Meal planning is a technique that every family should be using. This is a very comprehensive plan of what to eat and the products or ingredients needed in cooking. It is an organized system for identifying dishes and for a certain period of time. It requires the skill of an individual to identify the needs of his or her entire family and to take into account a number of factors that may influence the planning activity.
Factors would include: health needs, economic factors, religious practices, dietary concerns, environmental factors, and cooking time and capacity.
health needs.
Incorporating all the food groups is essential to ensure optimal nutrition. It is very important that we include in our diet the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals that our body needs.
economic factors.
We have to consider our budget and material prices. Budget is the most important factor because you cannot build what you cannot afford.
religious practices.
Some religions or faiths have restrictions on what they are allowed to eat. Muslims cannot eat pork and are obliged to follow Jewish kashrut practices. Hindus do not eat beef because they consider cows sacred.
Diet concerns.
Certain diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, restrict or limit a person’s food intake. They are also not allowed to eat fatty foods and sweets. Another consideration would be allergies that would produce an unwanted reaction when trigger foods are consumed.
environmental factors.
This will include kitchen ingredients and equipment that will give you the ability to cook some meals.
Time
If you have enough time to prepare meals then you can go ahead and make extravagant dishes, however when you have limited time you can opt for easy recipes instead of relying on fast food or instant products Are.
cooking ability.
most variable factor. They say you can’t cook if you don’t know what you’re doing. However, you can research videos or follow cook books to help you prepare the dish of your choice.
When you have definitely considered all the factors then you make sure that your cooking has variety as well as adapts to the preferences of your family. Play with texture and color as well as temperature. Add fun to the activity by making it a fun hobby that involves family members.
