Meal Planning

Before the meeting:

1. Locate a variety of recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner or make available a number of cookbooks.
2. Print Mealing Planning worksheet, one for each Cub Scout.
3. Set up meeting space for Cub Scouts to be able to work on building their meal plan. Lay out recipes and/or cookbooks.

During the meeting:

1. Ask Cub Scouts if they or their families have done meal planning. Meal planning is important when trying to minimize the amount of food that is thrown away after a meal. Sometimes leftovers can be used as an ingredient in another meal or as a snack. Ask them to give an example of a leftover in their home that was used in another meal.
2. Pass out the Meal Planner worksheets. Explain to Cub Scouts that they will have 15 minutes to plan three days’ worth of meals – breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Encourage the Cub Scouts to think of ways to use ingredients in common between meals. Things to consider:
   • How many people will be eating?
   • How much does each person eat?
   • How will leftover food be used?
   • How can I limit leftover food?
3. Have the Cub Scouts share their meal plans and explain their choices.
4. Share with the Cub Scouts that by planning ahead we can minimize food waste. When we don’t have a plan, we are more likely to over purchase as the grocery store and waste food.