Food Purchasing for Child Care National Food Service Management Institute The University of Mississippi www.nfsmi.org 800-321-3054

Lesson 1: Working With the Menu

Menus help you to estimate the amount of food to purchase, create a grocery list, purchase food, prepare meals, and receive and store food.

Lesson Objectives State the benefits of using cycle menus Identify strategies for planning nutritious and appealing meals State the benefits of reviewing menus prior to purchasing foods

Cycle Menus Series of planned menus A different menu is served each day After the cycle is complete, the menus are repeated

Advantages of Using Cycle Menus Cycle menus allow flexibility. Cycle menus save time. Cycle menus make food shopping easier.

Menu Planning Process Always plan menus before purchasing food Identify the CACFP Meal Pattern requirements Select the main dish first Add the remaining food components

Planning Nutritious Meals Serve a variety of foods Ensure foods are not repeated more than once Increase fiber Limit the number of fried and high-fat foods

Planning Nutritious Meals (cont.) Limit sweetened foods Serve fewer high-salt (sodium foods) Include foods that provide vitamin A & C Include iron-rich foods

Planning Appealing Meals Include different shapes, colors, textures, & tastes Incorporate herbs and spices Think about culture Plan new foods with familiar favorites

Question? Did you know children under the age of four pose the highest risk for choking?

Age 4 and Under Tend to explore using the mouth Higher risk for choking Tend to explore using the mouth Developing new skills i.e. chewing

Foods to Avoid Round Sticky Hard Smooth Small Slippery Thick Larger than ½ inch

Reviewing Menus Foods are in compliance with CACFP Meal Patterns Within budget Appropriate for the children

Lesson Recap Planning menus is the first step Benefits of cycle menus Ensure menus healthy appealing appropriate meet the CACFP Meal Pattern requirements

Questions?

National Food Service Management Institute Mission: To provide information and services that promote the continuous improvement of child nutrition programs. Vision: To be the leader in providing education, research, and resources to promote excellence in child nutrition programs.