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Plan the Meal Budget

Child plans a simple family meal within a set pretend budget, comparing prices and making trade-offs.

Cartoon illustration of a parent and child at home doing Plan the Meal Budget.
  • Age8 to 12 years
  • Time30 to 60 minutes
  • EnergyCalm
  • CostFree
  • WhereIndoors
  • Prep5 min

Before a real shop or meal plan, your child plans a simple family meal to fit a set pretend budget, comparing prices and making choices about what to include.

How to do it

  1. As the adult planning a meal or shop, set your child a simple pretend budget and the goal of planning one meal for the family.
  2. Have them list what the meal needs, then find prices from a shop receipt, a flyer, or a store website.
  3. Your child adds up the cost and checks it against the budget.
  4. If it is over, help them make a trade-off, such as swapping one item for a cheaper one or dropping an extra.
  5. Compare their plan with what you would actually buy and talk about the choices they made.

What you need

  • Paper and pencil
  • Price info
  • Calculator

Make it yours

Younger, 6 to 8 years: A tiny budget and two or three items, with an adult helping add up. Older, 10 to 12 years: Plan a couple of meals, include quantities, and compare two shops' prices. Siblings: Each plans a different meal to the same budget and they compare, or they plan one meal together

Try this with your child.

Tell PLAI™ about your child and this moment. It shapes the activity to fit.

Try it in the app