Those Shoes dinner menu

A classic school cafeteria menu to accompany the children’s book Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts for this month’s Family Dinner Book Club.

This month’s Family Dinner Book Club is about clothing, in conjunction with Be Kind to Humankind Week and National Underwear Day. How can we help others in our communities who don’t have this basic need of clothing met on a regular basis? Our lead book is Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts. Go check out Growing Book by Book for a full reading list, conversation starters, and family service project ideas. Then head over to Sunny Day Family for a fun craft to create with your kids.

Those Shoes follows the story of a boy who desperately wants the hot new shoes all his classmates are getting, but he can’t afford them. This story is a common one that many children can relate to – including myself!

When I was young I wanted the newest Converse All-Star High Tops that would make me run faster and jump higher. So many kids at my school had them, but we weren’t a family that could afford to go out and buy brand new items more than twice per year. We usually got a brand new outfit at the beginning of the school year and for Christmas. I now understand that even this is a luxury that many cannot afford.

My older brother got a pair of the Converse All-Star High Tops that were light blue with little dinosaurs all over them. I was so envious, and it was one of the best days of my childhood when he finally grew out of them and they were passed down to me! I immediately felt the running power in my feet the moment I put them on.

All kids deserve to have this basic need of clothing and shoes met, and if you’re in a position to spare a little extra cash, or purchase one extra outfit for someone in need, it is my personal belief that you then have the responsibility to help others in need. Wouldn’t you hope that someone would be kind enough to help you out if you needed it?

Don’t worry, I’ll be stepping off my soapbox now. You can learn more about how we can gain greater compassion and understanding when you mosey on over to Growing Book by Book and Sunny Day Family.

Now for why you’re really here: The Food! Those Shoes takes place mostly at a school, and there are some scenes in a school cafeteria. One of the meal you’ll notice in the pages of this book is the iconic Sloppy Joe! So that’s what we’re having for dinner this month.

Did you grow up eating Sloppy Joes? I did, and here’s a little secret: I hated them! I actually had not eaten one since childhood and was sort of dreading making them for my own family. I scoured the internet for recipes that didn’t look completely repulsive, and landed on this recipe you see here.

My favorite school cafeteria lunch was the rectangle pizza, followed closely by spaghetti. What was yours? Let me know in the comments below!

Those Shoes
Family Dinner Book Club
Menu
Sloppy Joes
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans
Corn
Chocolate Milk