Name That Grub

Name and Purpose

• Name That Grub is a playful estimation and tasting challenge that builds sensory awareness and competitive fun around everyday foods.
• Players practise estimation, strategy, and willingness to try something new.

a.k.a.

• Bite Count, How Many Bites, Grub Guess

Age / Group / Time / Space

• Ages 10-16 | 8-30 players in teams of 3-6 | 15-25 minutes | Indoor space such as a dining hall or activity room

Materials

• Paper bags, one per food item
• A selection of whole foods chosen to be safe and familiar: apple, bread roll, carrot, banana, cracker, orange segment, etc.
• Optional: a printed list of bag contents for staff reference only
• Staff will already be aware of relevant food sensitivities in the group before this activity begins

Quick-Run Card

1. Prepare bags, one food item per bag, sealed. Staff know the contents.
2. Teams send one representative to stand and hold a bag from the top only.
3. Representatives bid downward on how few bites it will take. Lowest bid wins the bag.
4. Winner opens the bag and attempts to eat the item in their claimed number of bites or fewer.
5. Points for success; no points if they go over. Rotate representatives and repeat.

Setup and Boundaries

• Arrange teams in a row or semicircle facing the bag table.
• Signal: one raised hand from staff means pause; two claps means gather attention.
• Each round, a fresh representative steps forward. No player bids twice until all team members have had a turn.
• Staff keep the bag contents confidential until the bid is won.

How to Play

1. Staff prepare paper bags in advance, one food item per bag. Bags are sealed or folded closed.
2. Teams send one representative forward. The representative holds the bag from the top and judges weight, bulk, and shape without opening it.
3. Representatives take turns calling out how many bites they think it will take to eat whatever is inside. Bidding goes downward: the goal is to name the lowest number.
4. The representative who names the lowest number opens the bag and sees what they have to eat.
5. They attempt to eat the item in their claimed number of bites or fewer. If they succeed, their team earns a point. If they go over, no points are awarded for that round.
6. A new representative from each team steps forward for the next round. Continue until all bags are used or time runs out.

I-OPt Options

Start:

• A (Active): Volunteer as your team’s first representative.
• S (Support): Help your team strategise the bidding number before your representative steps forward.
• Q (Quiet): Watch the first round to understand the bidding rhythm before joining.
• O (Observer): Observe and keep your team’s score if you prefer not to bid or eat this round.

Mid:

• A (Active): Step forward as representative and bid confidently.
• S (Support): Cheer for your representative without coaching their bid aloud.
• Q (Quiet): Participate as scorekeeper or bag-holder assistant for staff.
• O (Observer): Continue tracking scores and share observations in the debrief.

Late:

• A (Active): Volunteer for an extra round if a teammate passes.
• S (Support): Encourage a teammate who is hesitant about a food item.
• Q (Quiet): Assist staff with resetting bags for the next round.
• O (Observer): Prepare one observation to share in the debrief.

End:

• A (Active): Announce your team’s final score with flair.
• S (Support): Lead a round of applause for the player who took the riskiest bid.
• Q (Quiet): Reflect privately on what surprised you about the foods.
• O (Observer): Share one thing you noticed about how people estimated.

Inclusion Adaptations

• Any player who prefers not to eat can take the role of Bid Advisor: they hold the bag, assess it, and whisper a recommended bid to a willing teammate who makes the attempt.
• Food selection should be straightforward and familiar. Staff will already know which players have relevant food considerations and can prepare a personal alternative bag for those players if needed.

Stewardship Moment

• Use paper bags that can be recycled or composted after the game.
• Any uneaten food should go back into the kitchen or compost rather than the rubbish bin.
• Reflection: Every item in these bags came from somewhere. What do you know about where your food comes from?

Consent

• Pre-brief: This activity involves holding a bag and guessing what is inside, then possibly eating the item. For those not comfortable eating an unknown food item, the Bid Advisor role is another option where you help your team without eating.
• Mid-game check: After two rounds, pause and check in. Thumbs up, sideways, or down. How is everyone doing?
• Opt-out and re-entry: Any player may step back from the eating role at any time and take on a support role instead. Stepping back in is welcome whenever you are ready.

Risks and Mitigation

• A player bids very low and struggles: remind players before the game to bid a realistic number; a low bid is a risk, not a badge of honour.
• A player is uncomfortable with a specific food: the Bid Advisor role removes the eating requirement entirely.
• Bags are too difficult to assess by feel: make sure food items have clearly different weights and textures.

Warm-Up Suggestions

• Mystery Texture: pass a bag containing one non-food object (rock, sponge, ball) and have players guess the contents before the game begins.
• Fast Food Facts: staff name a food and players guess how many bites a typical person needs to finish it.

Debrief Questions

• What? Which food surprised you the most when the bag opened?
• So What? How did you decide on your bid number? What information did you use?
• Now What? When do you make decisions with incomplete information in everyday life?

Cleanup and Reset

• Recycle or compost paper bags.
• Return any uneaten food to the kitchen.
• Wipe down surfaces if needed.