Resultados por Variable Tabla 1.a

FOOD GROUPS TO ENCOURAGE

• Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and 2^1⁄2cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference 2,000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level.

• Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week.

• Consume 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole grains.

• Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

FATS

• Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible.

• Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

• When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free.

• Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.

CARBOHYDRATES

• Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often.

• Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners, such as amounts suggested by the USDA Food Guide and the DASH Eating Plan.

• Reduce the incidence of dental caries by practicing good oral hygiene and consuming sugar- and starch-containing foods and beverages less frequently.

SODIUM AND POTASSIUM

• Consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1 teaspoon of salt) of sodium per day.

• Choose and prepare food with little salt. At the same time, consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

• Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation—defined as the consumption of up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

• Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by some individuals, including those who cannot restrict their alcohol intake, women of childbearing age who may become pregnant, pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents, individuals taking medication that can interact with alcohol, and those with specific medical conditions.

• Alcoholic beverages should be avoided by individuals engaging in activities that require attention, skill, or coordination, such as driving or operating machinery.

frequently and at less regular hours. To accommodate this change in eating habits, a more flexible meal schedule is evident in most on-site foodservices, and contin-uous service is available in many restaurants. For example, many hospitals today are converting their patient tray service to hotel-style room service. This is in

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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response to patient demand to eat what they want, when they want it. The person planning menus for any type of foodservice should monitor such trends to ensure that choices reflect the food preferences of customers. Careful study of local pop-ulations and the community is essential for effective menu planning.

Budget Guidelines

Before any menu is planned, the amount of money that can be spent on food must be known. In retail operations, the amount to be budgeted is based on projected income from the sale of food. This income must generate adequate revenue to cover the cost of the raw food, labor, and operating expenses and allow for desired profit. Management determines these financial objectives through strategic menu pricing. Table 5.3 is a summary of two common menu pricing methods. Additional information on menu pricing is found in Chapter 17, Accounting Procedures.

In a school, health care facility, or other noncommercial organization, a raw-food-cost allowance per volume unit such as a person, meal, or day may be determined.

For example, a long-term care facility may set a dollar target of $8 per resident per day to cover food costs of meals, snacks, and nutritional supplements. This does not mean that the cost of every item must fall below the budgeted figure. Rather, the planner needs to look at the total weekly or monthly food cost and calculate an average cost per unit.

By balancing more costly items with less expensive foods, a more interesting vari-ety can be offered, and the budget can still be maintained. For example, the rela-tively high raw-food-cost of fresh fish may be offset by low-cost ground beef items.

On selective menus that offer a choice of two or more entrées, a well-liked lower cost item could be offered with a more expensive food. For example, tacos or bur-ritos are popular and relatively low-cost entrées that could be offered to offset more costly items. Costs, then, may determine the choices, but it is important to remem-ber that variety in the menu may be enhanced by balancing the use of high-cost and low-cost items.

Another aspect of cost that needs to be considered is the labor intensity of each item. Baked chicken breasts, for example, are expensive but require little prepara-tion time or skill compared to from-scratch lasagna, which requires a great deal of preparation time.

Production and Service Capabilities

Equipment and Physical Facilities. The menu planned for any given day must be one that can be produced in the available work space and with the available equip-ment. Care should be taken to distribute the workload evenly for ovens, ranges, mixers, and other large pieces of equipment. The ovens are especially vulnerable to overuse. The inclusion of too many foods at one meal that require oven use can cause an overload or complicate production schedules. For example, it may not be possible to bake Swiss steak, potatoes, and a vegetable casserole if scheduled for the same meal. If equipment must be shared among production units, the menu should not include items that will cause conflict. For example, unless a baking unit has its own ovens, it may not be possible to bake fresh breads if other menu items must be baked just prior to service. Equipment usage errors can be alleviated by involving the production staff in the menu planning process.

Method Concept Formula Example Advantages Disadvantages Comments

If menu item food cost is

$.90 then: Selling price = .90× 2.5 = $2.25 use a factor in the range of 3.7 to 4.0 for a food cost percent of 25%

to 27%.

Prime Cost The sum of food and labor costs is Food cost for roast beef

= $.90 Labor cost for

The planner should be aware of restrictions on equipment and space and be familiar with the methods of preparation, equipment capacity, and the pans or other utensils needed before choosing the menu items. Refrigerator and freezer space must also be considered. Chilled desserts, gelatin salads, and individual salad plates may be difficult to refrigerate if all are planned for the same day’s menu.

The amount of china, glassware, or tableware available may influence the serv-ing of certain menu items at the same meal. For example, fruit cobbler and a creamed vegetable may both require sauce dishes. Foods such as parfaits or shrimp cocktail should not be placed on the menu unless there is appropriate glassware for serving. For operations that use tray service, tray design must also be taken into consideration before food items are included on the menu. For example, trays with insulated covers may limit foods with excessive height such as layer cakes.

Personnel. Availability and skill of employees are factors to consider when deter-mining the variety and complexity of a menu. Understanding the relationship between menu and personnel helps the planner to develop menus that can be pre-pared with the available staff. Work schedules must be considered for all days because some foods require advance preparation, whereas others are prepared just prior to service. Menu items should be planned that enable employees’ workloads to be spread evenly throughout the day and that do not result in too much last-minute preparation.

Availability of Food. The dynamics of the markets or sources of food may have a limiting effect on the menu, although this is less of an issue in today’s global market economy. Global trade and mass transportation ensure an ample and ready supply of most foods. However, there are some trends in food preferences that can pose challenges. One such trend is the demand for fresh, organic, and locally grown pro-duce. Depending on the geographic location of the foodservice, a source with ade-quate supply may be difficult to secure. Knowledge of fruits and vegetables and their seasons enables a planner to include them on the menu while they are at their peak of quality and at an affordable price. Regardless of whether the menu planner is responsible for purchasing the food, he or she should keep abreast of new items on the market and be alert to foods that could add interest to the menu or improve the variety and quality of menu items offered. See Chapter 6 for more information about food markets.

Style of Service. Style of service influences food item selection and the number of choices on the menu. Some foods are more adaptable to seated service than to cafe-teria service. Tray design may limit the number or form of foods offered in a health care system. For example, a layered cake with whipped topping may not work if a covered, insulated tray is used for meal delivery.

Distance between the point of preparation and the point of service should be considered, along with the elapsed time between the completion of preparation and service. If the food is prepared in a central kitchen and sent to service areas in remote locations, the menu should not include foods, such as soufflés, that change during transportation. Foods transported in bulk to a service unit must be of a type that will hold well, maintain palatable temperatures, and be appetizing when served.