Complete Guide to Family and Vegetarian Meal Planning

Factors Influencing Meal Planning

There are different factors that influence the planning of meals for the family members:

1. Size of the family: The size of the family will determine the quantity of meal to plan for.

2. Likes and dislikes of family members: The meal planner must try to plan for those dishes which the family members like.

3. Season of the year: Most foodstuffs are seasonal. Foods in season are cheaper, fresher and tastier. It is therefore important for the meal planner to consider the foodstuff in season always.

4.

Budget and Equipment

Money available: The quantity or type of food to plan for, depends on the income of a family. For instance, while a high income family may select fresh fish as their source of protein, a low-income family may go for frozen fish or second class protein.

5. Equipment or facilities available: food preparation requires certain facilities or equipment. So, when planning meals the homemaker must ensures that she plans those meals which she has facilities for their preparation.

6.

Time and Location

Time available: The planner should consider the time available her to prepare and serve the meal. Where little time is available she has to consider meals that are easy to prepare.

7. Locality or place whee family resides: certain types is food abound in some localities. The foods grown in a given locality will be readily available there and fairly cheap too. The meal planner should therefore consider the foods grown in her locality when planning meals.

Vegetarian Diets

Vegetarians:

A strict vegetarian will not eat any animal foods for example meat, fish, egg, meat and their products. And lacto-vegetarians will not eat the flesh of animals and fish. They however drink milk and eat butter and cheese. In both cases, meals should combine numerous vegetable proteins including soya beans.