Meal Planning Notes

8/8/2019 Meal Planning Notes

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Home Science Facilitator : Jasmina Sangani 2010-2011 Page 1

THE GALAXY EDUCATION SYSTEM

STD-10

Meal Planning + Nutritional Needs of Pregnant Woman,Young Children,

Adolescents and Older peopleDefinition:

Food: Defined as anything solid or liquid which when swallowed, digested and assimilated in the

body keeps it well

Nutrition: it is a combination of processes by which the living organism receives and utilizes the

material necessary for the maintenance of its function and for the growth and renewal of its

components

Nutrition is also defined as Food at work in the body

Nutrients: Constituents in food that must be supplied to the body in suitable amounts like

Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats-lipids, Vitamins, Mineral, Water, Roughage

Health: WHO world health organization defines heath as a state of complete physical, mental, and

social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

Calorie: A unit of measuring the energy provided by food

Meal Planning:

It is a process of deciding what we should eat each day at each meal

Importance of meal planning /Points to be kept in mind while planning a meal

y Meet Nutritional needsy Fulfill Family needsy Saves time and energyy Provides varietyy Takes into consideration individuals likes and dislikesy Not too expensive

Meal Pattern: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Nutritional Requirements: Our body gets the supply of nutrients regularly from these meals of

the day. Hence it is necessary to make sure that all three meals include food which would provideto our body everything that requires. Carbohydrates ,Proteins and fat with variety of food from

basic five groups.

Fulfill the family needs: Besides our own requirements, we look into the needs of our other

members of the family. The meals should satisfy the requirements acc to the age, occupation and

lifestyle


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Individual Physical Needs of the members: A growing child needs more proteins. A sick person

needs a diet which is light and easily digestible. A person suffering from constipation needs more

fiber and pregnant woman needs food for the feotus. A lactating mother has to feed the baby hence

needs nutritive food

Economic Condition: Selecting of food items get limited if the family income is limited. Cheese,

meat, fish, milk, nuts are expensive items. A family can include these in daily diet meal only if

they have enough money to buy.

Managerial Aspects : Food Budget

How to save money, time and energy

y Plan the meal for several days or at least for a weeky Make an accurate shopping list,including quantities and qualities of good you needy Purchase from market after comprising pricesy Seasonal foods are cheaper and have immediate nutritional valuey Choose food items from each group which has low cost but same nutritive valuey Avoid wastage of food whether it is raw or cooked>It adversely affects the economy.y Appropriate preparation techniques and adequate storage facilities saves energy and timey Avoid Impulsive buyingy Meals cooked at home are cheaper ,healthier and better than bought from markety If possible grow fruits and veg at home or kitchen gardeny Menu adjustments saves time, money and energy

Food for the Family

There are various factors which influence the planning of a balanced meal based on the everyone

whether young or old, man or woman ,boy or girl ,sick or healthy ie a meal should contain all the

nutrients that are required in our body ie.proteins, carbohydrates,fats ,minerals,fats , vitamins etc

When we are planning a meal for the day,see that every meal has these imp nutrients in it.Five

food groups should be included in atleast one of the item ,if not two .

Five Groups Meal

Cereals Chapatis or ricePulses Dal-moong or arhar

Milk, egg and flesh foods Curd or raita

Fruits and vegetables Palak and cauliflower vegetables and guavaOil, ghee and sugar Oil, ghee

Its called as family pot or the family meal or the thali meal

Adjustments and modifications in this meal can be done based on the family requirement

Adjustments


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Boys eat more than girls and men eat more than women. There is difference in quantity Hence we

just increase the portions e.g. two chappatis to girl than 3-5 to boys

Nutritional requirements during Pregnancy and Lactation

Well-nourished mothers are likely to have healthy babies

Girls and women need to eat well throughout their lives but particularly when they are planning a

baby, are pregnant or breastfeeding. If they eat healthy, balanced diets they are likely to:

y stay active and well;y produce healthy babies and breastfeed successfully.

Low birth weight babies are more likely to grow and develop more slowly than

healthy babies

A woman is at risk of complications and a difficult labour if she is already undernourished when

she becomes pregnant, or is undernourished during pregnancy, and her baby is likely to have a low

birth weight (i.e.


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first trimester, so that the babies bodies and brains develop properly. Women should gain about 1

kg a month in the second and third trimester of pregnancy.

When breastfeeding they need about 450 extra kcal/day and much more protein, zinc, vitamin A,vitamin C and folate (i.e. the equivalent of an extra small meal each day).You can suggest that

women eat more at each meal or eat more frequently - perhaps having more snacks during the day.

Breast Feeding:

Most babies should breastfeed exclusively for six months. Breast milk provides all the food

and water young babies need

y Breast milk contains all the nutrients a full-term baby needs for the first six months of life.It provides enough water even in hot weather and is the safest source of water.

y Exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of diarrhea and other infections. Giving any otherfood or drink increases the risk of diarrhea.

y Exclusive breastfeeding means the mother is unlikely to become pregnant.y It is germ free ,pure, clean and freshy The temp of the milk is exactly right for the babyy

It saves money , time and energy which otherwise would be spent on artificial milky Its always ready when required by the babyy It establishes a strong bond between the mother and child

After six months mothers milk is not sufficient for the baby. So new food is introduced forthe baby known as Weaning. The food that is given is in the liquid form, then slowly it is

changed to semi solid form eg kheer and lastly to solid form eg chappati

Precautions during weaning:

y Only liquid should be given firsty Very small amount of new food should be giveny Only one new food should be introduced >the infant should become familiar and start

liking the food before the next food is given

y Use food of smooth consistencyy Food should only contain salt > no other spices should be addedy Never force the infant if he/she is unwilling

Use a variety of foods for childrens meals

Advise parents to prepare meals that provide:

y a variety of foodsy some fat-rich foods to increase the energy content;y fresh fruits and vegetables, especially ones rich in vitamins A and C;y eggs, milk foods and iron-rich animal foods (meat, offal, poultry, fish, as appropriate) daily

or as often as possible.


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Nutritional Requirement for young children

Feed young children frequently

Young children have small stomachs, so they should eat often, with an increasing number of times

as he/she grows older. For the average healthy and frequently breastfed child, complementaryfoods should be given as follows:

y 2-3 meals a day at ages 6-8 months;y 3-4 meals a day at ages 9-24 months;y with additional 1-2 good snacks offered each day as desired after the age of six months.

Encourage young children to eat

Young children are often slow and messy eaters who are easily distracted. They eat more when

their parents supervise mealtimes and actively and lovingly encourage them to eat. This isespecially important when children start complementary foods and until they are at least 3 years

old.

Suggest that mothers, or the main caregivers:

y sit with children and encourage them to eat by talking with them and telling them howgood the food is;

y make mealtimes happy times;y feed young children with the rest of the family but give them their own plates and spoons to

make sure they get, and eat, their share;

y give foods that children can hold if they want to feed themselves and tell them not to worryabout messy eating - but make sure that all the food eventually gets into a childs mouth;

y mix foods together if a child picks out and eats only favorite foods;y do not hurry children. A child may eat a bit, play a bit, and then eat again;y make sure the child is not thirsty because thirsty children eat less, but do not fill up the

childs stomach with too much drink before or during the meal;

y try to feed children as soon as they are hungry; do not wait for them to start crying for food;y do not feed when children are tired or sleepy;y make mealtimes interesting learning times; for example, teach the names of foods.

Sometimes even healthy children are fussy eaters. Check that the child is not sick, undernourishedor unhappy and then advise families to:

y give more attention when the child eats well and less when the child is trying to gainattention by refusing food;

y play games to persuade a reluctant child to eat more;y avoid force-feeding because this increases stress and decreases appetite even more.


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Nutritional Needs of Pre School Children

Proper nutrition can also prevent many medical problems, including becoming overweight,developing weak bones, and developing diabetes. It will also ensure that your child physically

grows to her full potential.

The best nutrition advise to keep your child healthy includes encouraging her to:

y Eat a variety of foodsy Balance the food you eat with physical activityy Choose a diet with plenty of grain products, vegetables and fruitsy Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesteroly Choose a diet moderate in sugars and salty Choose a diet that provides enough calcium and iron to meet their growing body's

requirements.

To ensure good nutrition in your child and that they grow up healthy, they will need to eat a

large variety of foods.

y Grain group servings include 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta, 1/2 cup ofcooked cereal, and 1 ounce of ready to eat cereal. Your child should eat 6 servings fromthis group.

y Vegetable group servings include 1/2 cup of chopped or raw vegetables, or 1 cup of rawleafy vegetables. Your child should eat 3 servings from this group.

y Fruit group servings include 1 piece of fruit or melon wedge, 3/4 cup of 100% fruit juice,1/2 cup of canned fruit, or 1/4 cup of dried fruit. Your child should eat 2 servings from this

group.y Milk group servings include 1 cup of milk or yogurt or 2 ounces of cheese. Your child

should eat 2 servings from this group.y Meat group servings include 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish, 1/2 cup of

cooked dry beans. You can substitute 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1 egg for 1 ounce ofmeat. Your child should eat 2 servings from this group.

Nutritional Needs of School Going Children

Child's nutrition is important for her overall health. Proper nutrition can also prevent many medicalproblems, including becoming overweight, developing weak bones, and developing diabetes. It

will also ensure that your child physically grows to her full potential.

Characteristics of primary school children influencing their food intake:

y Many meals consumed away from homey Greater influence of peers, advertising and media on food choicesy More structured eating times due to school timetabley Greater access to foods from school canteen or other students lunchesy Nutritional messages more meaningful in relation to cognitive development of the childy Food choices may be repetitivey Food likes and dislikes may be firmly entrenched


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y May now have small disposable income to purchase foodThe best nutrition advise to keep your adolescent healthy includes encouraging her to:

y Eat a variety of foodsy Balance the food you eat with physical activityy Choose a diet with plenty of grain products, vegetables and fruitsy Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesteroly Choose a diet moderate in sugars and salty Choose a diet that provides enough calcium and iron to meet their growing body's

requirements.

Suggested strategies to engage young children in nutrition education:

y Teach children from an early age about nutrition, foods, drinks and healthy eating anddrinking

y Assist children develop an interest in learning about foods and drinks with encouragementand by modeling

y Keep nutrition messages simple; the delivery of clear, accurate information and consistentmessages in a fun way is important for learning

y Provide children with opportunities to prepare foods and drinks; this gives them a sense ofownership of healthy choices, as well as assisting in skill development

y Acknowledge that all children can participate in making decisions about their healthy Involve children in setting goals for making healthy food and drink choicesy Help children understand the link between eating patterns and healthy Adults role-modeling healthy eating patterns are a positive influence on childrens eating

patterns

y Involve everyone in the family to adopt healthy eating patternsy Encourage the whole community (school, family) to get involvedy Make it relevant; children are likely to respond to information about health when they can

relate it to their own experience and healthy Physiology can be fun; teach children about what happens to foods and drinks in the body.

Nutritional Needs of Adolescents The Teenage Years

The teenage years can be a difficult time in life. Physical growth and mental development are

rapid, boys' voices change, girls start having periods, and most teenagers have to face taking publicexaminations for the first time.

The physical changes of adolescence have a direct influence on a person's nutritional needs.Teenagers need additional calories , protein , calcium , and iron .

Teenagers develop unusual eating habits and often eat too many fried, fast and junk foods. On the

other hand, the reverse can also be true as social pressures can lead them to cut back drastically onfood, often without thought to their nutritional needs. Such diets are often deficient in protein,

minerals and vitamins, and this can have a negative effect on mood and behaviour, as well as


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physical health.

Nutritional Needs ofBoys

Between the ages of 13 and IS, boys may put on up to 9kg and grow up to 12cm in a year. Theyneed plenty of protein to build the larger muscles that are developing. Very active adolescent boys

may consume up to 4,000 calories a day. This is a generous allowance, which should easilyprovide enough minerals and vitamins, but frequently does not as boys often avoid vegetables and

whole-grain carbohydrates.

Nutritional Needs of Girls

Fast food

A daily diet of bread and cheese, sweets and packaged snack foods, washed down with a fizzydrink, will be deficient in minerals, many vitamins and possibly even protein. Equally, meals from

fast-food outlets usually contain too much salt, fat, chemical additives, preservatives and sugar,

and insufficient fiber, even though the protein content may be adequate.

Nutritional Needs of Adolescent

Calorie: To meet the calorie needs, teens should choose a variety of healthful foods, such as lean

protein sources, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables

Proteins: Most teens easily meet this requirement with their intake of beef, pork, chicken, eggs,

and dairy products. Protein is also available from certain vegetable sources,- soya foods, beans,

and nuts.

Calcium: Teens are encouraged to consume three to four servings of calcium-rich foods each day.

Good sources include milk, yogurt, cheese, calcium-fortified juices, and calcium-fortified cereals.

Iron: Good sources of iron include beef, chicken, pork, legumes (including beans and peanuts),

enriched or whole grains, and leafy green vegetables such as spinach.

Adolescence in girls starts earlier, with the main growth spurt usually occurring between 11

and 16 years. They may grow up to 10cm (4in) in a year and put on up to 8kg (18 lb). Moreweight conscious than boys, they usually consume fewer calories, and are therefore even more

prone to nutritional deficiencies. When their monthly periods start, girls need more iron as wellas calcium and zinc. Irregular and painful periods can be caused by nutritional deficiencies it

also increases the need for certain nutrients.


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Nutritional Needs of Old age people

The process of aging brings about physiological, psychological and immunological changes

that influence the nutritional status.

Nutritional Requirements

These are based on physiological changes that take place during old age. After the age of 40 the

basal metabolic rate decreases due to decrease in muscle mass and other metabolically activetissue mass.

Energy Requirements

Protein

Due to decreased appetite and poor digestive capacity, old people are likely to consume lessprotein. But the fact remains that despite a decrease in calorie requirement the need of protein

remains the same, hence the food should be a little richer in protein than the other normal food.

Rich sources of protein are- all pulses, legumes, sprouts, chicken, fish, and egg.

Carbohydrates and FatsSince calorie requirement is lesser in older people, carbohydrate and fat content of food is also to

be reduced. Part of fat intake should be in form of vegetable oils which are rich in essential fattyacids and part of it should be in form of animal fats which are rich in fat soluble vitamins A, D, E,K.

Minerals

Calcium: the need for calcium increases during old age especially for women after menopause

Good food sources of calcium are-milk and milk products like cheese,paneer, and curd. Green

leafy vegetables are also a good source.

Iron-liver, green leafy vegetables like spinach, methi, whole wheat bread, iron rich dry fruits,

fruits such as apple.

Salt is naturally present in almost all fruits and vegetables.Foods that have a very high concentration of sodium such as pickles, chutneys, and papads should

be avoided as a part of daily diet.

VitaminPoor appetite, impaired absorption, constipation and general malaise may be caused in part by

inadequate intake or improper absorption of vitamins. While the bodys demand for vitamins doesnot increase in old age, it is particularly important that the factors interfering with utilisation be

corrected or that the intake should be sufficient to compensate for the poor utilisation.In the elderly when light exposure is poor, for example in those who are house bound or

institutionalised, vitamin D status is likely to be poor. Milk should be included in diet of suchpeople.


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SUGGESTED DIETARY MODIFICATIONS FORTHE ELDERLY-1. Eat a diet that is rich in raw fruits and vegetables and their juices.

2. Increase the amount of gel forming fibre in the diet such as oat, rice bran and pectinthat is found in fruits and vegetables.

3. Try adding the juice of black currants. This is rich in bioflavinoids that are known topromote longitivity.

4. Cabbage, yogurt, olive oil, seasoning herbs such as thyme, rosemary have beenK

nown to slow down the aging process.5. Reduce the intake of refined foods such as white flour and its products. TheseInclude white bread, donuts, white flour pastas and biscuits that use refined flour.

However all whole grain breads, pastas, brown rice are permitted.6. Avoid refined sugar and its products. Mild sweet flavouring can be done using honey,

jaggery, and maple syrup in limited quantities.7. Reduce the intake of saturated fats, cholesterol and animal fats. The general

guideline is to use not more than 4 tablespoons of saturated fats in a day.8. Reduce the intake of caffeine by limiting or eliminating the intake of coffee, black tea,

chocolate.9. Herbal teas such as mint, dandelion root, red clover tea are recommended.

Significantly reduce or give up alcohol.10. Avoid processed foods as much as possible.

11. Choose nutritious snacks such as nuts, seeds, raw vegetable sticks popcorn withoutbutter and fresh fruit.

12. Avoid artificial sweeteners as they contain saccharine. Both thesesubstances have long-term detrimental effect on the body and are known to

contribute to memory impairment. Some scientists even hint at the carcinogenicnature of these sweeteners. However this has not been proved so far.

13. A detoxification diet may be included in the lifestyle.

What You Have Learnt

MEAL PLANNING

Importance

Factors

Food budget

Food for the Family

NUTRITIONAL NEEDS

Pregnant and Lactating Woman Young Pre- School School-Going Teenagers Old Age People

Documents

Meal Planning Notes