Meal Planning for the Meal Planning for the FamilyFamily

Follow Food Guide Pyramid Follow Food Guide Pyramid RecommendationsRecommendations

Bread, cereal, rice & pasta group * 6 - 11 servingsBread, cereal, rice & pasta group * 6 - 11 servings Fruit groupFruit group *2 - 4 servings *2 - 4 servings Vegetable groupVegetable group *3 - 5 servings *3 - 5 servings Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs & nuts group Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs & nuts group

*2 - 3 servings*2 - 3 servings Milk, yogurt & cheese groupMilk, yogurt & cheese group *2 - 3 servings *2 - 3 servings

(teenagers(teenagers -- 3 - 4 servings)3 - 4 servings) Fats, oils & sweetsFats, oils & sweets *use sparingly *use sparingly

Understand aesthetic guidelines Understand aesthetic guidelines of meal planningof meal planning

colorcolor texturetexture flavorflavor temperaturetemperature size and shapesize and shape preparation methodpreparation method nutritional varietynutritional variety

Seven items that you need to Seven items that you need to look at before planning meals.look at before planning meals.

The circumstances, values, and The circumstances, values, and ways families manage their ways families manage their resources from house to house resources from house to house are very different in terms of are very different in terms of meal preparation.meal preparation.

Family Size:Family Size:

This affects the amount of money needed, This affects the amount of money needed, the preparation time, and the style of table the preparation time, and the style of table service preferred. service preferred.

Age:Age:

Babies, children, teenagers and Babies, children, teenagers and parents need different foods and parents need different foods and don’t eat the same amount.don’t eat the same amount.

Activity Level:Activity Level:

With more exercise, the body With more exercise, the body requires more energy.requires more energy.

Food Preferences:Food Preferences:

All families don’t like the same All families don’t like the same kinds of foods because of culture kinds of foods because of culture and traditions.and traditions.

Time:Time:

Recipes vary greatly in Recipes vary greatly in preparation time required. When preparation time required. When there is little time, fix foods there is little time, fix foods requiring little time.requiring little time.

Special Diets:Special Diets:

Health considerations such as Health considerations such as diabetes, high blood pressure, diabetes, high blood pressure, lactose intolerance, ulcer, stroke, lactose intolerance, ulcer, stroke, and heart problems influence what and heart problems influence what people eat. What are some people eat. What are some examples of foods some people examples of foods some people must limit and why?must limit and why?

Food Budget:Food Budget:

If money is limited, foods from basic If money is limited, foods from basic ingredients prepared from scratch may ingredients prepared from scratch may be a better choice than fast food or be a better choice than fast food or convenience foods. Some families don’t convenience foods. Some families don’t realize this and the fact that they could realize this and the fact that they could help themselves out of a trying financial help themselves out of a trying financial situation with their food budget.situation with their food budget.

Time ManagementTime Management Organize kitchenOrganize kitchen Assemble all ingredients before beginningAssemble all ingredients before beginning Work on several items at the same time (dovetail)Work on several items at the same time (dovetail) Clean up as you goClean up as you go Implementing time-saving shopping strategiesImplementing time-saving shopping strategies Preparing larger quantities of food at one time and Preparing larger quantities of food at one time and

freezing some for laterfreezing some for later Evaluate the use of convenience foods to save time; Evaluate the use of convenience foods to save time;

may increase expense and lower qualitymay increase expense and lower quality At times the time saved may be of greater value than the At times the time saved may be of greater value than the

additional expenseadditional expense

Budgeting and Shopping Strategies to Budgeting and Shopping Strategies to Meal ManagementMeal Management

prepare a shopping list - group similar foods prepare a shopping list - group similar foods together to be efficienttogether to be efficient

check cupboards/pantry to avoid duplicationcheck cupboards/pantry to avoid duplication familiarize yourself with the store layoutfamiliarize yourself with the store layout comparison shopping - compare unit prices and comparison shopping - compare unit prices and

cost per servingcost per serving avoid damaged goods and frozen packages with ice avoid damaged goods and frozen packages with ice

crystals on outsidecrystals on outside check dates on the packagecheck dates on the package plan meals around store specialsplan meals around store specials check ads for loss leaderscheck ads for loss leaders

Budgeting and Shopping Strategies to Budgeting and Shopping Strategies to Meal ManagementMeal Management

stick to the list to avoid impulse buyingstick to the list to avoid impulse buying shop aloneshop alone avoid shopping when hungry or tiredavoid shopping when hungry or tired limit shopping trips - the more trips to the store the limit shopping trips - the more trips to the store the

more money spentmore money spent purchase what you can use and storepurchase what you can use and store quantity buying can benefit if the item is used quantity buying can benefit if the item is used

frequentlyfrequently take advantage of sales of frequently used items; take advantage of sales of frequently used items;

case lot salescase lot sales buy foods in season for best pricesbuy foods in season for best prices using a calculator while shopping can help keep using a calculator while shopping can help keep

track of money spent while shoppingtrack of money spent while shopping

Eating OutEating Out more and more meals are eaten outside the more and more meals are eaten outside the

home or prepared and brought into the homehome or prepared and brought into the home greater variety of types of foods are available; greater variety of types of foods are available;

keep in mind the food pyramid and dietary keep in mind the food pyramid and dietary guidelineguideline

fast food meals often are higher in fat and salt fast food meals often are higher in fat and salt than home-prepared mealsthan home-prepared meals

portion sizes may be larger which often portion sizes may be larger which often encourages overeatingencourages overeating

on a limited budget reducing the amount of food on a limited budget reducing the amount of food eaten out can save moneyeaten out can save money