Nutrition of Meals

Nutritious meals provide foods from “A Pattern for Daily Food Choices” (see “Nutrition How To” handout). Most meals need to include 1 to 2 servings of bread/cereal, 1 to 2 servings of vegetables, 1 serving of fruit, 2 to 3 ounces of lean meat or alternate, and a serving from the milk group. Optional items such as condiments, sauces, margarine, etc. add sensory appeal and need to be within each person’s limit for fat, sugar, and sodium. The booklet, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 1995 provides helpful ideas on how to lower fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol in your meals. There is also guidance about consuming sugar and sodium in moderation. Eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grain products ensures adequate complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber.

Sensory Factors of Food

Food is judged first by its appearance and aroma. Then, a person’s sense of taste and mouth feel evaluates the food. Sensory appeal needs to be planned on the basis of contrasts. Flavor, taste, texture, color, form, temperature and method of preparation all influence sensory appeal. Flavor - strong, mild, distinct

One distinctly flavored food in a meal is recommended. A meal made up entirely of mild flavored foods lacks zip. Different flavors in a meal are usually appreciated rather than repeating the same flavor.

Taste—bitter, salt, sour, sweet

Foods need to be tasty. A meal pleases most when all taste sensations are perceived.

Texture—hard or soft, moist or dry, crisp or wilted, smooth or lumpy

A variety of textures in meals is usually preferred. Some textures such as smoothness, crispness and moistness are pleasant while lumpiness, dryness or stringiness are not.

Color

The psychological effect of a colorful combination of foods makes meals more appetizing.
* Combine a colorful vegetable such as green beans with white potatoes. Avoid overcooking vegetables to retain their natural colors.
* Dishes and tablemats or cloths can compliment the food you serve. A white dessert will look best served on a colorful plate.

Form or Shape—round, diced, sliced, wedges, strips

A meal made up of foods with different sizes and shapes will be more interesting than one of foods with similar forms. Vary the shapes of vegetables. Carrots can be cut in circles, strips, chunks, halves or left whole. Limit the number of mixed dishes in a meal - serve a combination dish with a plain fruit or vegetable.

Method of Preparation—boiled, creamed, fried, broiled, baked

Vary the method of preparation to add interest. Use lowfat cooking methods such as boiling, broiling, roasting or baking.

Temperature—piping hot, chilled

For maximum appeal, serve hot foods piping hot and cold foods well chilled. Some foods are best when served at room temperature. Generally include both hot and cold foods in one meal.

Putting It All Together: The Dinner Menu

Taking into consideration nutrition, sensory appeal, time and money, choose the main dish of the meal first. Plan the rest of the menu around the main dish.

Try to keep meal preparation time to 45 minutes or less.

Planning menus as a family can be a helpful learning experience for children. Plus, if they have helped plan, they are more likely to eat the meals. If your school publishes the lunch menus, check them first so you don’t serve the same foods for dinner that your child ate for lunch.

Shopping for Food

As the menus are planned, a shopping list can be made. This can be done weekly. Keep a running grocery list on the refrigerator, too. When something is gone, whoever uses it up puts it on the list.

Take kids shopping; teach them how to use unit pricing, look for sale items, stock up on frequently used sale items, use coupons, read labels, select produce, and stick to the shopping list. Then, when they leave home, they’ll know how to shop for food.

Plan ahead for how to handle your children’s request for products not on your shopping list. Discuss the rules before you go to the store. One idea is to allow each child to choose one special snack item. Another idea is to give each child a job - one will push the cart and one will mark items off the shopping list as they are placed in the cart.

Meal Preparation Planning

How do you prepare a meal so that all menu items are done at the same time?

First, list the menu items and table setting on the left side of a sheet of paper. Then, record the total time each item will require to a) prepare for cooking, b) cooking and c) prepare for serving. Then arrange the items in decreasing order of total time required. This will give you an idea of total meal preparation time and the order in which items of the menu need to be prepared. Often a meal may be prepared and the table set in the time it takes to prepare and cook the longest menu item.

Planning Menus

For busy people, meal planning can happen in the aisle of the grocery store, on the way home from work or at the drive-thru window. It seems that we just don’t have enough time to plan meals. I hear this complaint from busy professionals all the time.

Why plan meals? There are actually many benefits to meal planning. If you plan meals, you can:

• take advantage of food specials
• avoid waste
• reduce stress
• eat healthy family meals
• include foods family members like
• introduce new foods to your family
• honor your cultural heritage

Planning meals helps you think about what to eat before you are hungry. If you plan ahead, your family will also be more likely to get the variety of foods and nutrients they need each day. Planning actually saves time and money.

How can you plan menus efficiently? Before you plan, ask yourself:

• What do I have on hand?
• What foods do we like?
• What foods are healthy?
• How much time do I have? How can I introduce a new food?
• What meals could my family help prepare?

If you are new to meal planning or are in a meal planning rut, try thinking through the process by:

Planning a main dish. Think of a main dish. Main dishes are often combinations of foods from several food groups such as a taco with beef; a casserole with tuna, noodles and peas; a pizza with cheese and vegetables; or a stir fry with vegetables and chicken.

Relying on the food groups. For each meal use foods from at least three different food groups. How could you use three different food groups for breakfast? A menu could be, for example, cold cereal with peaches and low fat milk.

Planning for variety. You might have rice one night and noodles or tortillas the next. Try a new vegetable or fruit with a favorite dinner meal. Using a variety of different foods helps you get the nutrients you need.

Highlighting plant foods. Include more plant foods like bread, cereal, rice, pasta, fruits, and vegetables in your meals. Try planning meals around several plant foods.

Including “planned-overs”. They used to be called leftovers. “Planned-overs” can be used to create an entirely different meal the following evening or sometime later in the week. For example, if you baked a twelve pound turkey, you could use the cooked turkey meat in other meals to create sandwiches, stir fry, tortilla casserole, salad, burrito, creamed turkey over rice or toast, turkey noodle soup, etc.

Another strategy is to always have a few foods on hand for “quick meals” like bean burritos or noodles and cheese. You can use a “quick meal” when you’re running late. A favorite in our nutrition program is “Three Can Chili.” Just mix a can of beans like kidney or pinto (2 cups total), a can of tomatoes and a can of corn. Season with chili powder to taste. Even the kids will like this dish.

Taking The Bite Out Of Your Food Bill

If you keep track of your spending, you may notice a lot of your money is going for food, that includes shopping for groceries and eating out.

With food expenses eating up as much as 30 percent of an average family’s budget, they are second only to housing costs. However, financial counselors note that while housing costs are fixed, food expenses are not. That means you can pare your payments for provisions.

One key is to ask yourself if you really need a particular item. Those little extras can quickly add up to take a big bite out of your pocketbook. Susie Wheeler, community education director for Consumer Credit Counseling Service, uses the example of the $11,000 snack in her classes. A $2 snack of pop and a Twinkie each work day adds up to $520 a year. Adding in interest, you end up spending $11,000 for a $2 snack over 15 years.

“When you look at the big picture, it’s easier to see how quickly little things can add up,” she said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the average at-home food bill for a family of four is $434 under a low-cost plan. A thrifty plan can trim expenses to $347.10, while a liberal plan increases the bill to $653.70.

So how do you get from liberal to thrifty? Wheeler offers the following advice to cut your grocery bill:

Eat before you shop. Studies show people spend 30 percent more if they shop when they are hungry, Wheeler said. They are also likely to buy higher calorie, sugary foods, she said.

Shop alone if possible. “Shopping with children will tend to raise your bill,” Wheeler said.

Plan your shopping in advance. “Either make up a week’s menus or make a shopping list,” Wheeler said. “By buying only what you plan to buy, you can save as much as $5 on a $35 grocery bill.”

Wheeler also has tips on types of food to buy. For meats, look for economy cuts, she advises. Buy fruits and vegetables in season when they are the least expensive. You can save on eggs by buying medium-size eggs when the price spread between large and medium is 7 or more cents. You can cut milk costs by using what Wheeler calls a “3-way milk plan” : part regular, part evaporated and part dry skim milk. Domestic cheeses cost less than imported and are just as tasty, she said. Save on bakery items by purchasing day old items. For dessert, bypass the expensive pre-made pies and cakes; ice cream and pudding are good, cheaper alternatives, Wheeler said.

Comparison shopping is important when you’re looking to save money, Wheeler said. She suggests comparing the cost of different forms of the same food: frozen, can, and fresh. Generic brands may be cheaper as well, she said. Look for the “unit price” on the shelf to determine the best value per pound.

Convenience foods like mixes, frozen dinners and prepared recipes may save you time but they won’t save you money. It’s actually cheaper to cook from scratch, Wheeler said.

Clipping coupons is OK as long as you’re not buying something simply because it is on sale, she said.

One final note is to pay attention at the checkout stand. Although scanners are usually accurate, human error could end up costing you, she said.

Other tips include:

• Take advantage of frequent shopper programs now available in most supermarkets.
• Buy perishables like milk, meat and produce in quantities that you will use within the week to avoid spoilage and waste.
• Check the store circular. They usually have great specials and excellent money-saving deals.
• Prepare food at home more often. Eating in restaurants is always more expensive.
• Buy store brands. They are usually of equal quality to national brands and cost substantially less.
• Use manufacturer coupons whenever possible. It is a good way to save on your total food bill.
• Don’t take your spouse or your kids. It’s a known fact that the more shoppers there are the more your grocery bill will be.
• Make a list and stick to it. This way you will avoid impulse purchases.