After just a few minutes of watching the Food Network’s “Chopped,” I knew it could become a fun youth group activity with a little tweaking. The basic premise of this show is that four chefs are each given a box that includes a variety of everyday items and asked to turn them into an extraordinary three-course meal. At the end of each course, one chef is chopped and sent home. How could this possibly relate to youth in a spiritual way?
Like the chefs on the show, each of us are given a unique set of talents, gifts, circumstances, trials and struggles in life. It is our responsibility through the power of the Holy Spirit to take what God has given us and use it to become extraordinary witnesses of His love and faithfulness. Sometimes we might look at what we have been given and think there is nothing we could possibly do with it. Other times, we may look at what others have been given and wish that what they have in their boxes had been given to us. The reality is that God has a plan and purpose, as we read in
This activity could be used to open a meeting on a variety of topics. It could be used to introduce topics such as how to deal with suffering and trials, identifying spiritual gifts and talents, or the importance of using your talents to give back to God. Get creative with the ways you could use it in your ministry.
Open—Open with a clip from “Chopped.” You may want to use a few clips showing the chefs opening their boxes of what seems to be random food items.
Activity—Divide your youth into teams of 4 to 6 students each. Give each team a box of food (suggestions below) and 15 minutes to create the most delicious treat possible using the ingredients given. Have some kitchen tools and extra ingredients on hand for contestants to use if needed. Create categories that each food creation will be judged in: Most Creative, Best Tasting, Best Use of Ingredients. At the end of the 15 minutes, ask each group to display its creation. Have your panel of judges give each group a score and critique. Have fun chopping some of your chefs, but also have a great prize available to the group that scores high.
Food Box Ideas—Keep in mind you can give several groups the same box because they will most likely come up with different creations. The boxes below are suggestions that can be created into actual recipes, but having random ingredients might make it more interesting and fun.
Box 1: 1 pkg. Oreos, 1 pkg. cream cheese, 2 chocolate bars, candy canes (i.e., Oreo bars or balls)
Box 2: Celery, peanut butter, raisins (i.e., ants on a log)
Box 3: Graham crackers, chocolate pudding mix, milk, cool whip (i.e., pie)
Box 4: 1 can black beans, 1 can corn, 1 bottle of balsamic dressing, 1 red pepper, bag of tortilla chips (i.e., black bean salsa)
Box 5: 1 pkg. sugar cookies, 1 pkg. cream cheese, 1 c. sugar, variety of fruit (i.e., mini-fruit pizzas)
Discussion Questions Suggestions—In order to get your youth thinking about this activity on a spiritual level, you probably will have to guide them with some questions.
• What did you think when you first opened your box of ingredients?
• Let’s take this activity to the next level. What are the ingredients that God has put into your box? Think about your gifts and talents, but also think about your trials and struggles. If you need to, take a minute to write a few things down. When you are ready, share what you have written with the group.
• How can you take what God has given you and create something extraordinary?
• What are some of the tools God gives us to use our gifts and overcome our hardships?
Additional Activity—As an additional activity, have the youth write down on note cards some of the ingredients that make up who they are. Give each youth a box in which to put them. Have the youth decorate the box or write on the box what they want to do with the gifts/trials/etc. that God has given them. On the bottom of the box, help the youth think of some practical suggestions for reaching their goals. Ideas might include having a daily prayer time, reading the Bible, going to youth group, etc. The boxes can be taken home to serve as reminders of the lesson from the activity.
