Ok, perhaps not a funny thing, but a pesky annoying thing nonetheless. Like when your kids are done with swimming lessons and are sure they are going to die from lack of food. So they ask you fifteen times to go to Subway and although you appreciate their more healthful choice of Subway than its many less healthful counterparts (take your pick), eating out simply isn't an economical choice...so therfore, simply shutup.
That doesn't calm the beasts (who are overtired from swimming) and you're kicking yourself for not packing them a snack...so you do some quick thinking. Stopping at Subway would kill about $25 (enter $5 footlong song) for all of you to eat. One meal. Which is so un-awesome, you want to spit. And you feel like you need to teach the kids a lesson about this (the money, not the spit) so you come up with a grand idea.
"Kids", you say, pulling into the Walmart parking lot. "We're going to play a game. Ready?"
You divide the family into teams. Hubster and Iggy on one team, MamaTea and the Ookster on the other team. Each team gets $25 (the amount you would spend at Subway for one meal) and has to buy groceries for the family. The team with the most stuff (best use of money) wins...consellation prize to the team with the most creative find.
"We can buy whatever we want?" the children ask.
"Yep. Have fun."
Now I realize I was opening myself up for a cartload of ice cream and candy bars. But I took that chance.
Here were the carts...
Looks like some decent choices to me!Can't complain about green beans, turkey, bananas, or tunafish!!
"Gee," said MamaTea. "Look at all the food you can buy for the same amount as one meal at Subway? How long do you think these carts of food will last us?" (Answered by happy smiles from boys who are wicked excited to get home and figure out what they get to make for lunch from the groceries they picked out.)
What a fantastical life lesson we learned at Walmart. We're still working out of those walmart bags from a week ago....
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2 comments:
Cool cool cool coooooooooooool idea, hope eating out and cost comes up sometime here so I can do the same thing!
What a great challenge! The best part is that someday, when they are driving teenagers, you can send them to the market in your stead and you can have a hot bubble bath! :-)
Good learning mama!
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