Family Menu Planning
Showing kids how to plan a menu is great experience and an important skill to learn. The ability to organize and plan can be applied to all aspects of their lives, from cleaning their rooms and doing homework to college and their own household management.
The first step in menu planning is to make a list. List the meals and snacks for an entire week. Be sure to give the kids a say in the food they make and eat. (Of course, parents have veto power.) A useful strategy includes giving every family member a day of the week to have their favorite meal.
Organize the meals and snacks in a calendar form, then take a good look at it. How does the week’s menu compare to dietary guidelines? It may take a bit of adjusting before it meets them.
Remember to serve a majority of whole-grain foods at every meal, lots of vegetables, and about two servings of protein a day. Limit fat and sugar, and opt for fruit as a sweet treat, rather than cookies or ice cream, at least on a daily basis.
Print the menu out and post it on the fridge. Let the kids decorate it for the season. Use the menu to create your shopping list. By repeating the menu for several weeks you can save money buying products in larger quantities.
Essential
Shopping provides an opportunity to teach kids about price and value. Show them the different brands and compare prices. Is there something on sale? Do you have coupons? Is the quantity in each brand the same? How is it packaged? All these elements play a role in determining the best value.
At the market, you can divide up the list and send the kids off in a hunt for the things you need. Change the menu once in a while, to keep everyone from getting bored.
Now everyone has proudly participated in meal preparation. As they grow older, having taken part in this process will make them better able to handle it on their own.
