menu planning for health · cooked each day for a week. 2. use the menu planner form (p. 4) to...

Menu Planning For Health

MENU PLANNING FOR HEALTH

Developed by:

The Public Health Nutritionists of Saskatchewan Working Group

Funding Provided by:

The Dairy Farmers of Saskatchewan August, 2007

Table of Contents

Menu Planning Basics

Introduction and Canada’s Food Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Steps for Menu Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Tips for Menu Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Menu Planner Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Meal Planning Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Menu Planning Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Sample Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Menu Planning for Individuals/families

Fast Cooking as an Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Preparation Tips for Fast Meals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Make A Meal in 20 minutes or Less . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Fast Food Makeovers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Meal Planning for Children

Healthy Lunches for Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Healthy Snacks for Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Appendix A Canada’s Food Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Appendix B 1. Serve Most Often . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192. Serve Sometimes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203. Serve Least Often . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Appendix C Ideas for the Main Meal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 & 23

Appendix D Other Meal Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Appendix E Saving Money on Your Food Dollar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Appendix F Good Food Buys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Appendix G Buying Foods in Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Appendix H Holiday/Event Planner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Appendix I Canada’s Food Guide For Children Two to Five Years . . . . 30

Appendix J Food Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Appendix K Food Handlers Storage Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Appendix L The New Food Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Appendix M Recipe Revitalization & Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Menu Planning For Health Table of Contents

1 Menu Planning For Health

Introduction

This menu planning tool has been designed to guide daily food choices over a period of

time, or a cycle of weeks. The goal is to provide a variety of foods that supply the

more than 50 nutrients a day that are necessary for good health, including adequate

fibre.

The cycle menu:• is a time-saving tool for those preparing the food• allows for cost control• makes pre-preparation and food purchasing easier

Once the menu is created and recipes are perfected, the task of providing healthy,nutritious foods is less time-consuming and less stressful. Menus should be flexibleenough to include holidays, special occasions, and seasonal availability of foods.

The menu uses Canada’s Food Guide (see Appendix A) as a basis for ensuring thenecessary nutrients are provided. Refer to the Food Guide for the numbers of eachfood group recommended for individuals based on age & sex. See Appendix B for aguide to which foods should be served most often, and those to serve occasionally.The serving sizes, as well as examples of foods from each food group follows. Inorder to help visualize serving sizes, keep the following in mind:

• 1/2 cup looks like 1/2 baseball• 1 cup is about the size of your fist

Grain Products

One serving can be:• one slice of bread• 1/2 -1 cup of hot or cold cereal • 1/2 bagel (about the size of a hockey puck) or pita pocket • 1/2 a hamburger bun, pita or tortilla• 1/2 cup of rice or pasta

Purchase or prepare breads, cookies, muffins and loaves with whole wheat inthem to boost fibre content. To further increase nutritional value and fibre, addwheat germ, bran, oatmeal, dried fruit and nuts or seeds to grain products. Usebrown rice and whole wheat pasta rather than white.

Vegetables and Fruit

One serving of this group can be:• a piece of fresh fruit (about the size of a baseball)• 1/2 cup of raw vegetable pieces• 1/2 cup cooked or canned fruit or vegetables (no added sugar in fruit) • 1/2 cup of unsweetened fruit or vegetable juice • 1/4 cup dried fruit (about the size of a golf ball)

(Continued)

To increase nutritional value as well as fibre, serve fruits and vegetables withthe skins on whenever reasonable, such as baked and boiled potatoes, applesand kiwi fruit. Dried fruits add nutritional value to baked goods, or mixed with ahandful of nuts make an easy snack.

Milk and Alternatives

One serving from this group may include: • 1 cup of fluid milk or buttermilk• 1 cup fortified soy beverage• 3/4 cup yogurt• 1/2 cup evaporated milk • 1/4 cup dry skim milk powder• 1 1/2 ounces/50 grams cheese (25g is about the size of your thumb,

50 grams is like 3 dominoes)

Lower fat milk products are recommended for a more heart-healthy diet,including 1% or skim fluid milks, cheeses that are 20% milk fat (M.F. or B.F.) orless, and yogurts that are 1% M.F. or less.

Meat and Alternatives

This group often makes up the entrée or main course of the meals.

Examples of one serving include: • 2-3 ounces/50-100 grams of cooked lean meat, fish or poultry (about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand)• 1/3-2/3 cup canned fish (1/3 cup is like the cupped palm of your hand)• 1-2 eggs• 1/4 -1/3 cup tofu • 2 tbsp. peanut butter• 1/2 - 1 cup of cooked beans, peas or lentils • 1/4 -1/3 cup nuts or seeds

Fats & OilsAbout 3-4 tbsp. (45-60ml) of unsaturated fat should be eaten daily. Sources of thistype of fat include oil used for cooking, or in salad dressings, soft margarine ormayonnaise.

Water

Water is essential to life. The body does not store water so it must be replaceddaily. Include water as a choice for each meal or snack, especially in hotweather or when physically active. Other foods and beverages can be goodsources of water or fluid, such as fruit, soup, milk, and decaffeinated tea andcoffee. Aim to drink the equivalent of 9-13 glasses of fluid a day through acombination of these foods, beverages and water.

Menu Planning For Health 2


Steps for Menu Planning

1. Refer to Canada’s Food Guide (Appendix A) to see which foods fit into eachfood group. • Assemble your favourite recipes and cookbooks for menu ideas. If desired,

use the Meal Ideas worksheet (See Appendix C) to list all meal ideas.

• If you are having trouble thinking of what to make for the main meal, see the filled in Ideas for the Main Meal (Appendix C) that has a few ideas.

• You may want to start your planning by keeping a record of what is cooked each day for a week.

2. Use the Menu Planner form (p. 4) to begin planning meals for each week.

3. Select a meat or alternative for each meal, for every day of the week.

4. Select the grain product to go along with the meat or alternative.

5. Select vegetables (both cooked and raw) for each meal.

6. Add milk/alternatives and fruits as beverages, snacks and desserts.

7. Use the “Menu Checklist” (page 8) to ensure nutrition, variety and appeal in your menu.

Tips for Menu Planning

• Use weekly Menu Planning forms and Food Preparation Sheet (See next 3 pages)

• Use a variety of foods from each food group in Canada’s Food Guide (SeeAppendix A). Choose foods from 3 of the 4 food groups for breakfast, and foodsfrom each of the 4 food groups for lunch and supper. Aim for food from 2 of the4 food groups for snacks.

• Consider color, shape, flavour, texture and temperature (see Meal PlanningFactors, p.7)

• Watch the current prices and consider your budget (see Appendices E & F)• Use foods that are in season (see Appendix G)• Plan around holidays and special occasions (see Appendix H)• Consider your kitchen equipment and storage space• Keep menus simple• Try some new foods• Try foods from another culture• Plan to use prepared entrees in another meal (see Cook Once, Eat Twice at

www.lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqf.htm)• Keep food safe!! (Appendix J & http://www.fightbac.org/main.cfm)


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Sunday Planning GROCERY LIST

Monday Grain Products

Tuesday Vegetables and Fruit

Wednesday Milk and Alternatives

Thursday Meat and Alternatives

Friday Other Foods

Saturday Non Food Items


Food Preparation Sheet

Sunday Planned Menu Tasks to Be Done Ahead

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday


Meal Planning Factors

Along with “Tips for Menu Planning”, there are a few other food combination factors

to consider. These include:

1. Flavour

• Try to balance tart flavours with sweet ones, mild flavours with highlyseasoned ones and light with heavy. Examples: cranberry sauce with turkey,and roast beef with horseradish.

• Try not to repeat flavours at a meal. Examples: Beef soup with a beefsandwich, or tomato soup and tomato juice served at the same meal.

2. Texture

• Try to have a variety of textures at a meal.

• Some textures include crisp, soft, grainy, smooth, hard and chewy.Examples: A crisp salad goes well with soup and raw vegetables go wellwith a sandwich.

3. Color

• Try to have a variety of colors on a plate. This makes the food moreappealing. Examples: A tossed green salad, mashed potatoes and steakwould look attractive on a plate. Cauliflower, mashed potatoes and fishwould not.

4. Shape

• Having a variety of food shapes can make the meal more exciting. Example: Roast beef, mashed potatoes and peas.

5. Method of Preparation

• Try to include a variety of preparation methods at a meal. Example: Serveboth cooked and raw foods at a meal or hot and cold foods at a meal.

• Balance higher fat preparation methods with lower or healthy fat options. Example: if a deep-fried or battered product (fish or chips) is served at onemeal, serve a moderate fat menu item at the next meal (e.g.- pasta with atomato-based sauce)


Menu Checklist

My Menu Yes No

1. Follows Canada’s Food Guide

• Contains breakfasts with at least 3 of the 4 food groups

• Contains lunches/suppers with each of the 4 food groups

2. Uses appropriate serving sizes

• child-size portions for preschoolers

• standard portions for school-aged children and adults

3. Considers the intolerances, allergies, likes and dislikes of the individual/family

4. Uses a variety of foods, prepared in different ways

5. Considers :

• Colour

• Flavour

• Texture

6. Includes seasonal foods

7. Limits foods high in fat

8. Limits foods high in salt

9. Provides foods high in fibre

10. Can be prepared in the time available

11. Can be prepared with the equipment available

12. Can be prepared by the people available

13. Is within the food budget


Meal Type of Food or Beverage Examples

Breakfast 1-2 servings grains multigrain toast, oatmeal, bran cereal, low fatgranola, whole wheat muffin, whole wheatpancake or waffle, multigrain bagel

1-2 servings fruit 100% juice, any fresh or dried fruit, berries

1 serving milk/alternatives skim or 1% milk, low fat yogurt, low fat cheese

1 serving meat/alternative egg, peanut butter

AM snack 1 serving grains whole grain crackers, rice cakes, homemade muffin or loaf

1 serving fruit any fruit, applesauce, dried fruit (raisins, apricots)

Lunch 1 serving meat/alternative lean chicken, beef or pork, fish, eggs, bakedbeans

2 servings grains whole wheat pasta, rice, multigrain bagel, whole grain bread

2 servings vegetables salad, vegetable sticks, 100% juice, any cooked vegetable and/or fruit

1 serving milk/alternatives skim or 1% milk, low fat yogurt

PM snack 1 serving grains whole grain crackers or cookies, rice crisp squares or granola bar

1 serving fruit fresh fruit, dried fruit (raisins, apricots), or vegetables carrot sticks, cucumbers, vegetable juice

Dinner 1 serving meat/alternative lean meat, fish, eggs, baked beans

2 servings grains whole wheat pasta, rice, multigrain bagel, whole grain bread

3 servings vegetables salad, any cooked vegetable, potato, and/or fruit fresh or canned fruit, 100% juice

1 serving milk/alternatives skim or 1% milk, low fat yogurt, frozen yogurtor ice cream

Evening 1 serving grains pretzels, granola bar, whole grain crackers, Snack popcorn, rice cakes, dry cereal, whole grain

muffin or loaf, multigrain bread

1 serving fruit 100% juice, dried fruit (raisins, apricots), or vegetables vegetable juice, any fresh fruit or vegetable

Note: Serve water or other fluid with each meal and snack.

Sample Menu

“Fast Cooking” as an Option

• Fast cooking uses shortcuts such as convenience products that are eitherpartially or completely prepared and to which you add fresh ingredients andyour personal touches.

• Fast meals are not necessarily less nutritious than those made from scratch. They are simple meals that are quicker and easier to prepare.

• You can buy or make ready-to-add foods and mixes to reduce preparation time at home.

• Handy appliances such as the microwave, slow cooker and pressure cooker can help you speed up preparation time.

Plan ahead: The Menu Planning form is helpful to write down the main meals of theday for each day of the week (see page 5).

1. Begin with meals that you will have time to cook. Is this a chance to make adouble batch?

2. Fill in the gaps with fast menu ideas for those “on the go” nights when youhave only 20 minutes to make a meal. See Make a Meal in 20 Minutes or Less(page 12), the recommended cookbook list, and Fast Food Makeovers (page14).

3. Don’t limit certain foods to certain meals. For example, pancakes make agreat supper meal.

4. Make meal preparation a cooperative effort. Include suggestions from family members who are willing to help cook. Post the menu in the cooking area where others can see it - on the fridge or bulletin board. Attaching a pencil can help everyone keep track of items to add to the next shopping list.

5. After a few weeks you will start to see 10 or 12 meals emerge as family favourites. Keep a list of these meals to jog your memory when you are planning. Keep the recipes for these meals handy in plastic protector sheets in a binder or photo album. This also helps make it easier for others to cook.

6. Organize your shopping list to include all items needed for your menus(See Menu Planning Form page 5).



Preparation tips for fast meals:

1. Keep pizza shells, grated cheese and portioned meat on hand.

2. Wash vegetables, trim, chop and store in zipper locked plastic bags or plastic containers.

3. Buy or make larger amounts of coleslaw or marinated salads that will keep well in the refrigerator for a few days.

4. Cold foods that are prepared ahead can be nice on a hot day. Cold foods arejust as nutritious as hot foods.

5. Label a shelf in the fridge for sandwich making supplies in order to organizesandwich meals quickly.

6. Plan meals around key foods. Prepare extra foods the first night for use in an entirely different recipe within the next few days. For example,meatballs in tomato sauce on spaghetti may be planned for Monday night,and meatball subs may be a rush-hour cooking item for Wednesday night.

7. Extra servings of pasta, rice, ground meat and legumes can be cooked,frozen and reheated in the microwave or steamer.

8. Cook ahead on the weekend if possible. Make a number of meals and freeze them in microwave-safe containers.

9. Buy or make dry bulk flour mixes for baked items. It takes only a few minutes to add liquid and fat ingredients to bake a small batch. It is also easier forless experienced cooks to prepare. (See Biscuit Mix, Appendix M)

10. Involve others in meal preparation. There may be steps they can start if they are home first. Even preschool children can help put a fruit or vegetable traytogether or combine the liquid and dry ingredients of a mix.

Make a Meal in 20 Minutes or Less

Use low fat dairy products and meats in the following recipes.

1. Beans in Tomato Sauce

• Serve with salad or coleslaw, whole grain bread and milk pudding. Or for ahearty soup - heat 1 can browned beans, 1 can tomatoes, sliced greenonions, season with parsley and basil. Serve with grated low fat cheese andwhole grain bagels.

2. Pasta

• Stir-fry chopped greens, such as broccoli, spinach or kale with onions andgarlic, add cooked pasta, and stir in a small amount of crumbled fetacheese. Or mix a couple of eggs into hot pasta, heat and stir until the eggsare cooked. Add cooked vegetables. Top with parmesan cheese.

3. Sub Buns: Serve cold or hot

• Cold: low fat deli meats or leftover cooked meats, salad dressing, shreddedlettuce, vegetables and cheese

• Hot: omit lettuce and add sautéed onions, peppers, and tomatoes; top withmeat and low fat cheese. Broil. Serve fruit for dessert.

4. Tortilla Shells

• Sauté chopped mushrooms, onions and peppers together and add choppedham, chicken, canned salmon or tuna. Place mixture on half of a tortillashell. Top with grated low fat cheese. Fold other half to cover and pan fry onboth sides. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa and low fat sour cream.Finish with fresh fruit.

5. Baked Potatoes

• Bake potatoes in microwave. Split and top with one or more of the following: chili, canned beans, spaghetti sauce, salsa, vegetables in cheese sauce or heated canned cream of broccoli or cheddar cheese soup mixed withcooked frozen vegetables. Serve with milk or juice as a beverage.

6. Vegetable Stir-Fry

• Stir-fry the family’s favourite vegetables, fresh or frozen, with choppedcooked chicken, beef, pork, seafood or fish. Season with spices. Serve overrice or noodles. Have milk pudding or frozen yogurt for dessert, or enjoy witha glass of milk.

7. Pizza

• Use Italian or French bread, pizza shells or pita bread. Lightly brush or spraythe bread base with oil to keep the bread crisp. Top with pizza sauce, meator beans, peppers, mushrooms and low fat cheese. Broil until cheese isbrowned lightly. Serve fruit for dessert.


(Continued)


8. Quick Cannelloni

• Cook lean ground beef with chopped onions, put mixture in the middle of atortilla shell and roll up. Put a single layer of the rolled-up tortilla shells in acasserole dish and cover with spaghetti sauce. Top with grated low fatcheese. Heat in the microwave until the cheese melts.

For other ideas, check these books:

1. Great Food Fast!Authors: Lynn Roblin and Bev Cullaghan, 1999

2. Quick & Healthy Recipes and IdeasAuthor: B. J. Ponichterae, 1995

3. Heart Smart, Cooking on a ShoestringAuthor: J. Watson, 1991

4. Quick Mixes, Canadian LivingAuthor: E. Baird, 1994

5. Simply HeartSmart CookingAuthor: Bonnie Stern

6. LooneyspoonsAuthors: Janet and Greta Podleski

7. The Big Book of Quick and Healthy recipes: 365 Delicious and Nutritious Meals in under 30 minutesAuthor: Kristin Hartvig

8. 200 healthy recipes in 30 minutes or lessAuthor: Robyn Webb

Add in other favourite cookbooks


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the

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pack

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or

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(with

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)

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ato

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d se

ason

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Dev

elop

ed b

y: P

ublic

Hea

lth N

utri

tioni

sts

of S

aska

tche

wan

Wor

king

Gro

up

Re

vise

d (J

uly

2005

)

Meal Planning for Children

Healthy eating is important at all ages and stages of life, including childhood andadolescence. Because children are still growing and developing, their nutritional needs can be very different than those of parents or caregivers. This sectionincludes information for parents, kids and teachers.

The serving sizes in Canada’s Food Guide are designed for adults. For a guide toserving sizes adapted to the amounts of food preschoolers eat, see Canada’s FoodGuide for Children 2-5 Years (Appendix I)

Healthy Lunches for Kids

Good lunches happen when kids get to plan and make the foods they love to eat.Having children take ownership of preparing lunches is a recipe for success. Kidsusually know what they like to eat, and together with your knowledge of what makesa lunch healthy and the tips below, you and your children can create nutritious and‘cool’ lunches.

• Set the basis for a healthy lunch: Try to include one food from each of the 4food groups of Canada’s Food Guide. Be sure you have foods from all the fourfood groups in your cupboard and fridge.

• Have your children participate in making lunches. Their involvement willincrease the likelihood that they will eat them!

• Let them be as creative as they like: If it’s within reason nutritionally, give it atry. Or have your children pick ideas from the Lunch Guide (page 17).

• Some children have the opportunity to purchase lunch or some food items atschool. Be aware of what the school is providing. Are they healthy choices?Knowing what is being served at school will also help to plan other meals in theday, in order to provide variety and balance in the diet.



Lunch Guide

Healthy Snacks for Kids

Snacks are often as important as meals in providing essential nutrients. That’s whythe best snacks will be made from food from the four food groups. Snacks like candyand chips should be thought of as ‘sometimes snacks’. Canada’s Food Guiderecognizes that these foods add interest and enjoyment to eating, and when eatenonce in a while won’t ruin an otherwise healthy diet. Below is a list of healthy snacksthat should be served most often.

Nutritious Snack Ideas

• Crackers and cheese • Popcorn• Pretzels • Muffin (bran or whole grain) and milk• Vegetables with dip • Mini-pizzas• Fresh fruit • Peanut butter on whole grain toast • Nuts and seeds • Yogurt

Plan the timing of snacks

Most children have 2-3 snacks a day. They should be eaten long before mealtime sothat appetites aren’t ruined for the next meal. The longer the time between meals thelarger the snack can be.

Involve your child in planning snacks

As with lunches, the more children are involved in choosing snacks, the more likelythat they will eat them. Making a list of snacks from the four food groups is a greatway to learn about healthy eating.

Start with one...Bagel

Pita breadWhole wheatHamburger/ Hot dog bunWhole grain

BreadFlatbread/ tortilla Pasta/noodles

RiceWW English

muffinHomemade

MuffinsWhole graincrackers orbreadsticks

Add protein...Cheese

(shredded,cubed, sliced)Cream cheese

Cottage cheeseLuncheon meat

HamLean roast

meat or poultryPeanut butter

Hard boiled eggCanned fish

(tuna, salmon) Tofu

HummusCanned beans

Top with any...

Shredded CarrotsCelery sticks

Lettuce Peppers

CucumberRaw veggiesSunflower or

sesame seedsPeanuts or Nuts

SalsaPickles

Spreads...

MustardLow fat mayo

Low fat dressing

ApplesauceHoney

Peanut butterJam

Low fat yogurtSalsa

Beverages

Milk (white or

chocolate)100% fruit juiceVegetable juice

or cocktailYogurt and fruit shakes

Water

Sweet endingsPiece of

fresh fruitStrawberries

Yogurt - for eating ordipping fruit

or vegetablesCereal bar

PuddingCanned fruit

Squares (date, rice

cereal)RaisinsCookies

(oatmeal, raisin,peanut butter)

Because of allergy concerns, check with your school if peanut products are allowed and beware of sharing peanut products.

Nutrition Web Sites for more information:http://www.toronto.ca/health/vf/vf_yourchildren.htm

http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/snack_attack.htmlwww.cdha.nshealth.ca/publichealth/schoolAgeChildren.html

www.5to10aday.com

Appendix A

Insert CFG



Appendix B

1. SERVE MOST OFTEN

May be served without restriction.

Most of these foods are good sources of one or more of the nutrients iron, calcium, vitamin A, C, or D, are high in fibre, yet are generally low in fat, sugar and salt.

Grain Products Vegetables and FruitWhole grain bread, rolls, buns, bagels Deeply colored, dark green and orange Pita bread, tortillas, crackers, bannock Fresh/frozen vegetables

Whole grain muffins, loaves Fresh/frozen fruit prepared without sugarUnsweetened or low sugar breakfast Vegetables prepared without fat

cereals with ≥ 2 gm fibre/serving 100% fruit and/or vegetable juicesVegetable soups

Corn bread Vegetable/fruit saladsWhole grain pasta Applesauce

BarleyBrown or converted (parboiled) rice

Milk and Alternatives Meat and Alternatives2%, 1% or skim milk Chicken, turkey

Yogurt Fish, seafoodCheese Lean meat (beef, liver, pork, lamb)

Milk-based soups Extra lean or lean ground meatSkim milk powder Cooked dried peas, beans, lentilsCottage cheese Wild meat (if butchered and

slaughtered in approved premises)Eggs

Canned fish (packed in water)TofuHam

Peanut butterNuts and seedsVeggie burgers

and ≤ 8 gm sugar/serving

Appendix B

2. SERVE SOMETIMES

These foods should not be served more than two times in a week as a meal, and no more than once a week as a snack.

Most of these foods are good sources of one or more of the nutrients iron, calcium, vitamin A, C, or D, but are also high in fat, sugar or salt. When serving

these foods, combine with foods from the “Serve Most Often” group.

Grain Products Vegetables and FruitGranola Canned vegetables

Granola bars (not dipped) Fruit in syrupCereal bars Dried fruit

Sesame bars Real fruit leatherPretzels Frozen fruit juice bars

Fruit crisps, cobblers Vegetables with sauces or breadingsFruit loaves Sweetened fruit juice

Cookies (made with oatmeal, peanut butter, or dried fruit)

CroissantsBiscuits/scones

Breakfast cereals, 4-8gms sugar/servingTaco shells, tortilla chips

BreadsticksRefined pasta, noodles

Refined pancakes, wafflesRice cakes

Milk and Alternatives Meat and AlternativesWhole milk Lean deli meats (ham, corned beef, turkey roll, etc)

Fruit Shakes/Milkshakes Canned fish (packed in oil)Flavoured milks, eg.- chocolate Pre-formed hamburger patties

Frozen yogurtMilk-based puddings

Yogurt drinksHot chocolate milkIce cream/Sherbet

Processed cheese slices



Appendix B

3. SERVE LEAST OFTEN

Serve one choice from this list no more than two times in a four week period.These foods are high in calories, fat, sugar and/or salt, and low in nutrient value.

Pastry, Danishes DoughnutsCakes Sticky Buns

Cake muffins Cookies with sweet filling or icingDipped granola bars French friesFlavoured popcorn Rice Krispie™ Cake/puffed wheat cake

Packaged noodle soup Cheese spreadHot chocolate drink Cream cheese

Pre-sweetened breakfast cereal with > 8 grams sugar/servingWieners/sausages/bologna/salami/pepperoni, etc.

Breaded or battered chicken or fish


Ap

pend

ix

C

– Form

for M

ain M

ea

l Id

ea

s

PA

STA

SO

UP

HA

MB

UR

GE

RB

EE

FP

OR

KC

HIC

KE

NF

IS

HO

TH

ER

NE

W R

EC

IP

ES


Ap

pend

ix

C

– Id

ea

s for th

e M

ain M

ea

l

PA

STA

SO

UP

HA

MB

UR

GE

RB

EE

FP

OR

KC

HIC

KE

NF

IS

HO

TH

ER

NE

W R

EC

IP

ES

Past

a an

d Ch

icke

nTa

cos/

taco

sal

adRo

ast

Chop

sSt

irfry

Salm

onPa

ncak

es/

tom

ato/

nood

le/r

ice

Stuf

fed

Chic

ken

(bak

ed, B

BQ

)W

affle

sm

eat s

auce

brea

sts

Mac

aron

i To

mat

oHa

mbu

rger

pat

ties

Fajit

asTe

nder

loin

Win

gsSa

lmon

sal

adPe

rogi

esan

d ch

eese

(with

pot

ato

sala

d)(&

sm

okie

s)

Fettu

cini

inCr

eam

of

Chili

Stro

gano

ffH

amCh

icke

n br

east

Tu

na n

oodl

ePi

zza

light

cre

amm

ushr

oom

/(a

nd c

ornb

read

)Ch

icke

n an

dca

sser

ole

sauc

ece

lery

/bro

ccol

iric

e ca

sser

ole

Lasa

gna

Crea

m o

f M

eatb

alls

Stew

Bac

onCh

icke

nSa

rdin

esCh

ef’s

sala

dpo

tato

/che

ese

(S&

S, to

mat

o or

ca

ccia

tori

Buf

falo

/m

ushr

oom

sau

ce)

Elk

/wild

mea

t

Ham

burg

er

Split

pea

Mea

tloaf

Stea

k/Sa

usag

eCh

icke

n Sa

lmon

loaf

/O

mel

et/

Ham

burg

er

Vege

tabl

epe

pper

ed s

teak

with

veg

gies

cake

sQ

uich

eso

upso

upan

d pa

sta

Tuna

cas

sero

leM

ines

tron

eSl

oppy

joes

Live

r/he

art/

Pork

roas

tCh

icke

n Sh

rimp

Bak

ed p

otat

oki

dney

caes

ar s

alad

Bak

ed s

pagh

etti

Bea

n an

d ba

rley

Ship

wre

ckSw

iss

stea

kSp

are

ribs

Chic

ken

sala

d pi

taCr

abQ

uesa

dilla

Tort

ellin

i with

Corn

cho

wde

rCa

bbag

e ro

llsKe

babs

Keba

bsRo

aste

dFi

sh fi

llets

Fren

ch to

ast

mus

hroo

m s

auce

chic

ken

in s

auce

Ravi

oli

Lent

ilSh

epe r

ds p

ieB

eef d

ipJa

mba

laya

Chic

ken

in

Bak

ed b

eans

soup

slow

coo

ker o

rFi

sh C

how

der

Bea

ns &

rice

B

orsc

htba

king

bag

Ger

man

noo

dles

Orz

o so

upB

urrit

osB

eef s

trog

anof

fCr

eam

ed c

hick

enTu

na S

alad

Pota

to p

anca

kes

Lem

on R

ice

Nic

oise

Past

a sa

lad

Clam

cho

wde

rB

BQ

bee

fCu

rrie

d ch

icke

n La

mb

on a

bun


Ap

pend

ix

D

– O

th

er M

ea

l Id

ea

s Form

Mea

tles

s/

Veg’n

Sa

la

dV

egeta

ble

Pota

to

Rice

Oth

er G

ra

in

Fru

it d

es

sert

Hea

lth

y S

na

ck

Pla

nned

leftovers


Appendix E

Saving Money on Your Food Dollar

• Use the menus you have planned for the week to ensure foods prepared will behealthy. Include how you will use leftovers.

• Use a shopping list. It helps to reduce the number of “impulse” buys you make and saves you a return trip to the store for things you may forget.

• Keep an ongoing list in your kitchen and add items as you need them.

• Use coupons if the item is one you normally buy and is priced lower thansimilar brands. Clip coupons from newspapers, magazines and flyers for foodson your shopping list.

• Eat before you shop. Having an empty stomach can lead to impulse buying. (Everything looks good when you are hungry).

• Shop alone when possible. When family members come along, you tend to buymore. Take turns with adult friends or family caring for the children so you canshop alone.

• Use newspaper food ads to comparison shop between stores, and watch for“discount days”. Use good sense here. The cost of travelling from store tostore can eat up your savings.

• Compare the price of food items in different forms. Fresh, frozen, canned ordried - and in different styles - whole, sliced, chopped, etc.

• Convenience foods can make meal preparation faster and easier, but they maybe more costly and less nutritious than starting from scratch. Determine if theadded cost of buying convenience foods is worth the time saved. Refer to “FastFood Makeovers”, page 14.

• Buy only the amount you need and only what you can store conveniently.Fresh fruit and vegetables spoil quickly, so only a limited amount can bepurchased at a time.

• Buying in bulk often costs less. It is useful for items you only need a smallamount of, such as spices.

• Buy meat and cheese by the piece and slice it yourself at home.

• Take advantage of “specials” only if they fit your budget and you haveadequate storage space.

• Ask for a “rain check” if a specially priced item is unavailable. You can buy the item for the sale price at a later date.

• “Best Before Dates” are now used on all pre-packaged foods and dairyproducts which last less than 90 days. Look for these dates to get the freshestproducts possible.

(Continued)

• Compare the costs of foods within the same food group. For instance, compare the cost of beans with peas, and buns with sliced bread.

• Be wise to supermarket displays. Items displayed at the end of the aisle maynot always be specially priced. Items like ice cream and assorted toppings areoften displayed together. Avoid the temptation to buy both if this was not yourintention.

• No-name brands are often cheaper than brand name products. Compare unit prices, the sticker on the shelf below the product.

• Read labels. Food labels list the ingredients and nutritional information, which is helpful in judging the nutritional quality of a food. See “The New Food Label”,Appendix L.



Appendix F

Good Food Buys

The following is a list of foods that are not necessarily the cheapest options but arethe most nutritious for the money that you spend.

Grain Products

• Hot cereals such as oatmeal

• Rice (not instant rice)

• Macaroni and spaghetti

• Plain soda crackers

Vegetables and Fruits

• Fresh fruit and vegetables that are in season (See Appendix G - Buying Foods in Season)

• Vegetables frozen without added sauce or butter

• Canned fruit packed in juice or water - not syrup! (when fresh produce is out of season)

• Frozen fruit juice and canned tomato or vegetable juice

Milk and Alternatives

• Fresh milk, skim milk powder, canned evaporated milk

• Yogurt

• Block cheese

• Cottage cheese

Meat and Alternatives

• Dried or canned beans, peas and lentils

• Eggs, turkey and chicken (frozen poultry is usually a better buy than fresh)

• Many types of fish such as frozen blue fish, canned tuna, canned pink salmon, or sardines

• Peanut butter

• Liver and other organ meats

• Less tender cuts of meat (such as pot roast and stewing meat)

• Lean ground beef

Appendix G

Buying Foods in Season

Buy foods in season. When foods are plentiful they generally cost less.The chart below will tell when to get the best buys on certain foods.

Foods such as celery, lettuce, cabbage, onions, potatoes,

and carrots are plentiful throughout the year.


January February March

Apples Apples ApplesGrapefruit Grapefruit GrapefruitOranges Oranges Oranges

April May June

Pineapple Corn CornTurkey Lettuce Fresh Fish

Parsnips MelonPineapple RhubarbTomatoes Tomatoes

July August September

Berries Apricots BananasCantaloupes Berries Beets

Cherries Cantaloupes BroccoliCorn Corn Cauliflower

Fresh Fish Cucumbers Corn Grapes Fresh Fish CrabapplesMelon Grapes Garlic

Nectarines Melon GrapesPeaches Nectarines Peaches

Peas Peaches PearsPlums Pears Peppers

Radishes Plums PlumsTomatoes Tomatoes Squash

Watermelons Tomatoes

October November December

Apples Apples ApplesBrussel Sprouts Brussel Sprouts Brussel Sprouts

Cauliflower Cauliflower CranberriesCranberries Cranberries Grapefruit

Pears Oranges MandarinsPumpkins Pears OrangesSpinach Pumpkin TurkeyTurkey Turkey SquashSquash Squash


Appendix H

Seasonal/Holiday events

to consider for menu planning

WINTER

Christmas DayChanukah

Valentines DayPancake TuesdayNew Year’s Day

FALL

HalloweenThanksgiving

Rosh Hashanan

SPRING

EasterPassover

St. Patrick’s Day

OTHER

BirthdaysAny other special event you can think of.

SUMMER

Canada DayLabour Day

Appendix I

Insert Canada’s Food Guide For Children 2-5 Years



Appendix J

Insert Fight Bac pages from internet (http://www.fightbac.org/main.cfm)

Appendix K

Food Handlers’ Storage Guide

Adapted from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, May 2005

General guidelines for the shelf life of common foods. Read the label and check “best before” dates if applicable. Most foods are safe to eat if stored longer, but

flavour and nutritive value will deteriorate. Discard if there is evidence of spoilage.

Cupboard (room temperature)

Unless otherwise specified, times apply to unopened packages.

CEREAL GRAINS(once opened, store in airtight containers, away from light and heat)Bread crumbs (dry) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 monthsCereals (ready-to-eat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 monthsCornmeal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8 monthsCrackers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 monthsPasta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . several yearsRice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . several yearsRolled Oats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10 monthsWhite flour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 yearWhole wheat flour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 monthsCANNED FOODS(once opened, store covered in refrigerator)Evaporated milk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12 monthsOther canned foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 year

DRY FOODS(once opened, store in airtight containers, away from light and heat)Baking powder, baking soda . . . . . . . . . . 1 yearBeans, peas, lentils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 yearChocolate (baking) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 monthsCocoa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12 monthsCoffee (ground) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 monthCoffee (instant) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 yearCoffee whitener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 monthsFruit (dried) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 yearGelatin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 yearJelly powder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 yearsMixes (cake, pancake, tea biscuit) . . . . . 1 yearMixes (pudding and pie filling) . . . . . 18 monthsMixes (main dish

accompaniments) . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12 monthsPotatoes (flakes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 yearSkim milk powder

- unopened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 year- opened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 month

Sugar (all types) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . several yearsTea bags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 year

MISCELLANEOUS FOODSHoney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 monthsJams, jellies (once opened,

store covered In refrigerator) . . . . . . . 1 yearMayonnaise, salad dressings

- unopened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 months- opened (stored covered

in refrigerator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 monthsMolasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 yearsPeanut butter

- unopened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 months- opened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 months

Pectin - powdered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 years- liquid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 year- opened (stored covered

in refrigerator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 monthSandwich spread (once opened,

store covered in refrigerator) . . . . . 8 monthsSyrups

- maple, corn, table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 yearVegetable oils (once opened,

store covered in refrigerator) . . . . . 1 yearVinegar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . several yearsYeast (dry) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 year

VEGETABLESPotatoes, rutabaga,

squash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 weekTomatoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 week

Cool room (7-10 oC, 45-50 oF)Potatoes (mature) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 monthsOnions (dry, yellow skin) . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 weeksSquash (winter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . several monthsRutabaga (waxed) . . . . . . . . . . . several months



DAIRY PRODUCTS AND EGGS(check “best before” dates)Butter

- unopened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 weeks- Opened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 weeks

Cheese - cottage (once opened) . . . . . . . . . . . 3 days- firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Several months- processed (unopened) . . . several months- processed (opened) . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 weeks

Margarine- unopened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 months- opened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 month

Milk, cream, yogurt (once opened) . . . . 3 daysEggs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 weeks

FISH AND SHELLFISHFish (cleaned)

- raw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 days- cooked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 days

Crab, clams, lobster,mussels (live) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-24 hours

Oysters (live) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . several weeksScallops, shrimp (raw) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 daysShellfish (cooked) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 days

FRESH FRUIT (RIPE)Apples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 months

- purchased February to July . . . . . 2 weeksApricots (stored uncovered) . . . . . . . . . 1 weekBlueberries (store uncovered) . . . . . . . . 2 daysCherries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 daysRhubarb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 weekCranberries (store uncovered) . . . . . . . 1 weekGrapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 daysPeaches (store uncovered) . . . . . . . . . . 1 weekPlums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 daysPears (store uncovered) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 weekRaspberries (store uncovered) . . . . . . . . 2 daysStrawberries (store uncovered) . . . . . . .2 days

FRESH VEGETABLESAsparagus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 daysBeans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 daysBeets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 weeksBroccoli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 daysBrussels sprouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 weekCabbage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 weeksCelery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 weeksCarrots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . several weeksCauliflower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 daysCorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . use same dayPeas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . use same dayCucumbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 weekLettuce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 weekMushrooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 daysSprouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 daysOnions (green) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 weekParsnips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . several weeksPeppers (green, red) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 weekPotatoes (new) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 weekSpinach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 daysSquash (summer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 week

MEAT, POULTRYUncookedCured or smoked meat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 daysGround meat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 daysPoultry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 daysRoasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 daysSteaks, chops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 daysVariety meats, giblets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 daysCookedAll meats and

poultry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 daysCasseroles, meat pies,

meat sauces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 daysSoups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 days

MISCELLANEOUS FOODSCoffee (ground) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 monthsNuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 monthsWhole wheat flour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 monthsShortening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 months

Refrigerator (4C, 40F)

Unless otherwise specified, cover all foods.

(Continued)


DAIRY PRODUCTS AND FATSButter

- salted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 year- unsalted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 months

Cheese - firm, processed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 months

Cream - table, whipping(separates when thawed) . . . . . . . . . 1 month

Ice Cream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 monthMargarine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 monthsMilk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 weeks

FISH AND SHELLFISHFish (fat species: salmon,

Mackerel, lake trout) . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 monthsFish (lean species: cod,

haddock, Pike, smelt) . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 monthsShellfish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 months

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES . . . . . . . . 1 year

MEAT, POULTRY AND EGGSUncookedBeef (roasts, steaks) . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12 monthsChicken, turkey

- cut up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 monthswhole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 year

Cured or smoked meat . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 monthsDuck, goose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 monthsEggs (whites, yolks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 monthsLamb (chops,roasts) . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12 monthsPork (chops, roasts) . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12 monthsSausages, weiners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 monthsVariety meats, giblets . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 monthsVeal (chops, roasts) . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12 monthsCookedAll meat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 monthsAll poultry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 monthsCasseroles, meat pies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 months

MISCELLANEOUS FOODSBean, pea, lentil casseroles . . . . . . 3-6 monthsBreads (yeast, baked or unbaked) . . . 1 monthCakes, cookies (baked) . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 monthsHerbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 yearPastries, quick bread (baked) . . . . . . . 1 monthPastry crust (unbaked) . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 monthsPie (fruit, unbaked) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 monthsSandwiches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 weeksSoups (stocks, cream) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 months

Freezer (-18C, 0F)

Use freezer wrapping or airtight containers. Freeze fresh food at its peak condition.


Appendix L

The New Food Label

Canadians have a new food label as of Jan. 2006. The new label boasts thetitle “Nutrition Facts” in place of the old “Nutrition Information” heading.

What’s new?

The new food label will be mandatory on almost all pre-packaged foods. The labelmust have the same look and include the same information in the same order onalmost all products. Information on 13 nutrients, including trans fats, will be required

on all food labels.

% Daily Values (% DV) are also provided foralmost all nutrients. This tells you if the foodhas “a lot” or “a little” of each nutrient.

How do I use the new label?

What you look for on the label will depend onwhat your nutritional goals are. MostCanadians need to eat less saturated andtrans fat and more fibre, so these are good places to start. Just watch the serving size on the label to ensure it matches the amount you actually eat. The nutrition label can then be used tocompare similar foods, to help you make thehealthiest choices.

(Adapted from “Nutrition Tips”, Sheri Taylor)

Appendix M

Recipe Revitalization

It is easy to update recipes that have high fat ingredients without losing the taste.You can update your favourite recipes by finding the fat in the recipe and eithertaking it out, reducing the amount or making a substitute.

When to Change a Recipe

Is the recipe already low in fat?• If there is only a small amount of fat in the recipe, there is no need to change it.

How often is the food served?

• Special occasion dishes, which are eaten once or twice a year, are not asimportant to alter as those that are eaten on a regular basis. For example, it ismore important to decrease fat in a weekly tuna sandwich than to reduce thefat in a once a year birthday cake.

What portion size is usually eaten?

• Eating smaller portions of food is an easy way to reduce fat intake. Forexample, a smaller portion of pie can be eaten or the traditional two crustscould be replaced by a single crust and a crumb topping.

Updating Recipes

1. Review the recipe. Mark all possible high fat ingredients.2. Select an option:

A) Leave out ingredient completely• This works well with casseroles and meat dishes where fat is added for browning, frying or

sautéeing. Use low fat cooking methods such as steaming, broiling, poaching, or barbecuing.Use a non-stick pan and/or non-stick cooking spray. Water or broth can be used when stir-frying vegetables.

B) Reduce the amount of ingredients• The fat in a recipe can usually be reduced by 1/4 to 1/3. This is most effective with quick breads

and less effective with cakes. Other methods include draining fat from browned meat, removingskin from chicken before cooking and skimming fat off soups.

C) Substitute a lower fat ingredient• 1 cup evaporated skim milk instead of 1 cup of heavy cream saves 69 grams of fat (14 teaspoons)• 1 cup lower fat plain yogurt instead of 1 cup sour cream saves 32 grams of fat (7 teaspoons)• 1 cup of lower fat cheese instead of 1 cup regular cheese saves 13 grams of fat (3 teaspoons)• 1/2 cup applesauce instead of 1/2 cup oil saves 100 grams (20 teaspoons fat)

D) Boost fibre• Choose whole grain bread, pasta, flour and rice instead of white• Leave skins of fruits and vegetables on instead of peeling when used in cooking/baking

E) Decrease sugar content• You can lower the sugar content by 1/4 -1/2 in most baked goods without affecting

the end product.• For a diabetic diet try substituting Splenda for part or all of the sugar in baking.



Appendix M

Recipes

Use the following biscuit mix to make tea biscuits, spice muffins, pancakes or quickquiche pie. The biscuit mix can be made ahead of time and used as needed.

Biscuit Mix

4 cups (1000 mL) whole-wheat flour4 cups (1000 mL) all purpose flour5 tablespoons (75 mL) baking powder2 teaspoons (10 mL) salt1 cup (250 mL) instant skim milk powder

1. Mix flour, baking powder and salt.2. Add skim milk powder and stir until thoroughly mixed.3. Store in covered container in refrigerator or other cool place.

Makes about 12 cups.

Tea Biscuits

3 cups ( 750 mL) biscuit mix2/3 cup (150 mL) water1/2 cup (125 mL) margarine

1. Cut margarine into biscuit mix.2. Add water to make soft dough.3. Turn out on floured board and knead gently.4. Roll to 3/4 inch (2 cm) thickness.5. Cut in 2 - inch (5 cm) rounds.6. Bake about 10 minutes at 425oF (220oC).

Makes about 16 biscuits.

(Continued)

Spice Muffins

3 cups (750 mL) biscuit mix2 tablespoons (30 mL) sugar1 teaspoon (5 mL) cinnamon1 egg1 cup (250 mL) water2 tablespoons (30 mL) molasses1/4 cup (60 mL) oil or applesauce

1. Stir sugar and cinnamon into mix.2. Beat together egg, water, molasses and oil and add to dry ingredients,

stirring only enough to moisten.

3. Fill greased muffin tins two-thirds full.4. Bake 12 -14 minutes at 375oF (190oC).

Makes about 12 muffins.

Quick Quiche Pie

2 cups (500 mL) chopped vegetables3 tablespoons (45 mL) chopped onion1/2 cup (125 mL) grated low fat cheese1 egg, beaten1/4 cup (60 mL) biscuit mix1/2 cup (125 mL) skim milkPepper

1. Spray deep 10 - inch (25 cm) pie plate with non-stick vegetable oil cookingspray.

2. Spread chopped vegetables, onions and cheese in pie plate.3. In a bowl, combine beaten egg, biscuit mix, milk, and pepper. 4. Pour over vegetable mixture.5. Bake at 400oF (200oC) for 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted comes out

clean. 6. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Makes 8 servings.


(Continued)


Pancakes

3 cups (750 mL) biscuit mix2 tablespoons (30 mL) sugar2 eggs, beaten2 cups (500 mL) water or milk1 tablespoon (15 mL) oil

1. Add eggs, water or milk and oil to dry ingredients, stirring only enough tomoisten.

2. Drop 1/4 cup (60 mL) amounts on lightly greased hot pan.

Add in other recipes

References

Resource adapted from “Nutrition Basics for Menu Planning” prepared by Flo Woods, RD

Sections “Fast Cooking as an Option”, “Make a Meal in 20 Minutes or Less” and “Preparation Tips for Fast Meals” adapted from Great Food Fast, Public Health

Nutritionists Working Group of Sask. (PHNWG).

Appendix F, Buying Foods in Season, developed by Sheri Taylor, Faye Hofer, Ann McCormick and Bev Volk, nutrition professionals for the Heartland Health

Region

“Fight Bac” resources: http://www.fightbac.org/main.cfm

Appendix J, Recipe Revitalization - PHNWG

References for menu planning for kids:http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/res/index_e.html

Snacks and your School-Age Child, Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region


Menu Planning for Health Evaluation

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Introduction and Canada’s Food Guide to Health Eating

Steps and Tips for Menu Planning

Menu Planning for Children

Menu Planner Forms (Main Meal Ideas, Food Preparation Sheet, Weekly Menu Planning Form)

Meal Planning Factors

Fast Cooking as an Option

Make Meals in 20 minutes or less

Fast Food Makeovers

Menu Planning Checklist

Sample Menu

Appendices:

A. Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating

B. Serve Most/Sometimes/Least Often

C. Saving Money on Your Food Dollar

D. Good Food Buys

E. Buying Foods in Season

F. Holiday/Event Planner

G. Food Safety

H. Food Handlers Storage Guide

I. The New Food Label

J. Recipe Revitalization/Recipes

www.rqhealth.ca/programs/comm_hlth_services/pubhealth/pdf_files/menu_planning.pdf

menu planning for health · cooked each day for a week. 2. use the menu planner form (p. 4) to...

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