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The number of people at a meal has an effect on the way food is prepared and served, how much can be spent on food, and the amount of time it takes for preparation. You need to consider the ages of the people, the physical activity and also the food preferences of each person. The time you have to spend in preparation is important and also the food budget and the special diets of each person need to be considered. Then you have the need to prepare foods with nutrition in mind for good health.
You need to plan for an entire day ahead of time. I would suggest that you plan the main dish first. This will usually be a meat, poultry, or fish dish, although sometimes you might plan a meatless meal and use perhaps eggs or beans, etc.
After you have planned the main dish then you need to plan around that as for example you have planned to serve a beef dish. A suggestion might be to serve a rice dish along with the beef. Then you need to think of selecting one or more fruits or vegetables to add nutritional balance to the meal. You should try not to serve more than one starchy vegetable at a meal. A salad should be planned and this is a very flexible dish. It could even be served at the start of the meal as an appetizer. It could even be the main dish of a very light meal, an accompaniment to the main course, or even a dessert. I always plan to end the meal with a dessert whenever possible. Try to have desserts that have other nutrients than the carbohydrates from sugar. You will also need to select a bread to serve with the meal and a beverage that will go with the main dish or the dessert.
Meals should be appealing as well as nutritional.
Think of planning a meal as something like painting a picture. Try to use creativity in your food selection and have contrasting colors to give interest to the meal. Use colorful vegetables sliced on a plate such as carrots, etc. Add garnishes such as parsley, a sprig of mint, or a sprinkle of paprika to give an added touch of color.
The texture of a food is its structure and we feel the food with our tongue. Remember that the way that food is prepared will effect its texture.
A meal is more attractive when the foods on the plate are different in sizes and shapes. Try to balance rich foods with light foods.
If you follow my suggestions for a guideline for menu planning the menus will be very easy to follow. First of all, list the foods in the order in which they are to be served. Then list foods that are to be served together.
If you will plan your meals by the week or however long in between your visits to the grocery, make a list of items on hand and items needed, then check the grocery sales you will save money and also have nutritional meals for your family with meal planning.
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