Meal Planning
What you must understand
A good meal plan meets nutritional needs, suits the people eating, and is practical. Consider: age, sex, activity level, health conditions, allergies and religious or cultural rules; the number of people and budget; season and local availability; equipment, fuel and time; variety of colour, flavour, texture and temperature; and food safety.
Know the structure of a balanced day: breakfast, lunch, dinner and perhaps snacks, each built around a starchy staple, a protein food, vegetables and fruit, with a drink. Plan for the three E's: economical, easy and enjoyable, while meeting nutritional adequacy.
Traps in questions
- Producing a menu with no protein food, or three starchy items in one meal.
- Ignoring the stated budget or the number of diners.
- Using expensive imported items when local produce is available and cheaper.
- Forgetting a drink or a source of vitamin C.
- Planning dishes that need equipment the question says is unavailable.
Worked rule of thumb
When asked to plan a day's meals, first list the constraints from the question (people, budget, culture, equipment), then build each meal as staple + protein + vegetable/fruit + drink, then check variety and cost before writing your answer. A quick check table prevents most lost marks.