Menu Planning!!!

This is an idea that I heard a little about in class and decided to create a post!

If you have picky eaters and aren't too keen on catering to them every day (please look at Topic #4 in my Nutrition and Children 101 post), need a way to help your children enjoy their meals, or just want to incorporate your family (old or young) into the planning a little more, this could be fun will help teach your younger children what meals should be made of.


Each week you can come up with 6 main dishes for dinners, 6 main dishes for lunches, 4 or 5 veggie dishes (this can definately be modified to suit your family).

After you have written the lists on separate papers (to help the younger ones see them as being different so that you do not end up with corn, peas and carrots for one meal), let child #1 pick a main dish and veggie that they would want to have for their dinner and then after they have all picked their dinner then let them pick a lunch menue. After this you can print off a simple calendar of the week showing who's meal is when and what you are having. This will also help those learning to read or to tell time by giving them practice! :)

I think this is a great Idea, because the little ones can see their name on a meal and be excited. They also learn that it is okay to have something they might not like today, because tomorrow is their day. However, be careful not to make them eat what they don't like because of the fact that they will have their day (read topics #2 and #5 in my Nutrition and Children 101 post).


If you have ideas that may help, let me know. This is just a work in progress! :)




A quick example:


Main Dishes (Dinner):

Mozzarella Chicken
Roast and Mashed Potatoes
Tacos
Rice and Beans
Tater Tot Casserole
Hawaiian Haystacks
Stew and Rolls



Main Dishes (Lunch):

Maccoroni and Cheese (with tuna or hotdogs in it or on the side)
Ramen (with the veggies they choose in it or on the side)
Grilled Tuna Sandwich
Chicken Nuggets and French fries
Egg Rolls and Rice
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Grilled Cheese with Bean and Bacon or Tomato Soup



Veggies:
Carrots
Peas
Broccoli
Salad
Corn
Celery
String Beans






You can click on this example to see it closer. Don't look too close, I just did it real fast on excel! :)