Meal Planning

Meal: –grouping of food often served or eaten at regular times of the day Meal Pattern: –list of general groups of foods used to guide for a specific menu Menu: –group of food planned for a particular meal, restaurant etc.

Meal Appeal: –combination of appearance, flavour, texture, temperature etc. Meal Planning: –management of resources (money, food, time) to create meals that appeal to and are good for those eating them.

Meal Patterns ContinentalLightMediumHeavyVery HeavyNotes Breakfast juice Rolls Beverages Fruit/juice Egg/cereal Toast Beverage Fruit/juice Egg Bacon Toast Beverage Fruit/juice Cereal/fried potatoes Egg Bacon Toast Beverage Pancakes, waffles or French toast may be the main dish. Sweet rolls may replace toast LunchOne main dish (salad or sandwich) Beverage Two main dish (salad/soup/s andwich) Beverage Two main dishes Dessert Beverage One main dish Vegetable Salad Bread/rolls Dessert Beverage Often a light meal. In restaurants, must have quick service (min 1 hr) DinnerMain dish (meat, fish, or poultry) 2 veg. Bread/rolls Beverage Main dish 2 veg. Salad Bread/rolls dessert Beverage Appetizer Main dish 2 veg Salad Bread/rolls Dessert Beverage Appetizer Soup Main dish 2 veg Salad Bread/rolls Dessert Beverage Usually the heaviest meal of the day

Why do we want to share meals in families? –Communication –Share events, memories –company

Factors to consider… –Schedules –Likes & dislikes –Allergies –Stages – e.g. childhood vs. teens –Special diets – e.g. vegetarian –Activity levels –Religious/dietary laws

Principles 1. Try to have foods from all four food groups in each meal

2. Each day you should meet Canada’s Food Gide: TeensMalesFemales Grains76 Vegetables & Fruit87 Milk & Alt.3-4 Meat & Alt.32

3. Meals should be attractive: consider… –Colour –Flavour & aroma –Texture –Shape & size –temperature

4. Cost: –Try to use foods in season E.g. –What are some early summer foods? –What about late summer foods? –Fall?

5. Consider Cooking Ability

6. Consider time available

7. Consider cooking method –E.g. oven, BBQ

How to Time a Meal.

1.Decide on times the meal is to be served E.g. Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner 2.Write out the menu Appetizers? Main course? Beverages? Write out the cooking time for each food

3.Make up a timetable for the meal –Food/preparation time/cooking time/total time –E.g. groceries, slicing/cutting, cooking 4.Make up a work schedule –List work in the order in which it is to be done –Begin with the foods that take the longest –Set the table first, if possible