School of Education

Written Report on Weekly Meal

Planning and Selection and for
Special Occasion

Submitted by

Dayrit, Angela
Fernando, Jennie Mae
Licup, Dimple Ann
Mercado, Janneth
Puri, Maricar
Salvador, Lea

E 4EE
EHELE / Wed 6:00 9:00PM

Submitted to

Ms. Victoria Tan

June 28, 2017

 Weekly Meal Planning and Selection and for Special Occasion

Meal planning is the art of planning meals for the family and for special
occasions. It is the simple act of taking some time to plan any number of your meals for
the week. It is a great way to make sure you're eating a balanced diet and meeting your
nutritional needs. The family meal pattern usually includes three main meals, breakfast,
lunch, dinner and sometimes snacks. Knowing what to eat, how much to eat, when to
eat and then preparing your meals is one of important aspects of achieving a healthy,
balanced diet.

Planning meals for different age groups

I. Infants

Adequate nutrition during infancy is essential for lifelong health and wellbeing.
Infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve
optimal growth, development and health. Food provides the energy and nutrients
that babies need to be healthy. For a baby, breast milk is best. It has all the
necessary vitamins and minerals. Infant formulas are available for babies whose
mothers are not able or decide not to breastfeed. Infants usually start eating solid
foods between 4 and 6 months of age.

Infant nutrition is designed to meet the special needs of very young children and
give them a healthy start in life. Children under one year old do not have fully mature
organ systems. They need nutrition that is easy to digest and contains enough
calories, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to grow and develop normally.
Infants also need the proper amount of fluids for their immature kidneys to process.
In addition, infant nutrition involves avoiding exposing infants to substances that are
harmful to their growth and development.

II. Children
They need energy from food for daily physical activities and nutrients to promote
growth and health. Three main meals with nutritious snacks are needed in
between to supply enough energy to meet their high activity level but small
appetite. Make half of what is on your child's plate fruits and vegetables. Choose
healthy sources of protein, such as lean meat, nuts, and eggs. Serve whole-grain
breads and cereals because they are high in fiber. Broil, grill, or steam foods
instead of frying them. Limit fast food and junk food.
 Nutrition for kids has the same principle as nutrition for adults. Everyone needs
nutrition. Nutrition for kids however, means different things at different ages of
their development. There are a few things to keep in mind when deciding on a
dirt plan for your children. There are five categories that parents and guardians
should make sure their children have every day: Dairy, protein, fruits, grains and
vegetables.

III. Adolescents
Meal planning for adolescents should be based on the food pyramid, including
larger portions of energy from carbohydrates, such as rice and bread. Protein-
rich foods, such as lean meat, fish and dairy products are important for body
tissue building.
Foods that are rich in iron and calcium are essential for the growth of healthy
blood, bone and teeth. The need for iron in girls is greater than boys because of
losing blood during menstruation.
Healthy snack choices include low fat dairy products, dried or fresh fruits, whole
meal biscuits, unsweetened soy bean milk.
Fast food is popular among adolescents and they are high in fat, sodium and
calories while containing limited amounts of vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Excessive consumption of fast food and unhealthy snacks can lead to an
increase in fat, sodium and calorific intake. This increases the chances of
developing obesity and chronic disease in the adult years.
Eating too much of these foods may affect the appetite of main meals and can
lead to a deficiency of essential nutrients.

IV. Adults
Meal planning for adults should be based on the food pyramid, including large
amounts of calcium and dietary fiber, adequate amounts of carbohydrates and
protein, small amounts of fats, sugar and salt. Three meals a day is enough for
adults; additional snacks can be considered as dietary supplements.

Adults are recommended to choose dishes with low fat cooking methods, such
as steaming, boiling and grilling.
Adults should try to limit the intake of fried foods, sauce and sugary drinks.
Choose healthy and low fat snacks such as low fat yoghurt, fruits, low sugar soy
bean milk, etc.
In a balanced diet, a large proportion of energy should come from cereals/grains
.
 Calcium and vitamin D rich foods are essential for strong bones. Bone loss
begins at about the age of 35, therefore, a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D
could reduce the risk of osteoporosis in later life.
Adequate foliate intake is important for adult women before pregnancy to prevent
neural tube defects in infant. The iron requirement is high for women throughout
the childbearing years to replace blood loss during menstruation. Fruits and
vegetables are important source of vitamins (A, C, foliate), minerals (potassium),
phytochemicals, and fiber. A diet high in fruits and vegetables are associated with
lower risk of chronic diseases.
Manual workers, meals should be a balanced diet rich in carbohydrates such as
rice, noodles and pasta or bread to provide enough energy to work. Manual work
increases sweating which in turn increases the loss of water and electrolytes. It is
essential to increase fluid intake (water, juice, soup) to regulate body temperature
and avoid dehydration.
People with a sedentary lifestyle e.g. office workers, need to pay attention to
energy balance to maintain a healthy body weight.
High consumption of food in restaurants and fast food shops result in higher
intake of fat, trans-fat, salt and sugar while the intake in fruits and vegetables is
low.
It is recommended to include more vegetables and fruits as they are rich in
dietary fiber and low in calories, instead of energy dense snacks such as ice-
cream, chocolates and chips.

V. Elderly
A balance nutrient-dense diet us essential for maintaining good health of elderly.
Good nutritional status can help to prevent chronical disease and speed up
recovery from illness, surgery or broken bones.
An elderly`s diet should include variety of food with most of the calories from
carbohydrates, moderate in protein while low in fat, salt and sugar.
Elderly are also encouraged to have adequate in fruits and vegetables, whole
grains product and legumes. These foods are rich in source of vitamins, minerals
and fibers
The elderly are recommended to have 3 main meals with 1-2 snacks. Snacks
are optional for those with appetite but are important for those with small or poor
appetite for additional calories and nutrients to main meals.
Food provided for elderly should be east to chew and digest.
 Try to use low fat cooking methods such as steaming, boiling and stir- frying with
a little bit of oil. Make dishes attractive by combining foods of different color,
shape and texture.
Foods consumption by the elderly could be enhanced if food is provided in a
relaxed, comfort and supportive environment.

Planning meals for special occasions

Meal planning for special occasion or celebration such as social gatherings,

parties and festival. Prepare appropriate seat and tables for celebration or parties.
Background guest, their age, gender, total number, food preference, nutritious meals
are factors for consideration when planning meals. A good meal should be nutritious,
well cooked with careful combination of food and flavour. For example, food for
birthday for school-age children should be colourful, attractive, and easy to manage,
small packs and include body building foods for growth. Special food can be
prepared for special occasion like cake for birthdays and weddings.

Meals for outing should be well planned and prepared. Choose food that are
easy to eat, pack and carry and can be kept for a longer time such as bread, fruits,
pack drinks or canned foods. Use container with insulation for ice to keep foods and
drinks on a safe temperature to avoid bacterial growth.

Meal should provide enough nutrients and energy, it should be well balanced by
choosing foods from the three basic food groups.
Reference:

Technology and Living (Secondary 4-6) Booklet. Prepared by Education Bureau

SKSARG 2009

Sources:

https://medlineplus.gov/infantandnewbornnutrition.html
https://fitnesssolutionsuk.wordpress.com/tag/childrens-nutrition/
https://www.diet.com/g/infant-nutrition?get=infant-nutrition