Menu Planning

Menu Basics Menus should be:

• Clear

• Accurate

• Easy to Read

• Descriptive

Menus are important because they help sell your food and meet customer’s expectations.

Menus can be created by a variety of people…from chefs, dieticians, foodservice directors, to owners/operators of chain restaurants…to name a few!

Menu Planning Principles

Variety Balance Truthfulness Nutrition Flexibility

Variety

Customers expect to see a variety of dishes on a menu.

Visual appeal: Use a variety of colors, shapes, sizes, temperatures, flavors, textures, number of items and plating arrangements.

Garnish: add color, design to a plate.

Balance

A menu should use foods from each food group, incorporate visual appeal & flavor interest.

Plating: is the arrangement of food and garnishes on a plate (you want to keep balanced!)

Balance takes into account…• Serving sizes

• Proportion

• Number of foods on the plate (odd # is more appealing)

Truthfulness:

FDA guidelines require that certain menu statements are true.

Truth-In-Menu Guidelines• Statements need to be true about…

• Nutrition

• Quantity

• Quality

• Grade

• Freshness

Truth-In-Menu GuidelinesBrand Names Must Be Represented Accurately

Examples might include Heinz Ketchup, Butterball Turkey and Best Foods Mayonnaise

Dietary/Nutritional Claims Must Be Accurate

Low-sodium or fat-free foods must be prepared to keep these characteristics; nutritional claims must be supported with statistical data

Food Preservation Must Be Accurate

Terms such as fresh, frozen, chilled, dehydrated, dried, bottled, and canned must be used correctly to describe menu items

Truth-In-Menu Guidelines (cont.)Quantity Must Be Accurate

If a sirloin is 16 ounces, for example, the menu must state that this is the weight prior to cooking

Ingredient Locations Must Be Accurate If Dover Sole is on a menu, for example, then the sole must actually be from Dover, England

Quality or Grade Must Be Accurate

When listing a quality or grade for meats, dairy products, poultry, and vegetables or fruits, they cannot be substituted for a different quality when preparing the dish

Truth-In-Menu Guidelines (cont.)

Cooking Techniques Must Be Accurate

If broiled swordfish is on your menu, for example, you cannot serve the swordfish baked

Pictures Must Be Accurate

For example, apple pie à la mode must be apple pie served with ice cream

Food Product Descriptions Must Be Accurate

If shrimp cocktail is described as “four jumbo shrimp on a bed of crushed ice with a zesty cocktail sauce and lemon wedge,” it must appear and be presented exactly this way

Nutrition

Menus should offer healthful food choices. Low Fat Diets: People following these diets need foods

high in fiber and low in fat and cholesterol. Diabetics: These people need a diet that balances food

& portion size…Fruits, Vegetables, lean meats, poultry and fish, low fat and sugar-free products and whole grains

Food Allergies: Must provide detailed information for customers about common foods and ingredients that may cause allergic reactions so people can stay away from eating certain items.

Flexibility

Menus need to change from time to time because the costs of ingredients may change or your target market may change.

Your task… Today you will be creating a menu based on the truth-in-menu guidelines.

Break up into groups of 3 or 4. Create three courses you will have on your menu. Create four to six dishes for each course. Once the courses and dishes are determined, create

descriptions that meet the truth-in-menu guidelines. Once each group is done, you will join up with another

group in class and share out the menu you created. Make sure you explain the courses, dishes and truth-in-

menu guidelines that you followed while creating the descriptions.