Best Value Menus
Theme: Consumerism
Grade: 10-12
Introduction
Food is a consumer commodity that we cannot avoid buying. Inflation is often experienced most markedly on the monthly food bill. On the other hand many people find it enjoyable to either buy food, prepare it or eat it. The lucky few enjoy all three activities. In this activity you will plan a healthy meal and find the best bargains. It is your challenge to plan and budget for the most interesting and healthy meal at the most economical price.
Task
You are part of a group of specialty chefs at a new restaurant. The owner has asked you to price your dish for a set course menu. You will research the prices from various stores so that you can buy at the lowest prices and therefore sell your meal at a higher profit. Compare the prices of the main ingredients for your dish at three or more stores and find the best buys.
Your team will need to create the menu with the following courses:
- Hors d'Oeuvres - a starter of your choice
- Seafood - a dish of your choice
- Main course - a red meat dish with two vegetables and potato
- Dessert - a dessert of your choice
When planning your menu, take into account that you need to create a healthy meal and include all five food groups.
In your calculations, price only the main ingredients for the meal and garnishing / sauce. Identify no more than four ingredients per dish.
You will need to create a spreadsheet that can calculate the cost of the meal per patron. Remember that common quantities of food can often serve more than one person. For example 1kg of meat could probably serve three or four people. You will need to calculate this in your spreadsheet.
Process
For this assignment, you will work in teams of four and you will divide your task into roles as follows (click on each role for more information):
Conclusion
If you ever thought cooking was simple and restaurants were fun, you may have developed a deeper understanding of what it takes to develop a good menu at a good price. You have also been able to use a spreadsheet to make the task of calculations easier. You're on your way to becoming a thoroughly modern amateur chef.
