Chapter 8: Meal Planning
CONCEPT & PRINCIPLES OF MEAL PLANNING -
🔹 What is Meal Planning?
Meal planning is the process of deciding in advance what to eat in each meal for
the day/week to ensure nutrition, taste, variety, and economy using available
resources (time, money, fuel, etc.).
🔹 Importance of Meal Planning:
Ensures nutritionally balanced meals.
Saves time, money, and energy.
Prevents wastage by using leftovers wisely.
Helps maintain family health and prevents malnutrition.
Enables creative use of resources (like seasonal/local foods).
Makes meals palatable, attractive, and suited to preferences.
🔹 Principles of Meal Planning:
Know nutritional needs of family (age, sex, work type).
Include all food groups: cereals, vegetables, milk, meat, fruits, etc.
Consider nutrient value and combinations (e.g., rice + dal).
Use balanced diet charts (ICMR recommendations).
Plan within budget using seasonal and local foods.
Plan in advance to save time and energy.
Consider family composition (children, elderly, pregnant women).
Respect cultural and traditional food habits.
Make meals visually appealing and tasty.
Consider available cooking equipment and methods.
Know the nearby markets for fresh food.
Check storage facilities at home for perishable/non-perishable foods.
FACTORS AFFECTING MEAL PLANNING -
🔹 Age and Sex:
Children need more calcium & protein.
Elderly need light, fibrous foods.
Men often need more calories than women.
🔹 Climate/Season:
Winter: soups, hot puddings.
Summer: salads, juices, cooling foods.
🔹 Occupation:
Sedentary workers: teachers, nurses need fewer calories.
Heavy workers: farmers, athletes need more energy and protein.
🔹 Economic Condition:
Rich families can afford variety.
Low-income families need affordable, nutritious alternatives like pulses instead of
meat.
🔹 Family Size:
Joint families buy in bulk – cheaper per person.
Nuclear families have more flexibility in menu.
🔹 Cultural & Traditional Food Habits:
Regional and religious preferences (e.g., vegetarian, no onion-garlic).
Special festive foods (e.g., sevai on Eid, sweets on Diwali).
🔹 Likes and Dislikes:
Food should be palatable and acceptable to all.
Disliked food can be modified (e.g., milk in the form of custard).
HOW TO SAVE TIME, ENERGY & MONEY -
Plan meals in advance for a week.
Make a shopping list after checking existing stock.
Buy seasonal & local foods—cheaper and more nutritious.
Choose nutrient-rich alternatives (e.g., bajra instead of wheat).
Use leftovers creatively (e.g., rice → biryani or cutlets).
Avoid impulse buying.
Grow herbs/vegetables in kitchen garden.
Use energy-saving methods (pressure cooking, batch preparation).
Cook at home — cheaper and healthier.
MEALS OF THE DAY -
🔹 1. Breakfast:
First meal of the day — within 2 hours of waking.
Provides 20–35% of daily energy needs.
Should be rich in protein, calcium, iron, vitamins, and fibre.
Can be heavy or light based on individual lifestyle.
🔹 2. Lunch:
Main midday meal.
Includes cereals (chapati/rice), proteins (dal/paneer/meat), vegetables (sabzi),
curd/buttermilk, and salad.
Should be nutritious and filling, especially for school/work-going members.
🔹 3. Evening Snack;
Light meal — includes milk, juice, tea/coffee with snacks.
Snacks can be healthy (fruits, roasted chana) or indulgent (samosa, mathri).
Ideal time to include fruit or dairy.
🔹 4. Dinner;
Usually family time meal; may include 4-course meals or something light like
khichdi.
Should not be too heavy.
May include dessert occasionally (e.g., halwa, kheer).
SUMMARY TABLE -
Topic Key Points
Meal Planning Deciding what to cook in advance for nutrition, time, and cost-saving
Importance Balanced meals, saves money/energy, uses leftovers
Principles Knowledge of nutrition, food groups, budget, storage
Factors Age, occupation, income, climate, taste, tradition
Saving Tips Plan ahead, compare prices, home garden, local produce
Meals Breakfast – energetic, Lunch – balanced, Snack – light, Dinner – simple
