Meal Planning
A good meal will follow:
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The American Dietary Guidelines
My Plate
Maintain nutritional balance
Incorporate aesthetic guidelines
The American Dietary Guidelines
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Eat nutrient dense foods
Maintain a healthy weight
Choose foods low in fat
Choose foods low in salt/sodium
Choose foods low in sugar
Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
Drink plenty of water
My Plate: a tool designed to help Americans visualize a healthy plate
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__20__% fruits
__30__% vegetables
__30__% grains
__30__% protein
__1___ cup of dairy
Fruits & Vegetables
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Recommendations: fruits- 2 cups
vegetables- 2 ½ cups
Use a variety – raw or cooked, crisp or soft textures, strong or sweet flavors, brighten a
meal with color
Vegetables used in salads, casseroles, stews and soups
Fruits used in juices, raw, dessert
Grains
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Recommendations: 6oz. everyday
Breakfast: toast muffins, pancakes, cereal
Lunch/Dinner: Macaroni, spaghetti, rice, bread, rolls, biscuits
Protein
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Recommendations: 5 ½ oz everyday
Usually appear as the main dish
Meats can be found in soups, stews, casseroles, or sandwiches
Eggs used in custards and baked goods count as well
Dairy Group
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Recommendations: 3 cups daily
Served as a beverage
Included in cereals, soups, main dishes, etc
Cubed/sliced cheese, ice cream or yogurt
What’s wrong with these menus?
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Breakfast: needs protein and vegetable. All the same color
Lunch: lacks dairy group
Dinner: no vegetable or fruit – high in fat too!
** Complete What’s missing from these menus? worksheet
Nutritional Balance
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Meals should be planned for nutritional balance, appeal, and suitability to various
individual circumstances
When planning meals there are 6 things to consider so food is appealing and nutritious
Aesthetic Qualities
1. color
2. texture
3. Size and shape
4. flavor
5. temperature
6. Method of preparation
Color
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(some of the most beautiful objects in nature are foods) Many colors of food are
available
Too many foods of the same color offer no contrast or variation (are dull and boring)
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Clashing or unpleasant color schemes can make you lose your appetite
Texture
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Can be seen and felt when consuming foods (with the tongue)
o Hard, chewy, crunchy, soft, solid, crisp, smooth, sticky, dry, moist, gritty, tough
Variety of textures adds interest
Common error in planning meals is the lack of variety in texture
Size and Shape
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Size as well as shape of food affects how appetizing food looks
Choose foods with various shapes and sizes when planning a meal
Avoid serving several foods made of small pieces
Avoid too many similar shapes (meatballs, peas, and olives are different colors, but no
different shapes – not appealing)
Flavor
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Use a variety of flavors – sweet, sour, bitter, salty (each person has 9000 taste buds!)
Smell is also important to tell small differences in flavor
Avoid using foods with similar flavors in one meal
Temperature
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Meals are more interesting if some hot and some cold foods are served
The temperature outside should be considered when meal planning
Hot foods should be served hot and cold foods should be served cold
Method of Preparation
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Meals are more interesting if prepared in a variety of different ways
Avoid meals with no main dish or more than one main dish (when planning your menu,
start with your main dish, then add courses to compliment that dish)
**Complete Aesthetic Qualities worksheet
***Complete