Lesson 5 KITCHEN CALCULATIONS

Classroom time: 25 to 30 minutes

LESSON OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

compare eggs to other foods as a cost-effective protein source.

CONTENT SKILLS

  1. math: computing, estimating and averaging

  2. health: identifying and classifying

  3. consumer education: comparing

MATERIALS NEEDED

  1. Kitchen Calculations (activity sheet 6)

  2. local newspaper food ads

  3. cookbooks

  4. calculators, optional

LESSON BACKGROUND INFORMATION

     Protein is an essential part of a nutritious diet but, for many people, foods that supply protein are some of the most expensive items on their grocery list.

     Fortunately, the protein supplied by eggs is both high in quality and low in cost. In a 1991 USDA study comparing the cost of different sources of protein, eggs and ready-to-cook turkey were rated as two of the best protein buys.

     It’s easy to compare the price of eggs to the price of other protein foods. A dozen Large eggs weighs 1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces), so the price per pound of Large eggs = 2/3 of the price per dozen. For example, if Large eggs cost 90¢ per dozen, they would be 60¢ per pound. At $1.20 per dozen, they would be only 80¢ per pound.

     Another helpful formula is 1 egg = 1 ounce of lean meat, fish or poultry. You can use 2 eggs as a substitute for other protein foods as your main dish or you can use eggs to "stretch" more expensive protein foods. For instance, you might use 1 egg per serving along with half the usual amount per serving of an expensive seafood in a casserole.

LESSON PROCEDURE

  1. Have students complete Kitchen Calculations.

  2. Using prices found in local newspaper food ads and recipes from cookbooks, have students research and calculate the cost to prepare various egg recipes. Considering a main-dish serving to be 2 ounces of protein, have students calculate the cost per serving. Have them do the same for a main-dish  serving of 3 ounces of protein.

  3. Using prices found in local newspaper food ads, have students research and calculate the price per pound of various meats, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts.

EGGSTENSION ACTIVITIES

  1. Using prices found in local newspaper ads and recipes from cookbooks, have students research, calculate and compare the cost of egg entrees to entrees containing other protein sources such as beef stew, pork-sausage pizza, tuna casserole, chicken a la king, vegetable egg foo yung.

  2. Have students add foods to the Kitchen Calculations fair menu to provide a full day’s worth of servings from the five major food groups learned in Lesson 1.

ANSWERS TO KITCHEN CALCULATIONS (ACTIVITY SHEET 6)

  1. 3375 guests (1,350 divided by 2, multiplied by 5)

  2. 65 dozen (1,560 divided by 2 for whole eggs, divided by 12 for dozens)

  3. $58.50 (65 multiplied by $0.90)

  4. 50 plastic bags (120 plus 50 plus 80, divided by 5)

  5. 30 packages for 240 people (240 multiplied by 2 for total amount of pasta, divided by 16 for number of packages); 90 packages for 720 people (720 multiplied by 2 for total amount of pasta, divided by 16 for number of packages)

  6. 30 cakes (15 multiplied by 12 for eggs, divided by 6 for cakes)

  7. 300 servings at 10 servings per cake (30 multiplied by 10); 360 servings at 12 servings per cake (30 multiplied by 12)

Challenge Problem: 21 servings (4 multiplied by 6 for ounces of chicken protein, plus 18 for egg protein, divided by 2 for 2-ounce servings)