Download Meal Planning 2 Text - Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools

Meal Planning 2 Text
(Adapting Meal Planning to Lifestyles Text)
Written by Heather Csikos, 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
Page
Three Steps to Successful Meals …………………………………… 2
Factors Affecting Food Choices ..................................................... 3
Lifestyle ..................................................................................... 3
Nutrition ..................................................................................... 3
Special Dietary Needs ............................................................... 3
Resources ................................................................................. 4
Family and Cultural Traditions ................................................... 5
Psychological and Sociological Influences................................. 6
Presentation of Foods - Variety ...................................................... 8
How To Analyze Meals For Variety ................................................. 9
Convenience Foods........................................................................ 10
Convenience vs Mix vs Homemade Comparison ............................ 11
Comparative Shipping Across the Food Groups ............................. 12
Consumer Tips on Food Shopping …………………………………. 14
Managing Time in Meal Preparation ………………………………... 15
Table Service ................................................................................. 16
Basic Table Setting ........................................................................ 16
Menu Format .................................................................................. 16
Meal Planning Strategies ................................................................ 17
Eating Patterns Through the Life Cycle .......................................... 19
THREE STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL MEALS
There are three basic steps to good meal planning:
1. Planning: Consider all the factors in meal planning: the weather, the people
you are preparing the meal for, the nutritional value of the food, the time, energy, money,
skills and equipment you have available and the eye appeal of the meal (presentation).
2. Consumer Strategies - check coupons and advertised specials, prepare a list (check
foods on hand), know the store layout, compare prices while at the store and
check for unadvertised specials, shop in order of food perishability, then select
and store food properly.
3. Meal Preparation - manage your time while preparing your meals, set an attractive
table and serve the meal in an appropriate way.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…2
FACTORS AFFECTING FOOD CHOICES
There are many factors that affect your everyday selection of food. Nutritional value of
foods, how much time and energy you have for food preparation and grocery shopping, your food
budget and knowledge of food preparation are some of these factors. All of these factors are
related to your lifestyle.
Lifestyle
Your family’s lifestyle plays a major role in how you
select food. Lifestyle is your pattern of living. It includes many
aspects of eating: food selection, the social setting in which
eating takes place and the number and time of meals and
snacks.
Your lifestyle is influenced by many of the same things
that influence your food choices: knowledge of nutrition,
finances, time, family customs and more. Families with two
working parents generally have more money to buy food, but
less time and energy for food preparation. A single parent who works may budget carefully and
have little time and energy for food preparation. When one parent works at home there may more
time and energy for food preparation. Busy family schedules result in the use of more
convenience foods. Music lessons, after-school activities and meetings require foods to be
available at varying times. All these aspects of daily living affect what foods you choose to
prepare and eat.
Nutrition
The nutritional value of foods sometimes plays a role in your food choices. You eat certain
foods because they are good for you. If you are looking for a snack and are reminded that you
haven’t eaten any fruits and vegetables that day, you might select one because you know your
body needs it. Or you might have a glass of milk when you are thirsty because you know you
should drink milk every day.
Special Dietary Needs
People requiring special diets such as diabetic, low fat, low cholesterol and low calorie will
receive instructions for these from their doctor and dietitian. It is important to know any diet
restrictions of the people you are planning meals for.
Special diets influence your food choices because they limit certain foods or substances in
food. People with allergies or on special diets are usually extremely efficient at reading food
labels and avoiding foods that cause reactions.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…3
Factors Affecting Food Choices continued, p. 2
Resources
Your current resources can affect your food selection. Resources include money, time,
physical energy and kitchen equipment available as well as skills in food preparation. In order to
successfully plan meals you should assess your present resources.
Money
The money you have available for food (food budget) affects your meal plans. It can
determine what you eat, your use of convenience foods and how often you can eat out. Money is
limited so you want to stretch your food dollar as far as possible. Being a comparative shopper
will help you get more for your money.
Time and Energy
Everything you do takes time and energy. Like money, these are resources that can be
spent only once, so they are limited. The amount of time and physical energy you can give to
grocery shopping and meal preparation will affect the type of meals you serve.
Your time available for grocery shopping will determine how often you go shopping and
whether you can travel around to different stores or go to the store when you are missing an
ingredient.
Your time for food preparation affects the type of recipes and the complexity of the meals
you can prepare. Simple quick foods and convenience foods can be prepared when you don’t
have much time. Save the more complicated recipes for when you have time to prepare them.
Also consider making food ahead and freezing it (preparing your own convenience foods and
mixes).
In general, food that takes less time and energy to prepare (convenience foods) costs
more money.
Food Preparation Skills
Your food preparation skills also affect the type of menu you can handle successfully and
how long it will take to prepare it. Be realistic about what you are capable of doing and build on
your present skills.
Technology and Equipment
Availability of some special equipment will influence your menu decisions. Some recipes
call for special equipment, but often other equipment may be substituted.. For example, stir fried
vegetables can be prepared in a wok or a frying pan. Deep fried foods can be prepared in a deep
fat fryer or a deep pot. Pastry can be made using a pastry blender or using two knives. All foods
that are cooked in a microwave can also be cooked using the range. Consider alternate cooking
equipment before ruling out a recipe because you don’t have the cookware it suggests.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…4
Factors Affecting Food Choices continued, p. 3
Family And Cultural Traditions
Traditional family foods as well as religion, holiday customs and superstitions will
influence your selection of food and sometimes how it is prepared.
Family Traditions
Certain foods are selected for special occasions, such as cakes for birthdays and
weddings. Sometimes specific family members prepare special dishes. These special foods may
be traditional foods from your ethnic background or just foods that everyone likes. They are all
family traditions.
Religion
Food patterns are strongly influenced by religious beliefs. Food is a symbolic part of many
worship services, sacred writings often state what foods you can and cannot eat and some
religions have set periods of feasting and fasting.
Christianity - Different sects of Christianity have different food restrictions. For Roman
Catholics, meat is forbidden on Fridays during Lent and during Holy Communion. Bread and
wine symbolize the body and blood of Jesus. Seventh Day Adventist believe a vegetarian diet
promotes good health. Christmas and Easter are the major celebrations.
Hinduism - Eating the flesh of animals is prohibited in the sacred writings of the Hindus.
The cow is a sacred animal and cannot be eaten, but the milk and butter can be eaten and are
considered sacred foods.
Islam - Eating pork is strictly forbidden according to Islamic teachings. Fasting at certain
times of the year is an important Islamic religious practice, in particular, the Fast of Ramadan.
Judaism - Eating pork and shellfish is not allowed in the Jewish religion. In strict Orthodox
Jewish homes, meat and dairy products are prepared and served separately (Kosher). There are
symbolic foods for Jewish holidays. The Passover Seder uses traditional foods to symbolize the
Jews’ flight to freedom from slavery in Egypt.
Holiday Customs
Many foods are associated with specific holidays and religious festivals. Thanksgiving
dinner usually includes turkey with cranberries and pumpkin pie. Different cultures might adjust
their dinner to reflect their ethnic origin. Indonesian families might serve a peanut sauce with the
turkey, whereas an Asian family might stuff the turkey with a rice dressing.
Whether for a feast or special event (weddings, birthdays and graduations) certain foods
make the celebration special.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…5
Factors Affecting Food Choices continued, p. 4
Psychological And Sociological Influences
Your food decisions are often a response to psychological (emotions and feelings) and
sociological (peer pressure and lifestyle) needs as well as physical needs. Advertising and
marketing target these aspects of your personality in order to influence your purchasing habits.
Advertising and Marketing
The role of advertising and marketing is to increase your desire for a product to the point
where you will want to purchase it. They appeal to both your psychological and sociological
needs. Advertising appears on radio, TV, bill boards, flyers, etc. Sometimes you feel pressure to
purchase products because the advertisement can make you feel that a particular product will
make your life perfect. A lot of television advertisements focus on snacking. These
advertisements are often directed to children and adolescents and have subtle ways of leading
the viewer to believe that the product is not only delicious, and fun to eat, but that everyone eats
it. Be aware of the psychological effects of advertising to learn how to make rational decisions on
purchases.
Brand names are a form of advertising, they can influence the shopper just by the idea
that you recognize the brand.
Supermarkets are laid out in such a fashion to influence the purchase of certain products
over others. The following organization of products are marketing techniques usually employed
in the supermarkets to influence the shopper to buy them.
 Products displayed at eye level.
 Products displayed at the end of the aisles or as part of a special display.
 Products near the check out counters.
 Pricing - Products priced as 2 for $.59 , buy 2 and get the third free, instant coupon
rebate or value priced (get 5-15% off if you are a member) are more likely to influence
you to buy them.
Product packaging also influences the shopper. Brightly coloured boxes are selected
more often than name brands or plain boxed foods.
Before purchasing a highly advertised food consider the following:
Is the product genuinely nutritious or does it need to be eaten with other foods to be
nutritious?
TV advertisements say “this cereal provides a well balanced breakfast when eaten with juice and
milk”. Cereal boxes always have the nutritional value for the cereal itself and also with milk. When
a cereal is eaten with milk it is more nutritious.
2. Are there any misleading methods used to convey the message to buy?
Any brand of margarine advertised as low in cholesterol is misleading because there is no
cholesterol in any margarine.
3. Does the advertisement on the package tell the whole story?
“Toasted Oat Cereal with Real Apples and Cinnamon!” in actual fact the label says dried apple
flakes (are these ‘real’ apples?)
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…6
Psychological And Sociological Influences continued, p. 2
Peer Pressure
Sometimes what you eat is influenced by what your friends eat or don’t eat. Food is part of
your social life. Some of your friends might find certain foods disgusting, or love other foods.
Another friend might find the thought of eating animals revolting and become a vegetarian. All
these can affect how you select food.
There is an increasing desire to be thin especially among adolescent females. How does
your body image affect what you eat?
“15 percent of girls (and 8 percent of boys) diet or exercise to look like
one of the many images they soak up on TV”
People Magazine, June 3, 1996
For females, the search for low calorie, low fat and diet
foods becomes a major consideration in selecting food. For
those into body building and shaping, foods and supplements
advertised to increase muscle mass are considered. The
powerful desire to shape your body can result in eating
disorders such as anorexia (fasting and reduced food
consumption) and bulimia (overeating followed by
depression, then vomiting and/or excessive exercise and/or
laxative abuse). These disorders are debilitating physically
and psychologically, many women every year die from
anorexia.
Emotions
Your emotions influence what and how you eat. Sometimes you eat to relieve tension or
anxiety or because you feel depressed. All people don’t eat for the same reasons. Food can
express positive emotions as well. For example, when you prepare a favourite food for someone
you care for or when young children make breakfast for their parents. Unfortunately, food is also
used to influence the behaviour of others, especially children. “No dessert unless you finish your
dinner” or “If you’re good I’ll give you a candy”.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…7
PRESENTATION OF FOODS - VARIETY
Variety stimulates the senses and makes meals more appealing. Your appetite is often
stimulated by the first sight or smell of food.
Colour
A colourful combination of foods makes your meal attractive and interesting. Contrasting
colours of food are more appealing than a plate of similar coloured food. Imagine a plate with sliced
turkey, mashed potatoes and cauliflower. Change the cauliflower to carrots or peas and carrots and
you have already improved the eye appeal of the plate. Try to arrange your food so that contrasting
colours are next to one another.
An easy and creative way to add colour is to use garnishes. Garnishes should be simple, yet
attractive. They should be edible and complement the flavour and colour of the plate. Consider
complementary colours: red and green, brown and white, yellow and green and orange and green.
Flavour
A variety a flavours helps to enhance the appeal of the meal. Consider providing foods that
have hot, mild or strong flavours, sweet and sour flavours as well as characteristic flavours such as
garlic, basil, lemon or tomatoes. Be careful when serving similar flavours and repeating flavours in the
same meal, for example, two strong flavoured vegetables served together may be overwhelming and
a meal with both sliced tomatoes and tomato soup is boring. A variety of flavours makes a meal more
interesting.
Texture
Varying the texture of foods in a meal also adds interest. Texture is both seen by your eye and
felt in your mouth, therefore it contributes a great deal to your sense of variety in the meal. Consider
including foods that are soft, hard, crisp, chewy, smooth and chunky. Also look at the dryness or
moistness of each food. Adding sauces can improve the texture of a meal. Some foods have more
than one texture depending on how they are prepared. Consider the option of changing the cooking
method of a food before substituting it with other. Potatoes can be served in many ways: boiled,
mashed, scalloped, baked, French fried, etc. All of these have different textures.
Shape
Plan menu items that have different shapes. Change the shape of whole foods by cutting and
mashing, for example boiled potatoes can be whole, cut or mashed. When you cut vegetables for stir
frying or salads use different methods of cutting: chop, slice, julienne and dice.
Temperature
Always serve your food at the temperature it should be eaten: hot foods hot and cold foods
cold. Some foods taste best at room temperature such as cheese. Consider the temperature of the
food when incorporating variety into the menu.
Method of Cooking and Preparation
Vary the cooking and preparation methods used when you are preparing a meal. Try different
methods of cooking: boiling, steaming, parboiling, stewing, braising, frying, stir frying, baking and
barbecuing. Also serve fruit and vegetables raw, cooked, as an ingredient in a recipe or with a sauce
or dip. These will add interest to the meal.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…8
HOW TO ANALYZE MEALS FOR VARIETY
List all the descriptive words possible for each variety attribute (colour, flavour,
shape, etc.). If there are at least two different types of each attribute the variety is
adequate, but three different types of each attribute is more interesting and appetizing.
For example in the menu:
Tomato Cucumber Salad
Baked Breaded Chicken
Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Peas and Carrots
Biscuits
Hot Fudge Sundaes
Milk
Tea/Coffee
Describe the attributes of each menu item:
Attributes
Colour
Tomato
Cucumber
Salad
red, green
Baked
Breaded
Chicken
brown
Mashed
Potatoes
with Gravy
white, brown
Flavour
Texture
sweet, mild
crisp, soft
mild
tender,
juicy
irregular
mild
semi-solid,
liquid
mound
hot
bake
Shape
Temperature
Cooking
Method
wedges,
sliced
cold
none
Peas and
Carrots
Biscuits
golden
brown
pleasant
flaky,
moist
round
hot
green,
orange
sweet
tender
crisp
round,
disk
hot
boil
steam
bake
warm
Hot
Fudge
Sundaes
white,
chocolate
sweet
smooth,
creamy
round
scoops
cold and
warm
none
Amount
of
Variety
excellent
good
excellent
excellent
excellent
good
If there is not adequate variety, substitute or add
foods or garnishes that increase the variety and
eye appeal of your meal.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…9
CONVENIENCE FOODS
There are different types of convenience foods to consider: ready-to-eat, heat and serve
and partially prepared or mixes.
Ready-to-eat Foods require no cooking and little mixing, they can be served directly from the
package or may only need to be reheated or browned. Some examples are: cereals, granola
bars, deli meats, canned meats, baked goods, canned fruits, peanut butter, frozen juices.
Heat and Serve Foods are usually canned, frozen or dried and require
minimal preparation or cooking. Canned soups and chili; frozen TV dinners,
waffles, entrees and pizza are examples.
Partially Prepared Foods or Mixes are those that require the addition of a few
ingredients and some mixing and cooking. Some examples are cake mixes,
puddings, pizzas, macaroni and cheese, pasta sauces, hamburger helper
and others.
Advantages of Convenience Foods



Save Time and Energy Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables have been peeled and cut,
ready for use. Mixes eliminate the need to have all ingredients on hand. Convenience foods
can be stored for long periods of time.
Consistent Quality Ingredients and measurements are rigidly controlled and stabilizers are
used in convenience foods to retain quality.
Easy To Prepare Simple precise directions allow anyone to prepare them.
How To Evaluate Convenience Foods
Consider the cost in time, energy and money before deciding on convenience or
homemade. Some convenience foods cost more than homemade, but others do not. Making
your own soup or juice, usually costs more than buying a can and requires little time and energy.
Making your own baked goods is less expensive than purchasing them from the bakery, but also
more time consuming and requires you to have some baking skills. Also look at the quality of the
food you are selecting - consider its flavour, texture and appearance. If you prefer homemade
over convenience or visa versa, this will play a big role in your choice. Next consider nutrition.
Processed foods usually have lost nutrients (although some products have had the nutrients
added back), contain preservatives, sugar, salt and fat and may contain more fillers and
stabilizers. Convenience soups and stews do not contain as much meat and vegetables and
homemade soups and stews and are therefore not as nutritious.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…10
CONVENIENCE VS MIX VS HOMEMADE COMPARISION
Consider the difference in purchasing an angel food cake, a mix to prepare an angel food
cake and the ingredients to prepare the homemade version.
Angel Food Cake Comparison
1
Cost
Time
Quality2
Ease of
preparation
Packaging
Convenience
$2.09
none
very good
no preparation
Mix
$2.79
80 minutes
depends on skills
one step method is easy
cardboard, plastic
box and plastic bags
Homemade
$1.75
90 minutes
depends on skills
separate eggs and beat
to soft peak stage
none
1Based
on prices, Fall 1996
2The author’s opinion on flavour, texture and appearance
In the case of angel food cake, the mix is the most expensive, has the most packaging and
is in-between as far as time, quality and ease of preparation. The convenience is tied with the
mix for the most packaging, but has no preparation and the highest quality. The homemade is the
least expensive and has no packaging, but is time consuming to prepare and the quality depends
on the baker.
Macaroni and Cheese Comparison
Cost1
Time
Quality
Ease of
preparation
Packaging
Convenience
$2.35
5 minutes
very good
no preparation
Mix
$.99
12 minutes
okay
two step method is easy
foil and cardboard
box, foil and paper
Homemade
$1.35
15 minutes
very good
know how to make a
cheese sauce
none
1Based
on prices, Fall 1996
2The author’s opinion on flavour, texture and appearance
For macaroni and cheese the convenience costs the most and has the most packaging
but is time saving and very good in quality. The mix also has lots of packaging, requires some
preparation, has fair quality and is the least expensive. The homemade has the least packaging,
a high quality, in between for cost, but has slightly more preparation time than the others.
There are no rules as to which product (homemade, mix or convenience) is better or worse in
terms of quality, time saving and cost. The choice depends on your priorities for each factor and
the individual products.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…11
COMPARATIVE SHOPPING ACROSS THE FOOD GROUPS
Adapted from: Your food and your money, Shopping for Food and Nutrition, Agriculture Canada
General Considerations
Buy plain products rather than fancy or flavoured ones. The more processed a product is
the more it costs. House and no name brands are usually less expensive than widely advertised
name brands and are of comparable quality. Find a use for leftovers.
Saving Money on Milk and Milk Products
The cost milk and cream are related to their butterfat content. Whipping cream has the
highest fat content, then cereal cream and then the types of milk you drink. Whipping cream is
about five times as expensive as milk.
Products that have been flavoured such as yogurts and chocolate milk usually cost more
and have sugar added. The price of cheese is related to the age and method of preparation. Old
cheese is more expensive than medium cheese.





Buy plain yogurt and milk and add your own flavourings.
Use mild cheese in place of medium or old, unless you required the sharp flavour.
Use skim milk powder in recipes in place of milk and evaporated milk in place of cream.
Grate cheese that has become hard and use it in baked products or sauces.
Compare the prices of bulk cheese with packaged cheese slices, prepackaged sticks and
bags of grated cheese.
Saving Money on Grain Products








Buy frozen bread when on ‘special’ and store up to 1 month.
Check the number of slices of bread in loaves to determine the cost per slice.
Compare cereals by unit price not package price because most packages are different
weights.
Compare the cost of sweetened vs unsweetened cereals
Enriched and whole grain bread, cereal, pasta and rice provide more nutrients and better
money value.
Home cooked cereals are less expensive than
ready-to-eat or sugar-coated cereals.
Buy pastas and rice in bulk or when on ‘special’ as
they keep for years.
Converted and long grain rice are usually less
expensive than instant and preseasoned rice and
more nutritious.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…12
Comparative Shopping Across The Food Groups continued
Saving Money on Fruits and Vegetables
The prices of fresh fruit and vegetables vary year round and are usually lowest when the
product is in season. Remember the waste (outer leaves, peel and roots) when comparing the
prices of fresh fruit and vegetables.




Buy just what you need and select small size whole fruit for children so there is no waste.
Compare grades (fancy and choice) and style (halved, sliced) of canned fruits and
vegetables.
Use overripe fruit in sauces or baked goods.
Compare prices by cost per serving rather than unit cost.
Saving Money on Meats and Alternates
This part of your meal can be a large part of the cost, so careful selection and cooking is
important.











The price of ground beef is related to its fat content. The higher percentage of fat, the lower
the cost. Therefore, use regular ground beef when you cook the meat first and can drain the
fat from the meat and use lean or extra lean in hamburgers, meat balls or meat loaf where the
fat cannot be drained away.
Compare cuts of meat by the cost per serving rather than cost per kilogram because fat, bone
and gristle reduce the number or servings. Consider, ground beef, standing rib roast and
rump roast - they all yield a different number of servings per kilogram.
Buy larger quantities on special then divide into portions and freeze.
Variety meats such as liver, kidney and tongue are less expensive than other cuts.
Use less tender cuts of meat and learn how to tenderize them. They have the same nutritional
value as tender cuts and are less expensive.
Buy sliced meat at the deli counter rather than in presliced packages.
Buy whole chickens if you use all the parts.
Compare the price per kilogram of the different parts of the chicken.
Compare the price of the different sizes of eggs.
Flaked can meats are usually less expensive than solid canned meats.
Try using dried peas, bean or lentils occasionally, instead of meat. They are good sources of
protein and less expensive.
Saving money on Fats and Oils




Compare the unit prices.
Substitute margarine for butter and shortening in recipes, when possible.
Choose olive oil only when it is specifically called for in a recipe as it has a special flavour of
its own and is much more expensive.
Reuse oil used for deep fat frying by straining it and keeping it refrigerated in a closed
container.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…13
CONSUMER TIPS ON FOOD SHOPPING
Before you leave home:





Use weekly newspaper food ads to comparison shop
Collect food coupons for items you normally buy.
Use a shopping list organized according to your store layout.
Plan to shop alone. Others generally contribute to impulse buying.
Shop after you have eaten to avoid impulse buying.
In the store:









Eliminate unnecessary snack foods, these are usually expensive and nutritionally deficient.
Cut down on expensive beverages such as soft drinks.
Buy lower cost cuts of meat and learn the appropriate cooking methods.
Compare unit prices.
Compare brands: national, store and no name.
Buy in quantity only if the food will not be wasted.
Know regular prices so you can recognize a bargain and
take advantage of “specials”.
Scan the products located on the top and bottom
shelves. The more expensive products are usually
located at eye level.
Before purchasing foods check to see that they have
been stored properly and they are within the expiry date.
 Fresh items should be fresh: meat, poultry, fish
and bakery products, check the dates.
 Canned goods should be rotated so that the older
cans are used up first. They are safe to eat as long
as there is no sign of bulging or leakage.
 Packaged foods such as cereals should be tightly sealed.
 Select packaged frozen food that does not contain any ice inside the bag.
 Choose produce that is free from bruises and bad spots.
 Check the expiry date on milk products and eggs to ensure that you will consume them
before they expire.
Other:
Avoid shopping at convenience stores as the prices are much higher.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…14
MANAGING TIME IN MEAL PREPARATION
The amount of time available for planning and preparing a meal is probably the biggest
factor affecting what to cook. Consider the schedules of all family members. If time is short,
consider preparing dishes ahead of time and refrigerating or freezing. Also consider the use of
convenience foods. Be realistic about the time of preparation, the cooking time and the assembly
time.
1. For each menu item consider the time it would take to prepare it and then cook it. Also
consider if there is any last minute arranging to be done to any of the food and allow time to
place food in serving bowls.
2. Decide when the meal will be served.
3. Work backwards to determine when you should start preparing and cooking each dish. First,
schedule the menu item that takes the longest to prepare and cook.
Example Time Plan:
MENU
Tomato Cucumber Salad
Baked Breaded Chicken
Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Peas and Carrots
Biscuits
Chocolate Ice Cream
Milk
Tea/Coffee
Serving Time: 6:00 pm
Allow approximately 10 minutes for last minute arranging and serving of main items.
Menu Item
Preparation
Time
Begin
Cooking/
Begin
Preparation
Baking Time
Cooking/
of Ingredients
Baking
Breaded Baked Chicken
20 min
4:30
1 hour
4:50
Mashed Potatoes
5 min
5:15
30 min
5:20
Biscuits
10 min
5:30
20 min
5:40
Peas & Carrots
5 min
5:40
15 min
5:45
Tomato Cucumber Salad
10 min
5:20*
----Gravy
5 min
5:10*
5 min
5:50
Chocolate Ice Cream
5 min
After dinner
--*Prepare gravy and tomato cucumber salad ahead to eliminate rushing at the last minute.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
…15
TABLE SERVICE
There are a variety of ways to serve a meal. Formal, informal, individual place settings
and buffets are the most common. You can combine these in any way to create the mood or
occasion desired. Foods can be served directly from the kitchen (informal) or at the table (formal)
or a combination of both. You should set the table for a meal, depending on the occasion. Place
settings should include every utensil necessary for eating the meal. When planning a buffet you
should set the food out in a logical sequence, preceded by the plates. Cutlery and napkins are
usually picked up at the end, unless there is a table set elsewhere.
BASIC TABLE SETTING
dessert spoon
dessert fork
dinner plate
glass
cup &
saucer
dinner fork
soup spoon
side plate
salad fork
teaspoon
dinner knife
MENU FORMAT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Centre the menu on the page.
Capitalize The First Letter in Each Word.
Write foods in the order that they are eaten.
Write foods beside each other that are eaten together.
State the method of preparation when possible i.e. Poached Eggs
Beverages are last.
French Onion Soup
Roast Leg of Pork with Brown Gravy
Applesauce
Whipped Potato
Fresh Garden Peas
Blueberry Crisp with Ice Cream
Tea/Coffee
Milk
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
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MEAL PLANNING STRATEGIES
Budget Constraints
Also refer to “Comparative Shopping Across the Food
Groups”.
Using Leftovers
When there are leftover foods store them in airtight
containers close to the front of the refrigerator so you won’t
forget them. Consider the following uses before discarding
leftovers:
 bones and cooking liquids for soup stock
 stale bread for crumbs or croutons
 stale cake and cookies in puddings
 chicken, beef or bacon fat for soups, sauces or in baked goods such as muffins
 cooked meat in casseroles, salads, sandwich fillings, omelets
 sour milk in baking vegetables in soups, sauces or casseroles
Fast Meal Preparation
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Incorporate ways to decrease meal preparation time:
Use cooking methods which take less time such as microwaving, steaming and grilling.
Make batches of foods ahead and freeze for quick reheating during the week.
Make your own mixes.
Buy or make ready-to-add foods (pre cut or pre cooked) and mixes to reduce preparation time
at home.
Staggered Schedules
 Select foods that will reheat easily on the stove or in the microwave such as stews, crock pot
recipes, pasta and rice dishes.
 Serve cold foods like subs and sandwiches that only need to be assembled. Have all
ingredients precut.
 Avoid serving foods that will lose their texture or colour after standing, such as Caesar salad,
and foods that do not reheat easily like breaded and fried foods.
Limited Equipment
Plan to use the equipment available for only one part of the meal, otherwise you won’t be
able to serve all menu items at the correct temperature. For example, baking potatoes, poaching
salmon and steaming vegetables all in the microwave will result in only one food being hot at
serving time. Incorporate entrees such as salads and desserts that can be served at room
temperature or cold. Plan meals that contain several parts of a meal, i.e. one pot meals such a
curries, stews, hearty soups, casseroles. Cook the potatoes, rice, pasta and vegetables with the
meat portion of the menu. Serve with bread, buns or biscuits.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
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Meal Planning Strategies continued, p. 2
Cooking For One
Use small pots and pans to aid cooking small portions. Consider sizes of canned goods
carefully. The 398 mL (14 oz) can may be a better buy than the 284 mL (10 oz) can. However if
1/3 of the larger can is wasted, it is no longer a bargain. Frozen vegetables can be purchased in
large quantities, then at each meal pour out just what will be eaten.
Measure the contents of regularly used packages - puddings, gelatin desserts, mixes.
Record the total contents and only use half for each meal.
Invest in a freezer. Buy family packs of meat on special and divide into individual servings
and freeze. Prepare roast beef and small turkeys with all the trimmings, then slice or dice
leftovers and assemble into small portions and freeze. Later use these meats for hot sandwiches,
stew and casserole dishes.
Divide your recipes in half and use 1 small egg in place of a large egg. Or prepare the
whole batch and freeze cookies, cakes and muffins. Entire stew and casserole recipes can be
prepared and arranged in one or two serving portions and frozen.
To prevent food contamination when freezing, cool leftovers quickly in the refrigerator,
then package and freeze immediately. Store highly seasoned dishes and those with a high fat
content for short periods of time. Use leftovers within two weeks. Be aware that some foods can
change the texture of a dish when frozen then thawed. Refreeze only foods that have been at
room temperature less than 2 hours to minimize chances of food poisoning.
Eating Out
Frequent eating of restaurant food can be a challenge for health conscious people. The
following guidelines will help a frequent restaurant visitor to select healthy foods (low fat and high
fibre).
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Eat only what you need (until you are no longer hungry) regardless of the portion on the plate.
Use plain bread and buns (whole wheat) in place of garlic toast or cheese bread.
Ask for dressings to be served on the side, so you can decide how much to put on.
Order broiled meats rather than fried or deep fried.
Choose tomato based sauces instead of cream sauces for pasta and broth based soups
instead of cream based.
 Select baked potato or rice instead of French fries.
 Choose sherbet, frozen yogurt or fresh fruit for dessert rather than ice cream, pie or layered
cakes.
Limited Food Preparation Skills
Read through the entire recipe before selecting it to make sure you understand the
directions. Look up any cooking terms you don’t know. Gradually try new recipes to increase
your skills. Take a cooking class.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
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EATING PATTERNS THROUGH THE LIFE CYCLE
Preschool/Children
The two main considerations in planning meals for preschoolers and
children are portion size and frequency of eating. They need small portion
sizes and nutritious snacks (low sugar) in between meal times.
Adolescents
Nutrient needs are highest during the adolescent years because of the demands of growth
and maturation. Teenagers need calcium, particularly for skeletal development. Three to four
servings of Milk and Milk Products are recommended. An adolescent’s lifestyle may include
frequent snacking. It is important that the snack foods are selected from Canada’s Food Guide.
The pregnant adolescent must meet the nutritional need of her own growth as well as the
nutritional demands of pregnancy.
Pregnant Women
Adequate nutrition during pregnancy is essential for the health of the child and the mother.
During pregnancy maternal and fetal tissues grow at a rapid rate and during lactation there is daily
production of milk. These physiological functions require increased intakes of many nutrients.
Increasing the number of servings from Grain Products, Milk Products and Vegetables and Fruits
will satisfy the increased demands. Pregnant women especially need to increase their
consumption of high iron foods such as organ meats, egg yolks, red meats, dried peas and
beans, nuts and dark green vegetables.
Adults
In general, an adult’s needs for nutrients remains the same, but the need for calories
decreases. An adult’s metabolic rate slows down by two or three percent every decade and many
people let their activity level drop as they get older. The prevention of obesity and related
diseases is the most important challenge during the adult years.
Seniors
As with adults, energy requirements are less, but nutrient needs remain
the same. Wise food choices for this age group are those of higher nutrient
density - those foods that provide nutrients without extra calories. There are
many other problems that affect meal planning for this group:
 disability and illness
 depression and loneliness and
 reduced income
Sharing meals with friends, participating in community meal programs can help make
meals more enjoyable.
Meal Planning 2 Text by Heather Csikos  1999
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