Foodservice Management – By Design
Menus – The Foundation of the Department
Corresponds with
LEARNING PLAN 2
Objectives

Identify how the menu impacts the foodservice
department
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List resources available for menu planning and
development
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Identify how cultures can impact the menu
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Define how the menu affects the department budget

Describe how management decisions affect the menu
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Evaluate the quality and accuracy of each meal service
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu - The Foundation of the
Department

The menu governs the department’s overall workflow
Step 1
• Plan a meal
Step 2
• Create recipes
Step 3
• Create production documents
Step 4
• Specify, purchase, and store food
Step 5
• Prepare food
Step 6
• Deliver and serve food to clients
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu - The Foundation of the
Department

Menu affects the financial performance of the department
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Labor costs to produce and serve meals
Food costs in cafeterias and retail venues
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Planning Considerations
Key Points

Customer/Client Satisfaction
»

Key element for regulatory agencies like CMS
Nutrition
» Goal is to maintain adequate nutritional status for clients
»
Use resources such as Dietary Guidelines for Americans,
MyPlate, RDAs, facility diet manual
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Planning Considerations
Key Points

Modified or restricted diet menus
» Required to address dietary restrictions ordered by
medical staff
» For long-term care, consider advocating for a more
liberalized diet
» Refrain from adopting a salt-free, fat-free or sugar-free
menu for all…keep client satisfaction in mind
» Plan a menu with alternate items that mix well with the
primary base menu
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Planning Considerations
Key Points

Cultural, Regional, and Religious Considerations
»
»
Consider the cultural heritage of the clientele in the facility
Clients regard food choices as cultural symbols
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»
Holidays, festivals, important events may impact the facility
menu
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»
“American as apple pie”
Cinco de Mayo – May 5, is a special holiday for MexicanAmericans
Daily food choices are driven by culture
-
Hispanic/Latinos; East Indian Americans; Chinese Americans;
Japanese Americans; Middle Eastern Americans
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Brain Break
"What would be a good bread substitute for each of the following
cultures?
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Hispanic/Latino
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Tortillas or rice
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East Indian
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Flat bread (Naan)
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Chinese Americans
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Rice
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Japanese Americans
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Rice or noodles
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Middle Eastern Americans
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Couscous, pita bread
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Planning Considerations

Regional Trends-Cultural Heritage
»
Know what foods are considered unique to your area
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e.g., mining areas prefer pasties; Southern foods are often fried or
creamed; Idaho – Potatoes; New Orleans – Creole cuisine and
more
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Planning Considerations
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Religious Practices and Laws
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Fasting – Muslims observe Ramadan by fasting from sun up
to sun down for one month
Jewish Faith – may require a Kosher kitchen which requires
meat and dairy be kept separate during storage, cooking, and
eating
Catholics – may not eat meat on Fridays, especially during
Lent
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Planning Considerations

Government Regulations
»
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
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»
State Licensing Requirements
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If any clients are served by Medicare or Medicaid, these
regulations apply to the facility
The facility is held to the strictest regulatory requirements, either
state or federal (as a CDM, it is up to you to know and follow
local, state or federal regulations)
National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
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May impact a CDM who works in a federal or state funded school
system
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Brain Break

What menu planning considerations are needed to
incorporate dietary restrictions and food preferences?
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»
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Client preferences
Cultural heritage
Religious beliefs
Regional food specialties
Nutrition
Government Regulations
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Planning Considerations
Other menu planning considerations that greatly affect menu
acceptance are appearance and flavor

Color
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Plate Coverage
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Texture
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Food Group Balance
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Shape
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Seasoning
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Consistency
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Flavor combinations
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Planning Considerations

Type of Menu
»
The type of menu impacts your menu planning
considerations
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Special or single use menus
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Theme meals, holidays, monotony breakers
Retail cafeterias in schools, hospitals, or corporations
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Fixed price menus

Al a carte pricing
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Planning Considerations
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Defining standard weights and measures for your facility
»
»
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Size of a “cup” of soup versus a “bowl” of soup
Serving sizes for casseroles, desserts, etc. to determine what
baking pans and steam table pans to use
Sizes for small, medium, large size servings for long-term
care facilities
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Ensure meals are plated correctly
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Nutritional content is correctly determined
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Planning Considerations

Menu substitutions and alternates/standard write-in
menus
»
CMS requires that requests for substitutions be permitted and
honored
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Must be of similar nutritive value
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Contributes to quality of life
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Plan alternates in advance with a list of approved substitutions
(or)
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Offer selective menus
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Brain Break

Many clients are requesting a variety of substitutes for
standard menu items. How could this be addressed to
keep costs down?
»
Have a list of “always available” substitutes for clients to
choose
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Management Considerations

Production, service and delivery methods
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Menu should fit the type of service (e.g. stir fry doesn’t work
with foods held on a steam table)
If using rethermalization methods, choose menu items that
stand up well
Budget and Cost
»
Food and labor are the largest expenses for department
so managing these costs is critical
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Management Considerations

Timing and Labor
»
Know how long it takes to prepare each menu item
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»
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Items that are lengthy to prepare should be paired with simpler
items
Match menu items to the skills of employees
Match expertise of staff to input into menu (e.g., CDM –
production management; executive chef – Menu items and
preparation techniques)
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Management Considerations

Equipment
»
Equipment usage is affected by menu
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Here is a sample meal : Baked Chicken, Baked Potatoes,
Roasted Broccoli, fresh-baked cookies?
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Why would this menu create challenges related to equipment
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Everything requires the use of the oven
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Management Considerations
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Availability of Food may be affected by
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Location of facility
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Weather
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Rural versus urban
Freeze or hurricane in Florida, Mexico, California
Use local when available
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Brain Break

The weather in Florida is causing a shortage of many
fresh produce items which in turn is increasing the food
budget. What could the CDM do to decrease the food
budget?
»
Substitute frozen items or adjust the menu item until the
shortage is over
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Monitoring the Menu and Meal
Service
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The best meal service = a well-planned menu + welltrained staff
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Best meal service requires monitoring
»
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Testing of the recipes for product performance and
palatability
Training the production team
Using standardized recipes
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Includes portion sizes and serving utensils
Using ingredient pull list
Using production sheets
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Monitoring the Menu and Meal
Service
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Hold pre-line meetings to taste food and demonstrate
plating
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Document pre-line temperature logs
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Monitor the start and stop times of meal service
»
Include how long it takes to deliver the meal to the last client
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Brain Break

What might be the cause of the tray-line having to
resupply items?
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Incorrect production numbers
Over-portioning
Not keeping up with batch cooking
Lack of focus on task at hand – serving the clients
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Monitoring the Menu and Meal
Service
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Check random trays for accuracy
»
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Plate presentation
Attractiveness
Placement of items on tray or table setting

Check mid-line temperature of food being served
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Monitor the number of call-backs for a substitution
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Monitoring the Menu and Meal
Service
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Monitor plate-waste in the dish room
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Conduct meal rounds in the dining room with clients
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Conduct Test Trays
»
Sample complete meal at the farthest point of service
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Take temperatures
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Taste the food
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Ask nursing and support staff to participate in test trays
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Brain Break

Staff is reporting multiple complaints about the
temperature of the food. What steps should the CDM
take to investigate the complaints?
»
»
»
Talk with clients to determine specific foods
Review the temperature logs
Review the test tray logs
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Revisions
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A menu revision may be necessary to accommodate
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Change in seasons
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What would be a good addition to a Fall menu?
 Items with squash or apples
Food trends
Client feedback
Special requests
Sales records
Quality issues
Changes in the physical facility
Service revisions
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Revisions

When making menu changes, what steps should be
taken?
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Nutrition analysis
Cost analysis
Impact on staffing, service, delivery, inventory
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Tailoring Individual Menus
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Honoring legal and moral responsibilities
»
#1 job is to ensure that every client receives a meal
-
Have a menu communication plan for clients who do not select or
are not able to make menu selections

E.g. Serve the “house” diet or default selection
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Assist the client to make selections
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Tailoring Individual Menus
»
Plan should have control steps
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Diet order is correct
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Portion sizes are correct
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Contains needed condiments
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Individual requests are honored
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Types of Menus
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Cycle
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Static
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Special (single-use)
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A la carte
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Cycle Menu
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Changes daily over a period of time, then repeats
»
Length
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»
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A few days to several weeks
Prevent a repetitive or predictable pattern
Consider ‘length of stay’ for client
Consider options other than a 7-day cycle that corresponds
with the days of the week
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Static Menu
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Menu does not change from day to day
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»

Restaurant style menu
Room service menu
CDM may opt to rotate a few keys items or include a
chef’s special
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Special or Single-Use Menu
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Complete meal for a fixed price
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A pre-defined meal (Chef’s Special) at a fixed price

Holiday menu inserted into regular cycle menu to
celebrate special days, or break the monotony of a cycle
menu
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
A la Carte Menu

Customers select each item they desire; items are priced
separately
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Cafeterias
Schools
Business and industry
Retail settings
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Options
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Selective Menu
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Clients make menu choices in advance of meal preparation
Typically adapted for use with technology use
Requires checking for adherence to special diet requirements
Sensitivity training required for foodservice staff to address
insufficient menu choices or non-diet compliant menu choices
with the client
Create and follow policy regarding ‘write-ins’ on the menu
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Options
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Non-Selective Menu
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Clients receive a standard pre-defined menu
Requires knowledge of likes and dislikes so appropriate
substitutions may be offered
Consider applicability of a liberalized diet
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Impact of the Menu
The menu drives everything else in the kitchen
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Means of communicating with
clients
Planning meals
Creating recipes
Purchasing and storing food
Equipment for preparation of
food
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Delivery system to bring food
to clients
Staffing requirements
Space requirements
Availability of foods on the
menu
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Tools for Menu Planning
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Customer/client satisfaction is first priority
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Menus provided from a corporate office serving clients in
many different areas may require ‘tweaking’ to ensure
acceptance in a specific geographical region
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Nutrition resources and considerations

Standard portion sizes

Management considerations
»
Budget and cost
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Revisions
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Seasonally
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Quality issues

Updated trends and fashions

Changes in physical facility

Client feedback – plate waste

Service revision

Sales records

Special requests

Use accumulated data
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Late Trays
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Often unavoidable

Expensive to prepare

Determine approach, policy and procedure on handling
late trays in cooperation with the IDT
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Substitutions
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May be due to a client request
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May be due to a food delivery issue
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May be due to a food quality or food safety issue

Consider alternative (second choice option) on each
menu
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Substitutions

Substitute nutritionally equivalent food items when a
substitution is necessary

Be aware of allergies, intolerances, likes, and dislikes
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2
Menu Review

Consider a technology based system to identify needed
substitutions

Control to ensure diet provided matches the diet order
and meets the nutritional needs of the client

Kardex system

Acknowledge why there is a menu change to the client

Consider foods and fluids in menu review
Foodservice Management – By Design • Menus – The Foundation of the Department • Learning Plan 2