1. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning

2. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
Menu Planning Principles
Basic menu planning principles are a great starting point to meet both food preferences and the nutritional needs of your participants.

3. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
5 Basic Menu Planning Principles
Strive for balance
Emphasize variety
Add contrast
Think about color
Consider eye appeal

4. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
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Meal Pattern Menu Planning
STRIVE FOR BALANCE
Balance Flavors in appealing ways:
Avoid serving many strong flavored foods in a meal.
Serving only mild flavored foods may make a meal bland and unappealing.
As we grow older, our palate (tastes) may change. Some may be overly sensitive to any flavors, while some may not really be able to taste much at all.

5. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning
STRIVE FOR BALANCE
Examples:
Spicy Meal: Italian sausage lasagna, garlic bread, mexicali corn,spinach salad, milk
Bland Meal: Baked chicken breast, white rice, mashed potatoes, roll, pears, milk.

6. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning
STRIVE FOR BALANCE
Balance higher fat foods with lower fat foods:
Avoid having all high fat entrées during the same week.
Balance out higher fat entrées with lower fat side dishes.

7. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
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Meal Pattern Menu Planning
STRIVE FOR BALANCE
Example:
Entrée: Grilled ham and cheese sandwich
Sides: Steamed carrots and fresh strawberries (instead of scalloped potatoes and peach cobbler)

8. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
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Meal Pattern Menu Planning
EMPHASIZE VARIETY
Include a wide variety of foods from day to day:
Avoid keeping a “scheduled” day for specific items.
Lasagna every Monday
Tacos every Tuesday,etc.

9. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
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Meal Pattern Menu Planning
EMPHASIZE VARIETY
Vary the types of entrées you serve:
Don’t serve sandwiches and casseroles for dinner every day
What about main dish salads, soups, calzones, pastas

10. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning
EMPHASIZE VARIETY
Include food in different forms or prepared in several ways:
Do you usually serve vegetables raw or steamed?
What about flavorings and spices?

11. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
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Meal Pattern Menu Planning
EMPHASIZE VARIETY
Example: Broccoli
Ways to prepare:
raw steamed boiled
sautéed broiled blanched
Ways to use:
salad garlic or ginger quiche
soufflé w/sesame seeds pasta
Some combination dishes may only provide a partial serving of fruit or vegetable component, so be sure to have enough of another fruit or vegetable to have a reimbursable meal.

12. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning
EMPHASIZE VARIETY
Include a small amount of unfamiliar food in meals and snacks:
Add a seasonal fruit or vegetable to an old favorite
Offer a small amount of a new food in addition to the planned menu
Be sure what you are adding does not displace a component.

13. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning
STRIVE FOR BALANCE
Think about the texture, taste, and appearance of foods :
Hamburger gravy, mashed potatoes, applesauce, roll and milk
Add a crisp green salad, crunchy carrot rounds, or strips of steak for a more appealing meal
For those with texture modification needs, try you best not to just slop scoops of pureed food on the plate. Maybe look into getting food molds, or use garnishes for color.

14. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning
STRIVE FOR BALANCE
Avoid offering too much of the same types of foods in a meal:
Starchy: chicken pasta, baked potato, breadstick, corn, milk
Sweet: Honey glazed ham, baked yams, apricot cous cous, roll, strawberries, and milk

15. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning
STRIVE FOR BALANCE
Use different combinations of shapes and sizes of foods:
Cubed meat, diced potatoes, mixed vegetables, fruit cocktail isn’t too exciting
Whole food, cubes, mounds, shredded bits, strips should all be combined in a meal

16. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning
THINK ABOUT COLOR
Avoid using food of all the same color in a meal:
Turkey, white rice, white bread, cauliflower, pears, and milk all lack color

17. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning
THINK ABOUT COLOR
Use color foods, like fruits and vegetables to add natural color:
Broccoli with mashed potatoes, a tomato slice on macaroni salad, green peppers to corn

18. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning
THINK ABOUT COLOR
Sprinkle herbs and spices on bland foods for both taste and color:
Cinnamon on canned fruit
Paprika on vegetables or potatoes
Basil, parsley, or cilantro

19. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning
CONSIDER EYE APPEAL
Visualize the entire presentation:
Consider the color of the dishes or trays that will be used
Don’t forget about making the meal setting appealing, with table clothes and seasonal decoration, if possible

20. Meal Pattern Menu Planning
1/07
Meal Pattern Menu Planning
CONSIDER EYE APPEAL
Plan the way you will place the items on the plate:
Visualize how it will look when it is served
Place foods next to each other that “go”, like bread and pasta, not pears
Some people are picky about their food touching and running together.

21. Parts of a Meal:
Appetizers: Include fruit/vegetable juice, raw fruits/vegetables, soup, sea food, etc.
Main dish: A main dish can be meat, seafood, poultry, a salad, an omelet, pancakes or a casserole
Accompaniments: Vegetables, breads, rolls, sauces, relishes.
Salad: Tossed vegetable or fruit, jellied.
Dessert: Cakes, cookies, pies, puddings,

22. Family Differences
Family Size: This affects the amount of money needed, the preparation time, and the style of table service preferred.
Age: Babies, children, teenagers and parents need different foods and don’t eat the same amount.
Activity Level: With more exercise, the body requires more energy.
Food Preferences: All families don’t like the same kinds of foods because of culture and traditions.

23. Time: Recipes vary greatly in preparation time required
Time: Recipes vary greatly in preparation time required. When there is little time, fix foods requiring little time.
Special Diets: Health considerations such as diabetes, high blood pressure, lactose intolerance, ulcer, stroke, and heart problems influence what people eat. What are some examples of foods some people must limit and why?
Food Budget: If money if limited, foods from basic ingredients prepared from scratch may be a better choice than fast-food or convenience foods. Some families don’t realize this and the fact that they could help themselves out of a trying financial situation with their food budget.

24. Shopping Tips
Fruits and vegetables in season are generally at their lowest price.
Plan menu around grocery ads.
Make a weekly menu plan.
Make a list and use it—Keep to it. If you plan to eat out, then eat out and budget for it!