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.

Meal Pattern Menu Planning 5 Basic Menu Planning Principles 1. Strive for balance 2. Emphasize variety 3. Add contrast 4. Think about color 5. Consider eye appeal

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.

Meal Pattern Menu Planning EMPHASIZE VARIETY Vary the types of entrées you serve : –Don’t serve sandwiches and casseroles for dinner every day

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?

Meal Pattern Menu Planning EMPHASIZE VARIETY Example: Broccoli Ways to prepare: rawsteamedboiled sautéedbroiledblanched Ways to use: saladgarlic or gingerquiche souffléw/sesame seedspasta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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