Menu planning can refer to a single meal's menu for a special event; or individualized menu planning for a special diet for a nutrition counseling client; or a set of meal plans for a cafeteria or residential facility which typically repeat over a one to three week cycle to provide variety and consistency for ordering supplies and providing adequate nutrient balance over the average of the week's meals. 

 

Shopping list and items to have on hand such as spices and cooking or baking supplies may be provided with the menu plan. Specific recipes are generally required for residential facilities to show that dietary recommendations are being made available to the residents. Individual differences in dietary needs for residents are accommodated with modified versions of the main menu. The one to three week cycle menu is written out for several types of typically required diet modifications.

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Bulk food whole-sale companies may have sets of cycle menu plans that utilize the canned and processed foods available from the company.

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For more information:

• The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has a service for locating a nutrition counselor near you at the website eatright.org: (eatright.org/find-an-expert)

• 40+ Weekly Meal Planning Templates, one completed example plan and a variety of blank forms for creating your own meal and grocery shopping plans, tips and budget advantages also available, (templatelab.com).

• Diet and Nutrition Care Manual, provides menus for a range of special diets and other guidance which can be used for residential facilities or to provide to individuals, Becky Dorner (beckydorner.com)

• Help Clients Plan Menus for Weight Loss Success, Today's Dietitian, (todaysdietitian.com).

• Menus of Change, - menus focused on sustainable food choices, Today's Dietitian, (todaysdietitian.com).

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I lean towards recommending a 30% calories from carbohydrates diet ratio, with about 20% calories from protein and 50% from fats, leaning towards mono-unsaturated olive oil or saturated coconut oil, with a limit of saturated fats to 10% of the total calories or less. An excess of saturated fats may be a signal to shut down methylation cycle pathways that burn sugar more efficiently for us. 

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• Moderate carb (30%) diet plan ~ 1400-1500 calories, Detox & mitochondrial support goals. Food group selections geared towards more beans, nuts and seeds and limited grains, fruit, and starchy vegetables. (deNutrients.Substack)

• Vitamin C for beautiful skin inside and out, (peace-is-happy.org).

• Iron and B vitamins help prevent anemia, (peace-is-happy.org).

• Meal Examples for Better Health, includes a list of healthy meal choices you might be able to order at a restaurant for lunch, or a few things to have in your day bag to supplement what you can find at a commercial establishment. (deNutrients.Substack).

• The post Creamy Artichoke Pasta Recipe is also about setting up a food pantry that has a few meals you can make when you have run out of fresh food, or are stuck in a blizzard or storm situation and need to rely on boxed or canned food. A few resources and a handout for foods that are useful to keep on hand are linked in the post. (deNutrients.Substack)

 

The post Leptin Resistance Protocol, includes a linked document with a menu plan. In this plan, I add "Bitter" as another food group to include in menu planning. Commercial food removes the bitter phytonutrients from food to increase consumer palatability, yet that is also removing the 'plant magic' which can help our health. We have Bitter taste receptors throughout our body and brain, where they perform functions other than 'taste' signaling. On the tongue, our bitter taste receptors are signaling the presence of bitter tasting phytonutrients, or bitter tasting toxins. And our reaction might be enjoyment at first and then dislike or even pain if we eat too much of the substance. That makes bitter tastes in our food a natural dosing and safety mechanism for us, if we pay attention to what is helping us feel better later in the day. Leptin Resistance Protocol (deNutrients.Substack)​​​​

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Beans, Beans, the magical fruit...that makes us toot. Some are healthier for us than other types, and presoaking all beans, nuts, seeds, or grains, is better for our health and mineral balance. Any seed contains some negative nutrients that bind with minerals and tip our body towards becoming too acidic with too much phosphorus compared to calcium and magnesium. 

• Grains, Seeds, Beans - their lectins & our leaky guts. Which beans might be better for gut health? Round ones like black eyed peas, moong dal & red lentils, adzuki, lima beans, and garbanzos, also lupini. (deNutrients.Substack)

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Our gut microbiome is an essential part of our health, we need to consider ourselves as a restaurant host for our gut species - are we throwing a beer keg party with spicy nacho chips that are exciting but bad for the gut and the brain? Or are we providing a tasty variety of zinc and resistant starch rich foods?

• More Butyrate-promoting microbiome menu ideas. (deNutrients.Substack)​

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/Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./