Meals for all seasons: meals that are planned and served must be satisfying to the family and/or guests. The tastes, textures, aromas, colors, appearance—the foods themselves—must be appealing in order to pass the satisfaction test

Vibrant Life, March-April, 2003 by Georgia Hodgkin

Culinary skills comprise only a part of the talents needed by the manager of meals every day. Skills are needed in budgeting costs, not only in dollars but also in time and energy. A knowledge of nutritious foods lays the foundation for meal planning. Attention must be given to safe and sanitary practices in the handling of food. In the last analysis, the meals must be satisfying to the diners.

In order to control food costs, the family budget needs to include a line for food. The dollar amount should include food eaten at home as well as food eaten away from home. The government has determined that a person with an average income spends 18 percent of what they earn for food. Those with lower incomes spend a higher percentage on food, while those from higher income levels spend a smaller percentage. Keep a record of all food costs for a month--at home and away--to see what percentage of your budget you spend on food and where it is spent. The average American eats four to five meals per week away from home now. The first step in controlling food costs might just be to use the following quick and easy recipes at home rather than choosing to eat at a restaurant.

In the hectic pace of family schedules, time is a precious commodity. For that matter, energy too is at a premium. Preplanning menus, grocery lists, delegation of tasks, will make meal preparation a possible, even pleasant, task. Create your own form, with days of the week on one axis and the three daily meals on the other. Dedicate 20 minutes each week to filling it in with menus your family enjoys, and add a new taste every now and then. Laminating the form will allow you to wipe it clean for each week's planning session. With the menu written, the grocery list is a snap. Think through the food preparation skills and schedules of the family members, and delegate tasks to accomplish each meal.

Three tools are available for the public to ensure nutritious meals: 1. The U.S. Department of Agriculture/U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Dietary Guidelines gives goals related to activity and food choices that will lead to healthy meals. 2. The Food Guide Pyramid states the number of servings and the size of servings for a day's meals. The vegetarian version of the food pyramid is recommended. 3. The food label of each product gives the serving size of the packaged food and the nutrients that that serving will provide. With 61 percent of the population overweight or obese, the intended serving size needs to be especially important to the American public.

Safe handling of food from the supermarket to the table involves proper refrigeration; dry, cool storage of nonrefrigerated items; and rotation of the inventory. Clean hands and clean surfaces are part of keeping food safe to eat. Leftovers should be refrigerated promptly, not left to cool on the counter. The latter myth comes from not wanting to waste the block of ice in the iceboxes of yesteryear. Thorough reheating and brief holding times improve the safety of using leftovers.

Right up front, meals that are planned and served must be satisfying to the family and/or guests. The tastes, textures, aromas, colors, appearance--the foods themselves--must be appealing in order to pass the satisfaction test. Familiar foods will do that. But do expand the family choices with a new recipe, a new food, or a new preparation method every now and then. Why limit choices to a very few when there are so many wonderful tastes and shapes and combinations that are possible.

Meal managers plan meals throughout the weeks, months, and years. These five goals can set the stage for nutritious, delicious meals, no matter what the season. You are invited to try the following recipes to add to your meal management skills.

MEXICAN RICE

1     medium tomato
1/2   cup chopped onion
2     cloves garlic
2     cups cold water
1     cup white rice
2     T. oil
1     T. diced green chili
1     T. chopped cilantro
1     t. salt

Blend tomato, 1/4 cup onion, garlic,
and 1 cup water. Rinse the rice once;
drain. Heat oil in a frying pan; add rice
and 1/4 cup onion. Heat until rice is
golden. Add tomato mixture, remaining
water and onion, green chili, cilantro,
and salt. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20
minutes. Serves: 4. Calories per serving:
242; protein: 3 grams; carbohydrate: 40
grams; fat: 7 grams; cholesterol: 0 milligrams;
fiber: 1 gram.

Edna Favela, LLU Student Dietitian

SWEET POTATO AND
LENTIL POUCHES

2     T. olive oil
1     large leek, finely chopped
3     cloves garlic, crushed
4     ounces mushrooms, chopped
1/4   t. cumin
1     t. ground coriander
1/2   cup brown or green lentils
1/2   cup red lentils
2     cups vegetable stock
10    ounces sweet potato, diced
4     T. finely chopped fresh coriander
        leaves
8     sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
1     egg, lightly beaten
1/2   leek, cut into thin strips
6     ounces plain nonfat yogurt
2     T. grated cucumber
1/2   t. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400[degrees]F. Heat oil in a
medium-sized saucepan over medium
heat; saute leek, garlic, mushrooms,
cumin, and ground coriander until soft
and aromatic. Add lentils and stock;
simmer for 40 minutes or until lentils
are soft. Add sweet potato the last 5
minutes. Transfer to a bowl; add fresh
coriander. Cool. Cut pastry sheets into
four even squares. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons
of filling in the center of each square;
bring corners together to form a pouch.
Pinch together and tie pouch with a
string. Lightly brush with egg; place on
lined baking trays. Bake 20-25 minutes
or until pastry is puffed and golden.
Soak leek strips in boiling water for 30
seconds. Remove the string and retie
with a piece of blanched leek. Mix yogurt,
cucumber, and brown sugar in a
small bowl. Serve with pastry pouches.
Yield: 32 pouches. Calories per pouch:
75; protein: 2 grams; carbohydrate: 8
grams; fat: 3 grams; cholesterol: 7 milligrams;
fiber: 1 gram.