Once a week, Stone Soup Troops gather to cook one big meal. Everyone brings a little. Together, those little contributions make a big hearty meal for all - cheap.
When We Share the Pot
Cooking together doesn’t just build community — it cuts real costs in a way that’s fair for everyone.
When One Family Cooks Alone
To make a Shepherd’s Pie for a family of five, a typical grocery list looks like this:
- Ground Beef (1 lb) - $6.32
- Potatoes (3 lbs needed, have to buy a 5 lb bag) - $3.50
- Frozen Mixed Veggies (1 bag) - $1.75
- Beef Broth (have to buy a carton though only need 1 cup) - $3.50
- Onion (1 medium) - $0.70
- Tomato Paste (1 can, though only need 2 tbsp) - $1.25
- Butter (4 sticks but only need 4 tbsp) - $5.50
- Milk ( ½ gallon, though only need ¼ cup) - $3.50
- Worcestershire Sauce (10 oz bottle, though only need 1 tsp) - $4.50
TOTAL GROCERY BILL—$30.02
Even though only part of each item is used, a single family still has to buy everything — bringing the total cost to about $30, or $6 per serving.
When Five Families Cook Together
Now, scale that same recipe up to feed 25 servings — enough for five families.
Instead of everyone buying full retail packages, each participant brings a few ingredients, aiming for about the same total contribution value .
While that per person cost will vary recipe to recipe, we will show the same Shepherd's Pie example here.
- Participant 1 - 2.5 lbs Ground Beef, 1 bag Potatoes, 1 can Tomato Paste - $17.00
- Participant 2 - 2 bags Mixed Veggies, 1 carton Beef Broth - $16.50
- Participant 3 - 2 onions, 1 lb Butter - $17.00
- Participant 4 - ½ gallon Milk, Worcestershire Sauce - $17.00
- Participant 5 - 1 bag Potatoes, 3.5 lb beef - $16.50
Each Family's Grocery Bill - $17
Together, those ingredients make enough for everyone to take home a $30 meal — a hearty dinner for five.
The Bottom Line
- Cooking alone: $30 per family
- Cooking together: $17 per family
- Savings: about 40–45% per meal
By cooking in community, families spend less, waste less, and still go home with the same delicious homemade dinner — proof that a little shared effort goes a long way.
