Step 2: Menu Planning

MEAL PLANNING

When planning a menu to complement your theme, first decide on the main dish.  Select appropriate vegetables, appetizer, soup or salad.  Add a bread, dessert and beverage, if desired.

Use My Pyramid to help plan nutritious meals. Breakfast, party, and picnic men-us should contain two or three food groups. Other meals should contain five food groups. 

NOTE: The use of alcoholic beverages in any menu will disqualify your table setting.

A well planned menu should:

• Consider the time required for the main course and total preparation time.
• Contain a variety of foods to meet the nutritional needs of those for whom it is planned.
• Be attractive, with a variety of colors, textures, shapes, sizes, and flavors.
• Be suitable for the meal.
• Be readily prepared and easily served with equipment on hand.
• Show wise use of money and time.
• Utilize food in season, convenience and ready-to-serve foods.
• Incorporate proper food handling practices. Ex: summer picnic foods have different requirements than a prepared meal at home.

WRITING THE MENU

The menu should be displayed on a 4x6 or larger, your choice of medium (index card, ceramic tile, chalkboard, etc.), and printed or typed by the participant.  You may decorate and/or prop up the menu.

             EXAMPLES FOR A FORMAL MEAL

1. List the foods in the order in which they are served (Every menu will not include all the foods listed.)

Appetizer 

Main Dish

Starchy Vegetable 

Other Vegetables 

Salad

Bread 

Dessert 

Beverage

Group foods served in one course. Use single line spacing between food items and a double line spacing between courses.

2. Use CAPITALS at the beginning of all words except articles, conjunctions, and prepositions. Correct spelling is important.
3. When an item on the menu has an accompaniment:

• Place the main item to the left and the accompaniment to the right

Braised Pork Chops             Applesauce

• Or you may center the main item and write the accompanying item underneath

Braised Pork Chops 

Applesauce

• If more than one accompaniment appears, place one at each side on the same line

Sesame Seed Wafers           Tomato Bouillon                   Saltines

• Or place both on the same line below

Tomato Bouillon

Sesame Seed Wafers           Saltines

1. When a food is commonly prepared in more than one way, avoid confusion by describing the method of cooking, such as Roast Turkey or French Fried Potatoes.
2. List each food with the exception of butter, cream, sugar, or salad dressing, unless it is something special, such as Honey Butter or Poppyseed Dressing.
3. List beverages last.
4. Plan the spacing and arrangement of the items on the menu so the written menu is symmetrical.
5. Consider creativeness when choosing names of menu items (except for formal menus). Formal men-us must use original names of items. Ex: using Patriotic Punch for a 4th of July theme and Cherry Punch for a formal theme.

COMMON ERRORS IN PLANNING MEALS