The Meal Deal: Another Big Idea Family Game

Veggie Tales has done it again!  For Campbell Family Fun Night, we started out with a meal game called "Meal Deal". This is another one from my college days and independent study with Big Idea Productions. Thank you for enriching my family this many years later!

Meal Deal

What you need:
Stuff to prepare a meal

How to play:
Team up in pairs, Now prepare and eat a meal together. One person keeps his or her eyes closed the entire time. The other person may not use their hands. Work together to locate the food, prepare the meal (e.g. make a sandwich or build an ice cream sundae), and then feed each other. Was the other person having all the fun? Then switch roles at the next meal.

What you learned:
How did you feel with your limitation? What are some of your real limitations? How could others help you overcome your limitation?


Obviously with a 4 and 2 year old, we had to make major adaptations to this meal game. For example, we switched roles within the same meal and we only played during part of the meal. PJ and Abby paired up while Caedmon and I were a team. (Try explaining to a 2 year old that he can't use his hands to eat or has to keep his eyes closed while feeding Mommy!)

Abby and PJ went first.  Abby seemed much more hesitant to close her eyes to prepare the food than to eat without the use of her hands. My personal observation for this is that she's so easily embarrassed. She doesn't like to be laughed at, even if the experience is funny.  So we adapted.  PJ did a wonderful job putting Pear Butter on the biscuit and feeding Abby with his eyes closed! He's such a good sport!

Caed enjoyed watching me prepare food with my eyes closed and dodging my attempts at feeding him. He made it a challenge for me! We never could get him to feed me. 

This game was, admittedly, well over their heads. But it was a great reminder to me. Too often I'm prideful with my  high expectations I have for each of my family members.  I'm reminded to seek out and encourage the strengths of my kids and husband and to come alongside in their weaknesses.  And to allow them to do the same for me. I'm realizing more and more how we need each other. I love seeing our family grow in this area.

We played this family game a week ago today. In that week, I've witnessed an increase in Abby's compassion for Caed.  During the dinner discussion, Abby said that she is able to help Caed reach things that he cannot reach.  Since that meal, I've noticed that she has often stopped to help Caed open the Lego box or get a juice from the refrigerator for him.  And Caed, who normally doesn't want help from anyone but Mommy, has been going to Abby and asking please!

I look forward to playing this when they are older and able to understand it more fully!

Made for a Unique Purpose

While in college, I had the privilege to do an independent study with a professor who was researching home activities with Big Idea Foundation. This project was really cool. Two guys from Big Idea, Bill and Ted, (yes, those were their real names!) hosted "Family Nights" at various locations in urban, suburban, and rural areas. These nights included dinner and games.  Each game was meant to create environments in which the families could discuss some element of their family dynamics and how each person needs one another.  We sent the games home with each family and later did follow up surveys.  As one of the team, I was fortunate enough to get a game pack myself.  I tucked it away in a box somewhere and just recently rediscovered this gem.  Here is one activity we experienced as a family this evening over dinner.

Bob & Larry Family Night Home Activity
"Bon Appetit"
Eating with Style

What You Need
Pillow case, kitchen utensils

How You Play
Fill your pillow case with non-sharp kitchen utensils (spatula, tongs, ladle, potato masher, ice cream scoop, turkey baster, etc.). Tell everyone to close their eyes and pull out a kitchen utensil. The one you touch first is the one you take. The one you take is the utensil you eat your dinner with that evening. Enjoy!

Since my kids are so young, and we had soup for dinner, I used an ice cream scoop, two slotted spoons (one large, one medium) and a ladle.  My adventurous family jumped right on board with our new task!

 I think Abby enjoyed it so much, she prefers the ladle now. She said "It's just my size!"

 Caed refused to eat his soup, but he tried with all his might to eat that sandwich with his ice cream scoop!

What You Learned
Why is a fork or spoon easier to eat with than the utensil you used? A fork or spoon is made for a special purpose - you were made that way too. What unique talet do you have, and how could you use it to help your family or community?

As we slurped our soup we discussed the questions above. I love hearing things from Abby's perspective. She doesn't think that she's as funny as Caedmon (we decided that was one of his gifts) but agreed that she's creative and good with words even though she "doesn't know how to spell them". 

I love the way God has designed our family. We each have so much in common, but we are also so different. And we are learning to compliment and fill in the gaps for each other in ways that are unique to each person in our family. 

And yes...even eating soup with a ladle, or slotted spoon, or ice cream scoop is a sacred event.