oz. The box holds ______ fl oz. Enough? ______ Left over: ______ cups.
- A recipe wants 2 1/2 cups of shredded cheese. The store sells 8 ounce bags. How many bags?
2 1/2 cups × 4 oz per cup = ______ oz. ______ oz ÷ 8 oz per bag = ______ bags. Round up: ______ bags.
The trap
Circle the right answer: 8 ounces on a bag of shredded cheese is ( a weight / a volume ).
Write the sentence: "Eight ounces of shredded cheese is about ______ cups, not one cup, because ______________________________."
The yield check (Day 1, Step 4)
We need 30 portions: 28 students, the teacher, and one spare.
Our plan makes: ______ portions. Show how you know: ________________________________________
Circle one: CLEARS 30 / ADD ______ more of ______
If we have spare portions, they will go to: ________________________________________
Page 3. The pre-filled scaling table (grade 6 support, or anyone who needs it)
The scale factor is already entered. Your job is columns 4, 5, and 6.
Option A: Spaghetti with Marinara
| Ingredient | Amount for 4 | × 7 | Scaled amount | Store sells | Packages to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry spaghetti | 8 oz | × 7 | ______ oz = ______ lb | 1 lb box | ______ |
| Marinara sauce | 1 1/2 cups | × 7 | ______ cups = ______ fl oz | 24 oz jar | ______ |
| Shredded parmesan | 1/4 cup | × 7 | ______ cups | 6 oz bag (≈ 2 cups) | ______ |
Option B: Pizza Tortillas
| Ingredient | Amount for 4 | × 7 | Scaled amount | Store sells | Packages to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flour tortillas | 4 | × 7 | ______ | 20 count pack | ______ |
| Pizza sauce | 1/2 cup | × 7 | ______ cups = ______ fl oz | 14 oz jar | ______ |
| Shredded mozzarella | 3/4 cup | × 7 | ______ cups | 8 oz bag (≈ 2 cups) | ______ |
| Pepperoni slices | 20 | × 7 | ______ slices | 8 oz pack (≈ 150) | ______ |
Option C: Bean and Cheese Burritos
| Ingredient | Amount for 4 | × 7 | Scaled amount | Store sells | Packages to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flour tortillas | 4 | × 7 | ______ | 20 count pack | ______ |
| Refried beans | 3/4 cup | × 7 | ______ cups | 16 oz can (≈ 1 3/4 cups) | ______ |
| Shredded cheese blend | 1/2 cup | × 7 | ______ cups | 8 oz bag (≈ 2 cups) | ______ |
| Salsa | 1/4 cup | × 7 | ______ cups = ______ fl oz | 15.5 oz jar | ______ |
Option D: Garlic Bread and Vegetable Tray
| Ingredient | Amount for 4 | × 7 | Scaled amount | Store sells | Packages to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garlic bread pieces | 4 | × 7 | ______ pieces | 14 oz loaf (≈ 12 pieces) | ______ |
| Softened butter | 2 tbsp | × 7 | ______ tbsp = ______ sticks | 1 lb, 4 sticks | ______ |
| Garlic powder | 1/2 tsp | × 7 | ______ tsp | 3.12 oz jar | ______ |
| Baby carrots | 1/4 lb | × 7 | ______ lb | 1 lb bag | ______ |
Option E: No-Bake Cookie Dessert Cups
| Ingredient | Amount for 4 | × 7 | Scaled amount | Store sells | Packages to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandwich cookies | 8 | × 7 | ______ cookies | 14.3 oz pack (≈ 36) | ______ |
| Whipped topping | 3/4 cup | × 7 | ______ cups | aerosol can (≈ 2 cups) | ______ |
| Plastic cups | 4 | × 7 | ______ cups | 50 count pack | ______ |
Page 4. The Costing Sheet (Day 2)
Station budget: $20.00. Write the running total after every line, not at the end.
| # | Item | Brand | Size | Price | Price per ounce (or per count) | Packages | Line cost | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||
| 2 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||
| 3 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||
| 4 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||
| 5 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||
| 6 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||
| 7 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||
| 8 | Room pantry (foil, spray, salt, spoons, plates) | room | $0.00 | $0.00 | $ |
Station total: $__________ Under the $20.00 budget by: $__________ OVER by: $__________
Cost per person (total ÷ 28): $__________
The two questions to ask on every line
- What does the whole package cost? That is what you pay.
- What does one ounce cost? That is how you choose.
Worked example: store-brand shredded mozzarella, 8 oz, $1.99. $1.99 ÷ 8 = $0.249 per ounce. Name brand, 8 oz, $2.99. $2.99 ÷ 8 = $0.374 per ounce. The store brand is cheaper by 12.5 cents an ounce.
The Unit 1 rule, still true: you pay for the whole package, not the spoonful you use.
Page 5. Circular excerpt (Day 2). Use this if a full circular is too much, or if the store's circular is missing an item.
Prices verified week of March 20 to 26, 2026.
| Item | Brand | Size | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spaghetti | store brand | 1 lb | $1.29 |
| Spaghetti | name brand | 1 lb | $2.19 |
| Penne or ziti | store brand | 1 lb | $1.29 |
| Marinara sauce | store brand | 24 oz | $2.79 |
| Marinara sauce | name brand | 24 oz | $3.99 |
| Marinara sauce | store brand | 45 oz | $4.99 |
| Pizza sauce | store brand | 14 oz | $1.69 |
| Alfredo sauce | store brand | 16 oz | $3.49 |
| Shredded mozzarella | store brand | 8 oz | $1.99 |
| Shredded mozzarella | name brand | 12 oz | $3.49 |
| Shredded Mexican cheese blend | store brand | 8 oz | $1.99 |
| Shredded parmesan | store brand | 6 oz | $1.99 |
| Ricotta cheese | name brand | 32 oz | $4.99 |
| Cheese sticks | store brand | 12 count | $3.99 |
| Flour tortillas, fajita size | name brand | 20 count | $3.49 |
| Flour tortillas, burrito size | name brand | 16 count | $6.59 |
| Italian bread | store bakery | 14 oz loaf | $2.99 |
| Salted butter | store brand | 1 lb, 4 sticks | $3.99 |
| Salted butter | name brand | 1 lb, 4 sticks | $5.99 |
| Garlic powder | store brand | 3.12 oz | $1.99 |
| Refried beans | name brand | 16 oz can | $1.99 |
| Black beans | store brand | 15 oz can | $1.19 |
| Instant rice | store brand | 28 oz | $4.79 |
| Salsa | store brand | 15.5 oz | $2.49 |
| Sour cream | name brand | 16 oz | $2.49 |
| Pepperoni, pre-sliced | name brand | 8 oz | $4.99 |
| Bite-size cooked meatballs, frozen | name brand | 40 oz, 80 count | $14.99 |
| Half rotisserie chicken, cooked | deli | each | $3.99 |
| Deli-sliced turkey or ham | deli | 1 lb | $5.99 |
| Baby carrots, washed and peeled | store brand | 1 lb bag | $1.99 |
| Grape tomatoes | 1 pint | $2.99 | |
| Shredded lettuce, bagged | store brand | 8 oz | $2.49 |
| Pre-diced tomatoes, refrigerated | 8 oz cup | $2.49 | |
| Chocolate sandwich cookies | store brand | 14.3 oz | $2.99 |
| Chocolate sandwich cookies | name brand | 19.1 oz | $6.59 |
| Whipped topping, aerosol | store brand | can | $2.99 |
| Whipped topping, aerosol | name brand | can | $4.49 |
| Brownie mix | name brand | 18.4 oz | $2.99 |
| Rolled oats | store brand | 42 oz | $4.29 |
| Raisins | store brand | 15 oz | $3.49 |
| Tortilla chips | store brand | 13 oz | $2.99 |
| Crackers | store brand | box | $2.99 |
| Shelf-stable milk | store brand | 1 quart | $2.99 |
| Large eggs | store brand | dozen | $3.49 |
| Plastic cups, 9 oz | store brand | 50 count | $3.99 |
| Plastic cups with lids | store brand | 28 count | $3.99 |
| Gallon zip-lock bags | store brand | box | $3.99 |
| Aluminum foil | store brand | roll | $3.99 |
Page 6. The Swap Log and the Peer Check
The swap log (Day 2, Step 3)
Three legal swaps: store brand for name brand; a bigger package when the price per ounce drops and you will use it; cut a line that is not on the plate.
A swap only counts if it saves at least $0.25 and does not break the allergy list or your station card.
| # | What we swapped out | What we swapped in | Old unit price | New unit price | Saved | What we gave up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $ | $ | $ | |||
| 2 | $ | $ | $ | |||
| 3 | $ | $ | $ |
Total saved: $__________ New station total: $__________
Allergy recheck after the swaps. Did any swap bring in a new allergen? Circle: YES / NO
If YES, what and what we will do: ________________________________________
Sentence frames for the swap log
| English | Turkish | Portuguese | Spanish |
|---|---|---|---|
| We will buy ___ instead of ___ and save $___. | ___ yerine ___ alacağız ve ___ dolar tasarruf edeceğiz. | Vamos comprar ___ em vez de ___ e economizar $___. | Vamos a comprar ___ en lugar de ___ y ahorrar $___. |
| The store brand costs ___ per ounce. The name brand costs ___ per ounce. | Market markası onsu ___. Ünlü marka onsu ___. | A marca do mercado custa ___ por onça. A marca famosa custa ___ por onça. | La marca del supermercado cuesta ___ por onza. La marca conocida cuesta ___ por onza. |
| We gave up ___ to stay under budget. | Bütçeyi aşmamak için ___ vazgeçtik. | Abrimos mão de ___ para ficar no orçamento. | Renunciamos a ___ para no pasarnos del presupuesto. |
The peer check (Day 2, Step 4). Trade sheets with the station next door.
We are checking Station ______'s sheet. Checked by: ______________________
| Check | Initial |
|---|---|
| Every line has a size and a unit | |
| The running total adds up (we redid it) | |
| The total is at or under $20.00 | |
| The yield check clears 30 | |
| Nothing on the list is on the class allergy list, or the substitution is written |
One thing we would fix: ________________________________________
Teacher signature (required before Lesson 6.15): ______________________ Date: __________