ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1. What are meal patterns?

2. What are meal planning strategies?

3. How do meal preparation strategies compare?

4. What factors affect how food is selected?

5. What are strategies for saving money on food purchases?

KEY TERMS

1. Breakfast: a meal traditionally eaten in the morning to “break” the “fast” after a long period of time without food. Nontraditionally eaten any time of the day

2. Color: a characteristic of food to consider when meal planning. Can make a meal more appetizing.

3. Dinner: a meal traditionally eaten in the evening. In the South, lunch may also be called dinner; while “dinner” is called supper.

4. Finished/convenience food dishes: foods already prepared and used as part of a meal. Some convenience foods have all the ingredients included to prepare a dish but must be made at home.

5. Flavor: a characteristic of foods that should be pleasing to the taste and a consideration used when planning meals.

6. Lunch: a meal traditionally served in the middle of the day and non-traditionally at other times of the day.

7. Meal pattern: a time a meal is typically served based on personal or family needs.

8. Menu: a list of foods, usually in order of being served, served at a meal.

9. Menu planning: time taken to decide on number of meals necessary for a period of time, usually a week at a time, and how and when the foods needed will be purchased. Amount of time needed for food preparation is also considered.

10. Scratch cooking dishes: dishes that use no pre-prepared or prepackaged convenience foods. Considered “home-cooked.”

11. Semi-homemade cooking/speed scratch dishes: dishes that may use some pre-prepared foods or convenience foods as part of the ingredients to speed up the meal preparation process.

12. Shape: a characteristic of foods considered when planning meals. A variety of shapes in a meal is more appetizing.

13. Snacks: foods eaten between meals as a way to minimize hunger or keep up energy levels.

14. Temperature: a characteristic of foods considered when planning meals. A variety of temperatures in a meal is more appetizing.

15. Texture: a characteristic of foods considered when planning meals. A variety of textures in a meal make it more appealing and interesting.

16. Time-saving strategy: method used for food preparation that makes preparation time shorter.

17. Traditional vs. nontraditional mealtimes: traditional times-breakfast in the a.m., lunch around noon, dinner (supper) in the early evening. Non-traditional mealtimes may revolve around work schedules, social schedules or school schedules. For example-a person working second shift (4 p.m. to midnight) may have a meal considered dinner at 10 p.m. or lunch at 3 p.m.

18. Variety: using several foods in the food guidance system to create a meal to add appeal and meet nutritional goals.