• Correct problems in meal plans

Menu planning is an important aspect of diet and kitchen management. A good menu plan helps you achieve variety in your diet while saving you money and time. When you plan ahead, you save the hassle of trying to figure out what you are going to eat each time you are hungry. In addition, you are more apt to make healthy food choices if you have planned ahead and purchased foods that will help you make wise choices. Menu planning can also help you save money. You are less likely to make impulse purchases at the grocery store if you shop with a well-planned list and a well-planned list comes straight from your menu plan. You can also avoid wasting food with wise planning. For example, if you find a recipe you want to try that uses celery, but you know you don’t eat a lot of celery, you can plan other menus into your week that include celery.

There are different approaches to planning a menu. Some people prefer to plan for an entire week and shop accordingly. Others like to plan for the month, doing heavy shopping once and merely buying fresh produce and milk when necessary. Once you have menu plans that you like, you can keep your ideas and re-use them month after month, making whatever changes you choose to incorporate more variety. You may also make changes to your plan depending on weather patterns where you live.

Reading Assignment

• Betty Crocker’s Cookbook.: Read “Menu Planning Basics,” p. 38-39.