Download Meal Planning and Preparation

MEAL PLANNING &
PREPARATION
© PDST Home Economics
FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED
WHEN PLANNING A MEAL





Nutrition- balanced meal.
Follow healthy eating
guidelines.
Requirements of agegroup being served.
Special diets e.g. coeliac.
Variety- tastes, colour,
texture, cooking methods.





Time available.
Knowledge & skill.
Budget.
Availability of ingredients.
Availability of equipment.
CHANGES THAT HAPPEN DURING
FOOD PREPARATION




Physical Changes
Increase in size e.g. soaking
dried food.
Thickening e.g. whipping
cream.
Loss of nutritive value e.g.
water - soluble vitamins
dissolve into water.
Tenderising e.g. meat is
tenderised by beating,
mincing.




Chemical changes
Colour change e.g.
enzymatic browning.
Nutrient loss e.g. enzyme
oxidase destroys vitamin C.
Tenderising e.g. proteolytic
enzymes tenderise meat
fibres.
Increase in size e.g. yeast
dough expands as
enzymes make CO2 .
CHANGES THAT HAPPEN DURING
COOKING OF FOOD






Physical Changes
Texture changes e.g. cell
walls soften in vegetables.
Bacteria killed.
Nutrient loss e.g. vitamins
& minerals dissolve into
cooking liquid.
Food solidifies e.g. egg
protein coagulates.
Food thickens e.g.
gelatinisation of starch.
Shrinkage - protein
coagulates & shrinks e.g.
meat.



Chemical Changes
Maillard reaction – when
amino acids & carbohydrates
are heated together, the
food turns brown.
Caramelisation - sugar
heated above dissolving
point turns brown e.g.
toffee.
Dextrinisation - long starch
chains break into shorter
chains called dextrins & a
brown colour develops e.g.
toasting bread.
REASONS FOR COOKING
FOOD








To destroy pathogenic bacteria making food safer.
To destroy enzymes and prevent food spoilage.
To make food palatable & digestible e.g. starchy foods
like potatoes.
To improve appearance e.g. meat.
To develop flavour e.g. meat extractives released.
To stimulate digestive juices - sight & smells of cooked
food.
To destroy natural toxins e.g. red kidney beans.
To combine ingredients and create new flavours.
UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES OF
COOKING FOOD



Conduction - Transfer of heat from one molecule to
another by vibration of molecules. E.g. heat passing from
the cooker hob through the base of the saucepan.
Convection - Molecules near heat source become hot,
less dense and rise up. This allows cold molecules to take
their place. This sets up convection currents and heat is
spread e.g. simmering stews.
Radiation - Heat passes in straight rays, from the
source, to the first solid object they reach, without
heating air in between e.g. grilling burgers.
Most cooking methods involve one or more of these
principles.
METHODS OF COOKING

Moist Methods: Boiling, Simmering, Poaching,
Stewing, Braising, Steaming, Pressure cooking.

Dry Methods: Baking, Grilling, Roasting, Barbecuing.

Frying: Dry, Shallow, Deep -fat, Stir.

Microwave cooking.
CHOOSING A COOKING
METHOD







Ingredients available e.g. stewing beef or sirloin
steak.
Experience of cook.
Time available.
Equipment available.
Desired result e.g. crispy, brown, moist.
Fuel economy.
Retention of nutrients.
BOILING / SIMMERING
Definition
•Cooking
by
convection &
conduction in
liquid @ 100ºC
in covered
saucepan on
the hob.
•Simmering 90 ºC
Guidelines
•100
Suitable
foods
ºC @ all
•Meat times.
bacon,
mutton.
•Vegetables small amount
•Eggs.
of liquid.
•Pasta.
•Use cooking
•Rice.
liquid – soups, •Veg.
sauces.
•Cook food for
shortest
possible time.
Advantages &
Disadvantages
•Needs
little
attention.
•Clean.
•Food stays moist.
•Digestible.
•Less greasy.
•Little
preparation.
•Little flavour
added.
•Loss of nutrients.
•Lacks texture.
Definition
•Cooking
by
convection &
conduction in
liquid @
85ºC in
covered
container on
hob or in
oven.
POACHING
Guidelines
•85
ºC @ all
times.
• Water
barely
moving, not
bubbling.
• Use for
delicate
foods that
need gentle
cooking.
Suitable Advantages &
foods
Disadvantages
•Fish.
•Clean.
•De•Food stays
shelled
moist.
eggs.
•Digestible.
•Fruit.
•Less greasy.
•Little flavour
added.
•Loss of
nutrients.
•Lacks texture.
•Slow.
•Needs
attention.
BRAISING
Definition
•Cooking
meat
in a small
amount of
stock, on a
layer of
vegetables
(mirepoix).
Meat is in a
covered
saucepan on
the hob.
•Combination
of steaming
and stewing.
Guidelines
•Use
only
enough stock
to cover
vegetables.
•Food can be
browned
under grill
before
serving.
Suitable
foods
•Root
vegetables
•Chicken.
•Offal.
•Tougher
cuts of
meat.
Advantages &
Disadvantages
•Little attention
needed.
•Food stays
moist.
•Complete meal in
one pot – saves
fuel & wash-up.
•Less nutrient
loss.
•Digestible.
•A lot of prep.
•Slow.
•Lacks texture.
STEWING
Definition
Guidelines
Suitable
Advantages &
foods
Disadvantages
•Slowly cooking •Bring to boil
•Tough
•Little attention
food in a little & then reduce cuts of
needed.
liquid, by
heat.
meat/fish. •Food stays
conduction &
•Temperature
•Veg.
moist.
convection,
of 80 ºC -90 •Fruit
•Complete meal in
using gentle
ºC.
one pot – saves
heat (80 ºC •Keep
fuel & wash-up.
90 ºC), in a
covered.
•Less nutrient
covered
•Use pressure
loss.
container, on
•Digestible.
hob or in oven. cooker to
reduce time.
•A lot of prep.
•Slow.
•Lacks texture
STEAMING
Definition
•Cooking
food
slowly in steam
rising from
boiling water.
•Food
can be
steamed:
•a. Between two
plates.
•b. In a covered
bowl in a saucepan
of boiling water.
•c. In a steamer
over boiling water.
•d. On a trivet in a
pressure cooker.
Guidelines
A tightly
fitting lid
prevents
evaporation.
•Water boiling
before & during
cooking.
•Food must not
touch liquid.
•
Suitable
foods
•Thin
pieces
of chicken
and fish.
•Steamed
puddings, e.g.
canary,
Christmas,
chocolate.
•Vegetables.
Advantages &
Disadvantages
•No
loss of
nutrients.
•Clean.
•Food stays
moist.
•Digestible.
•Not greasy.
•Little flavour
added.
•Lacks texture.
•Slow.
•Not suitable
for large pieces
of food.
BAKING
Definition
•Dry
Guidelines
•Pre-heat
oven.
method of •Steam made in
cooking
the oven stops
food by
food drying,
convection tinfoil &
currents
greaseproof
in the
paper also used.
oven.
•Avoid opening
oven door.
Suitable
foods
•Bread.
Cakes.
Biscuits.
Pastries.
•Vegetables
e.g. potatoes,
tomatoes,
peppers.
•Fruit e.g.
Apples.
•Puddings,
apple crumble.
Advantages &
Disadvantages
•Attractive
appearance.
•Doesn’t add
fat.
•Little loss of
nutrients.
•Dries food.
Definition
•Fast
GRILLING
Guidelines
method •Pre-heat grill.
of cooking
•Seal surface of
food by
the food with
radiant heat high heat,
under a grill. preventing
nutrient loss.
•Use tongs to turn
food.
•Thin pieces of
food only.
•Don’t salt food
before grilling.
•Oil grill grid to
prevent sticking.
Suitable
foods
•Meat
-
Advantages &
Disadvantages
Fast.
chops,
•Little loss of
steaks,
nutrients.
burgers,
•Reduces fat
rashers.
content.
•Vegetables •Attractive
tomatoes.
appearance &
•Fish fillets.
taste.
•Constant
attention needed.
•Dries food.
•Spatters grease.
•Unsuitable for
tough or thick cuts
of meat.
•
Definition
•Cooking
food by
radiant heat on
a grid over
glowing
charcoal.
BARBECUING
Guidelines
Suitable
foods
Fast
barbecue.
chops,
•Little loss of
•Seal surface with steaks,
nutrients.
burgers,
high heat,
•Reduces fat
preventing
rashers.
content.
nutrient loss.
•Vegetables
•Attractive
•Use tongs to turn e.g.tomatoes
appearance &
food.
•Fish fillets. taste.
•Thin pieces of
•Constant
food only.
attention.
•Don’t salt food
•Dries food.
before
barbecuing.
•Spatters grease.
•Oil barbecue grid
to prevent
sticking.
•Pre-heat
•Meat,
Advantages &
Disadvantages
•
ROASTING
Definition
•Cooking
food
in a little fat
in (a) a
roasting tin in
the oven, (b)
a saucepan on
the hob (pot
roasting), (c)
on a spit,
under a grill
or in an oven
(spit
roasting).
Guidelines
Pre-heat oven.
• Cooking time
depends on weight.
•Baste every 30
minutes.
•Use cooking juices
for gravy.
•Quick roasting
(tender cuts) - 230ºC
for 20 mins, 190 ºC
for remainder.
•Slow Roasting (less
tender cuts) - 175 ºC
for all the cooking
time.
•
Suitable
foods
•Meat
–
beef,
lamb,
pork.
•Poultry.
•Vegetables
e.g. potatoes
Advantages &
Disadvantages
•Vegetables
& meat
cooked together.
•Cooking liquid used
as gravy.
•Attractive
appearance &
taste.
•Not much prep.
•Spatters grease.
•Not suitable for
tough cuts.
•Greasy.
•Shrinkage occurs.
•Adds fat.
FRYING
Definition
•
•
•
Dry –
cooking food
by
conduction in
frying pan on
the hob.
Shallow –
cooking food
in hot fat.
Deep –
cooking food
immersed in
hot fat.
Guidelines
Pre-heat oil.
• Use tongs for
turning.
•Drain before
serving.
•Coating food:
•Protects
surface.
•Texture.
•Flavour.
•Appearance.
•
Suitable
foods
•Meat
- thin
pieces e.g.
rashers,
chops,
burgers,
sausages.
•Fish - thin
pieces e.g.
steaks,
cutlets,
fillets.
•Eggs.
•Vegetables.
•Doughnuts.
Advantages &
Disadvantages
•Quick.
•Attractive
taste
& appearance.
•Constant
attention.
•Spatters grease.
•Not suitable for
tough meats or
large cuts.
•Not suitable when
cooking for large
numbers.
•Greasy.
•Indigestible
PRESSURE COOKING
Definition &
principle
•Fast moist method
of cooking food @
high temps. in a
pressure cooker.
•Used for boiling,
stewing & steaming.
•Water under
increased pressure
boils @ higher temp.
Pressure increased
inside pressure
cooker by not letting
steam escape. As a
result, water boils @
122ºC. Food cooks in
1/3 of normal time.
Structure
•Heavy
gauge
saucepan.
Locking lid.
•Rubber
gasket
seals lid.
•Trivet.
•Separator
basket.
•Vent on lid.
•Safety
valve.
Guidelines
•Follow
Suitable foods
•Stocks
& soups.
instructions.
•Stews.
•Never overfill.
•Vegetables e.g.
•Build up steam
potatoes.
before applying
•Jam.
weight.
•Christmas
•Time very
pudding.
accurately.
•Bottling
•Reduce
pressure before
opening•(a) Stand for 15
mins @ room
temp.
•(b) Under cold
running water.
MICROWAVE
Principle
Guidelines
carefully.
magnetic
•Timing is affected by:
waves
Composition.
penetrate the
Thickness.
food to a
certain depth
Density.
and cause the
Temperature at the start.
molecules to
Amount of food.
vibrate very
•Cover food, keep moist, cook
rapidly. This
faster.
causes
intense heat. •Turn or stir.
The
•Pierce skins.
remainder of
•Arrange in circle, thickest bit
the food
outward.
cooks by
conduction.
•No metal or foil.
•Allow standing time.
•Electro-
•Time
Suitable dishes
•Defrosting.
•Reheating.
•Cooking.
•Melting
chocolate.
•Heating liquid.
•Unsuitable
dishes
•Pastry.
•Meringue.
EFFECTS OF COOKING ON
FOOD




Moist methods
Loss of vitamins and
minerals into cooking
liquid.
Cellulose softens.
Collagen changes to
gelatine.
Flavours mix and
develop.






Dry Methods
Vitamins B & C lost due
to high temperatures.
Grilling causes loss of
fat.
Shrinkage - meat juices
squeezed out - loss of
nutrients.
Food becomes crispy.
Loss of fat causes loss
of flavour.
Cooking smells are
developed.
EFFECTS OF COOKING ON
FOOD




Frying Methods
Generally adds fat.
Coating adds nutrients.
Food becomes greasier
and harder to digest.
Adds flavour.



Microwave Cooking
Quick cooking helps
retain nutrients.
Food stays soft and
moist.
Food does not brown
unless the microwave
has a grill also.