Do You Have the Menu Planning Blues? Who looks forward the menu planning and nutrient analysis?

Is Menu Planning a Drain on the Brain? Who are the stakeholders in the process? After all the work, are people going to be satisfied?

Spending Valuable Staring at a Screen? Do you feel you spend too much time at the computer? Can the process be streamlined?

Menu Planning Considerations Nutrition Program Standards. Food service staff experience and abilities. Client satisfaction surveys. Availability of menu items. Seasonal consideration. Meal composition – texture, color, variety… Review slide. Ask audience about other consideration?

Resources Same old, same old Food for Fifty Adapt online recipes Other? Menu blues leads into recipe idea struggles.

Spice of Life Standardized recipes – consistency of end product. Includes variety of herbs, spices, vinegars, juices, and other favor enhancers. Mix and match. Standardized recipes are a must. When not followed the end product is inconsistent. This can make or break success of your congregate and MOW program. You may hear complaints: “There must be a new cook” “The meal had more flavor the last time” “The food is too bland” “Too much pepper”

Resources Albany County Department for Aging: Six Contracted providers One HDM only Two Congregate only Three both congregate and HDM 7 Production kitchens 16 Satellite congregate sites Catalyst for standardized recipes was the Albany County Sodium Reduction in Communities project, through a grant from the NYSDOH. It provided the leverage to change mind-set and practices. A collaboration between the ACDFA RDN and the food service managers was pivotal. The RDN took the providers recipes, adjusted the recipes to increase flavor and meet nutritional requirement, then created a shared databank of standardized recipes among all contracted providers.

Variety Code Recipe # Servings__ Sauce00 Marinara Sauce 100 Sauce01 Béchamel/Alfredo Sauce 100 Sauce02 Peach Glaze (Sauce) 100 Sauce03 BBQ Sauce 100 Sauce04 BBQ Sweet 75 Sauce05 Honey Mustard 50 Sauce06 Sweet & Sour Sauce 50 Sauce07 Meatsauce 100 Sauce08 Orange Glaze Sauce 50 Sauce09 Sweet & Sour Sauce with Pineapple 50 Sauce10 White Sauce 50 Sauce11 Herb Lemon Sauce 50 Sauce12 Cider-Braising Sauce 100 Sauce13 Teriyaki Sauce/Glaze 50 Sauce14 Greek Style Marinade 50 Included with the recipes are a variety of sauces that can be used interchangeably. The recipes detail cooking techniques, I.e., sautéing onion, garlic and peppers to release the flavors before adding other ingredients. Using juices, vinegars and a variety of individual seasonings, not just using Mrs. Dash. Barriers to this process: Resources – RDN the only trained person on staff to adjust and analyze recipes. Computer software limitations. Time commitment. Began the proves in the Fall of 2015 and continue to standardize recipes and expend data bank of recipes.

Sample Menu with Recipe Codes HOT   MONDAY (10/9 closed), 11/20, (1/1 closed), 2/12, 3/26 TUESDAY 10/10, 11/21, 1/2, 2/13 3/27 WEDNESDAY 10/11, 11/22, 1/3, 2/14 3/28 THURSDAY 10/12, 11/23 closed, 1/4, 2/15, 3/29 FRIDAY 10/13, 11/24 closed, 1/5, 2/16, 3/30 MEAT or Protein ALTERNATE 3 oz. cooked P09 3 oz. Ham Salad Sandwich 3 oz. BBQ Chicken Breast Sauce04 M08 4oz Meatloaf w/ 2oz LS Onion Gravy03 3 oz. Sweet and Sour Chicken Sauce09 4 oz. Baked Cod w/ Herbed Lemon Sauce11 VEGETABLES & FRUITS 2 - ½ cup servings 1 serving of salad greens, berries or melon = 1 cup Soup11 8 oz. Lentil Soup 1 cup Romaine Lettuce, Shredded Carrots, Tomato w/ 1 Tbsp. LS dressing 1 med Baked Potato ½ c. Green Beans VS09 ½ c. Mashed Potatoes ½ c. Peas & Carrots ½ c. Chinese Vegetables ½ c. Broccoli 4 oz. Cranberry Juice* 2 oz. BREAD or Grain ALTERNATE (1 oz = whole grain) 1 tsp. Margarine (2 oz. Whole Wheat Bread) Margarine 1 oz. Whole Wheat Bread ½ c. Brown Rice 2 oz. Whole Wheat Dinner Roll GR07 ½ c. Rice Pilaf 1% MILK 8 ounces Milk DESSERT 1/2 Cup ½ c. Pineapple Chunks ½ c. Strawberry Short Cake w/ GR00 1.5 oz. Biscuit ½ c. Fruit Cocktail D06 ½ c. Warm Peach Crisp w/ whipped Topping ½ c. Tapioca Pudding Sample Menu Each provider received a 3-ring binder and sleeves with put together their own recipe book (part of the NYSOFA Grant). Optimal situation: Having a culinary chef on staff would be ideal. Test kitchen for new recipes. More availability for free local produce donated to the providers, storage is an issue.

Menu Planning Outcomes. Consider the audience when planning the menu. The end result of the menu planning and standardized recipe process is client satisfaction. The more consistent the end product the better the meal satisfaction.

Menu Sharing Ideas