Menu Planning Tips
1. Read the Nutrition Facts labels on food products to determine how much of each nutrient is in the food. You can find out how many calories, fat grams, milligrams of sodium and amounts of other nutrients are in the food you are about to eat.
The label also tells you what type of ingredients the product is made of. Juice is a good example: if you were looking for orange juice and Juice A had orange juice as its first ingredient and Juice B had water and high fructose corn syrup as its first ingredients, you would know that Juice A had a lot more real fruit juice than Juice B. Juice B would be more of an orange drink than an orange juice. Because real juice has more vitamins and minerals, this would be the better choice. By law, Juice B could not be labeled orange juice. Use the labels to help you make the most nutritious selections.
2. Find the Sell by … and Best by … dates on food products, especially meat, dairy and bread products. This tells you when to purchase them so that you buy the freshest foods available. Fresher foods keep longer in the refrigerator and pantry.
3. Read the front of the food label to find out the weight of the food. This tells you how much food you get in the package. For example, if you were looking for noodles and saw two different packages, you could look at the weight to find out which package contained more noodles.
4. Plan your meals for the week (or two weeks if possible), make a shopping list and buy only what you need. This will save both time and money. You will know what you need at the grocery store, so you won't buy foods you don't need. You will also know what to prepare and won't have to figure out what's for dinner every night.
Take advantage of specials or coupons on foods you know you will need. Prepare some foods early and freeze or refrigerate them until time to eat.
5. Plan meals with foods that vary in shape, color, texture, temperature and flavor. This produces a plate that is pleasing to both the eye and the palate. For example, if you serve spaghetti and meat sauce, a cool crisp salad is a good complement, along with some French bread. Or, vegetable soup served with a cheese sandwich and an apple would be another good combination of texture, temperature and flavor.
6. To avoid waste, serve foods that most of your family enjoys. When introducing new foods or less popular items, serve them with more acceptable choices and encourage your family to taste some of each food offered.
7. When trying to provide the suggested number of servings of each group, remember that combination foods can contribute servings of several different groups.
For example, a serving of spaghetti with meat sauce will provide about one bread and grain serving, one meat serving and one vegetable serving. A couple of slices of pizza may equal two bread and grain servings, one to two milk and dairy servings, one to two meat servings and one-half to three-fourths cup of vegetables. (Remember: this food also gives you some extra fat!)
Even some desserts, such as fruit cobbler, can contribute bread, fruit or milk and dairy servings.
8. Store dry goods, such as flour, cornmeal, rice, grits and oatmeal, in air-tight packages in the refrigerator to prolong shelf life. Keeping these products cool decreases the chance for weevils or other pests to infest them.
Use What You've Learned!
1. Practice planning a three-day menu for your family that includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack. Make sure that the menu for each whole day includes at least two servings of meat, two servings of dairy foods, two servings of fruit, three servings of vegetables and six servings of breads and grains.
Make a shopping list, purchase the foods on your list and actually use the menus for three days in a row. Is it easier to prepare meals when you know what you'll serve and have all the ingredients on hand?
2. Practice using correct serving sizes when you eat. Measure your portions using measuring cups or weighing food if you have a scale so that you will know what a portion should look like. Are these the portion sizes you normally eat?
If you are trying to lose or maintain your weight, this might help you!
3. Explain how MyPyramid works to someone else. This will help you understand it even better.
4. Use the Thrifty Food Plan to plan nutritious meals within a modest budget. The lesson "Managing Your Food Dollar" includes more information on the Thrifty Food Plan, 1999.
Web Site Activities
www.familyfoodzone.com
www.got-milk.com
www.mealsforyou.com/mfy/ Allows you to plan a menu, provides all the recipes and even gives you a shopping list that corresponds to a store near you. Also do a nutrient analysis of the meal, so you'll know how much fat, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals you're getting.
How Much is a Serving?
Breads and Grains
- One slice of bread
- One-half hamburger or hot dog bun, bagel, English muffin
- One roll, muffin or biscuit
- Four to six crackers
- One-half cup cooked cereal
- One ounce (three-fourths to one cup) ready–to–eat cereal
Vegetables
- One-half cup cooked vegetables
- One cup green leafy vegetables
- One-half cup raw chopped vegetables
- One-half cup vegetable juice
Fruits
- One medium piece of fruit (apple, banana, orange)
- One-half cup berries
- One-half cup canned, chopped or cooked fruit
- One-half cup fruit juice
- One-fourth cup dry fruit (raisins)
Dairy
- One cup milk
- Eight ounces yogurt
- One and one-half ounces cheese
Meats or Meat Alternates
- One ounce meat, poultry or fish (without skin)
- One egg
- One-fourth cup cooked dry beans
- One tablespoon of peanut butter
Summary
Food is made of six different nutrients. Carbohydrate, protein and fat are called macronutrients. Vitamins and minerals are called micronutrients. Water is also a nutrient, in a class by itself. MyPyramid can help you plan healthy meals for you and your family. MyPyramid is made up of six food groups. You should eat foods from each group every day.
The key to healthy eating is balance, variety and moderation: Eat a balanced meal with a variety of foods, but remember to eat in moderation (not too much fat and sugar!).
Planning your menus ahead of time and shopping for what you need can save you both money and time, while helping to stretch your food dollar.
|
Menu |
|
Day |
Breakfast |
Lunch |
Snack |
Dinner |
|
Sun |
Juice
Scrambled Eggs
Biscuit
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Roast Pork
Sweet Potatoes
Green Beans
Biscuits
Fruit Cobbler
Tea |
Toast
cinnamon or jelly
two pieces |
Tuna Salad
Lettuce, Tomato
Crackers
Gelatin with Canned Fruit
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Mon |
Seasonal Fruit
Oatmeal
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Vegetable Soup
Cheese Sandwich
Apple Slices
Graham Crackers
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Carrot Sticks
Celery Sticks |
Red Beans
Low-Fat Sausage
Rice
Dark Greens, Choice
Cornbread Muffins
Mixed Fruit Salad |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Tues |
Canned Fruit
Toast (Cinnamon or Jelly)
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Baked Potato
Chili and Cheese
Green Beans
Leftover Fruit
Pudding
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Cornbread Muffins |
Salmon Croquettes
Mashed Potatoes
Copper Pennies
Biscuits
Apple Crisp |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Wed |
Juice
Dry Cereal
Egg-in-the-Bread
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Banana
Celery Sticks
Carrot Sticks
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Yogurt and Raisins
May add some dry cereal |
Tomato Soup
Crackers
Hamburger Patties
Macaroni and Cheese
Broccoli Spears
Seasonal Fruit |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Thurs |
Seasonal Fruit
Grits
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Bean Burritos
Whole Kernel Corn
Applesauce
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Graham Crackers
Juice |
Roasted Chicken
Mashed Potatoes
Canned Peas
Bread Slice
Fruit Cobbler |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Fri |
Canned Fruit
Cheese Toast
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Leftover Meat Sandwich
Tortilla Chips
Gelatin with Canned Fruit
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Peanut Butter Snack Loaf
One slice |
Taco Salad
Mixed Vegetables
Seasonal Fruit
Graham Crackers |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sat |
Seasonal Fruit
Pancakes
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Homemade Pizza
Garden Salad
Leftover Fruit
Low-fat or Skim Milk |
Celery Sticks
Tuna Fish or Peanut Butter |
Hamburger-Macaroni Casserole
Whole Kernel Corn
Garden Salad
Canned Fruit |