Menu planning with families using the principles of collaborate, test and refine

Families come in all different shapes and sizes. Their nutritional needs will vary, their schedules will vary, their budgets will vary, their access to food will vary… the list could go on. But something that unites all families is that they need to think about food and what to eat. Many parents know what their children should be eating; however, getting that onto a plate is not easy and planning can be daunting.

Working with families to support meal planning is one way to reduce barriers. This practical article will cover how to support a family using the principles of collaborate, test and refine. This is a discussion with the family, not a prescription.

With cost pressures rising, planning our meals can reduce the cost of the food we buy. Making time for meal planning usually leads to less reliance on meals out and less food thrown away. With even cheaper supermarket meal deals costing around £4 a time, this can quickly add up, especially for a family of four.[1] Food waste costs the average family of four around £1000 per year, with the biggest wasters including families with young children and frequent shoppers, so planning is key.[2,3]

So, first some ground rules:

1)      The family:

• Know more about their own situation than you will as a health professional.

• Need to consent to this process happening.

• Need to be in the driver’s seat with the HCP giving guidance as needed.

2)      What is developed is a menu, not a prescribed meal plan. Families need flexibility and this process must not add to the good food, bad food narrative or it will increase food anxiety.

Once the parameters have been established, it is important to discuss what is currently working well and what is not working so well. The family may already have meals that are firm favourites and are working well. These can be included in the menu. Collaborate with the family using these ideas to make a menu, remembering your parameters.

Having two or three different options for breakfast helps keep variety without making this meal complicated. Examples include porridge with fruit, peanut butter on toast with fruit or a low sugar wholegrain cereal with milk and fruit.

Lunches might be packed lunches, so simplicity is important. Sandwiches with a variety of fillings, plus some salad sticks and fruit, make a good lunch. If suggesting different fruits and vegetables, consider waste. Some families shop at supermarkets where they can’t buy smaller amounts of fruit or vegetables and so need to use up a whole bag.

If families like more variety than sandwiches in their lunches, consider sharing resources like the NHS healthier lunch ideas.[1] Don’t forget to check whether schools or offices have policies on what they can include in their lunch, for example, on items like nuts.

Dinner can be a stressful time of day for families, as everyone is tired and there might be limited time between school pickup/ childcare pickup and dinner time. Quick meals are helpful here. This might be a good point to discuss batch cooking and use of the freezer. Having days when leftover vegetables can be used up in a stir fry, pasta sauce, curry or stew can also be helpful to mark on the menu. Some examples of specific days families might like to try are found in the table below – the aim is to give some structure but allow for variety. Where possible, eating as a family and all eating the same thing is encouraged.

Discuss with the family how they will keep track of what works and what doesn’t. This is the ‘test’ principle. Then set a time to sit down together to ‘refine’ what has been done.

There is so much to consider. It’s unlikely the menu will be perfect first time (and a family might not want the same menu forever anyway) so continue to collaborate, test and refine.