Bored with leftovers? Put some staple items in a box and let them pick the sides. Set timer for 30 min and see what they create 🙌🏻 win/win future Chopped Junior contestants! We usually do this every so often when the kids seem to get bored or annoyed that we are eating leftovers again, but it has really been a lifesaver the last couple of weeks while in quarantine. There have been times that it’s been challenging to come up with the contents, but honestly all you need is a few items and it could be done for any meal. You can mix it up throughout the week and do it for different meals. Here is what you need:

• Box- This can be an old shoe box or even just an amazon box. Anything will work as long as it can hold the items and be opened.
• Leftovers – You can even mix the boxes up. We usually have each kid get the same box, but you can totally mix it up and give them each a different box. You can portion the food into different containers, whatever works for you.
• Something New- The fun part is giving them something that they have to add into the meal. We usually use veggies or even cheese (seems like we always have that on hand). In the past, we have also had a counter where the kids can add some extra items (again, depending on what’s in the fridge or freezer).
• Timer- You have to set a time limit, that’s where the fun comes in. Believe me, there will probably be tears. You can see in some of our pictures how upset my youngest gets, but the #1 rule of the game is that you have to eat what’s on your plate.
• Judges- Parents can be the judge and you can come up with scoring values before starting the game. It would be fun to even include family members or grandparents to FaceTime or zoom, who can be the celebrity judges.

Set the clock and have some fun! Again, this is defiantly a way to use up all those leftovers at the end of the week and in the end, save some money.