Menu Writing Capitalize first letter of every word except prepositions (with, over) and conjunctions (and, but) List foods by course, if serving a 2 course menu leave an extra space between courses Dessert is a 2 nd course Present items on menu in this order: main consequence (main dish) starchy or staple item vegetable salad bread Beverage appears as the last item of the course it is served with Butter, cream, sugar, and salad dressings are not listed unless unusual Accompaniments can go directly under the food it is served with or spaced to the right of the food it is served with Example 1: Pork Chop Applesauce Example 2: Pork Chop Applesauce Two styles of writing menus Symmetrical Example: Bacon Wrapped Pork Pies Rice Broccoli and Carrot Parmesan Mushroom-Lettuce Salad Milk Apple Pudding Spiced Tea Block Example: Bacon Wrapped Pork Pies Rice Broccoli and Carrot Parmesan Mushroom-Lettuce Salad Milk Apple Pudding Spiced Tea PLANNING MENUS 1. Are the meals well balanced and nutritional from the standpoint of health? - Do the meals include food from the Food Guide Pyramid in each day’s meals? - Do they provide enough protein, vitamins and minerals? 2. Do the meals have appetite appeal? - Check color combinations. Do not serve an “all white” meal or one that is all red, yellow, or orange. Combine different colors for eye appeal. - Check Texture. Combine foods with different textures such as crisp, dry, moist, or creamy. - Check flavor. The proper blending of sweet and sour, bland and highly flavored, unseasoned and highly seasoned foods make meals pleasing to the taste. - Check temperatures. The old rule of one hot dish or one cold dish with every meal is a good one and helps provide variety. - Check variety. Avoid repetition of the same flavor at one meal. Tomato juice followed by spaghetti and tomatoes or orange salad followed by orange sherbet for dessert are common errors. - Check concentration of meals. Avoid having one day’s meals composed of heavy foods, followed by a day full of salads and sherbet. We need approximately the same number of calories each day and meals should be planned with this in mind. 3. Meal planning is important for these reasons: a. Insure good nutrition b. Help stretch the food budget (food substitutes and leftovers) c. Insure variety in our meals d. Conserve time and energy .