Menu planning in the Nutrition Program for the Elderly

Abstract

A nutrient standard menu (NSM) planning method was developed for use in planning menus which provided one-third the Recommended Dietary Allowances for persons sixty years of age or older for nine indicator nutrients and calories, while restricting fat to less than 40 per cent of total calories. To eliminate manual calculations and make it easy for individuals untrained in dietetics or nutrition to use NSM planning, the nutrient composition of over a thousand commonly used menu items was listed in a menu planning manual in nutrient units which were one-tenth of the nutrient standard for the meal. Menus from third-party sources were monitored by selecting similar nutritionally analyzed menu items in the manual and adjusting the nutrient composition to conform to the portions actually served. Ten site managers of the Administration on Aging (AoA) evaluated the planning/monitoring method. The members of the group, on the average, were fifty-six years of age, had 1.6 years of education beyond high school, and had 4.6 years of foodservice experience. Approximately 83 per cent of the evaluators did not plan to monitor menus at their sites and had no formal training in dietetics or nutrition. Eighty-four per cent were able to plan menus satisfactorily after this brief introduction. The younger evaluators with more education grasped the concepts faster and were able to plan menus with greater accuracy. The data also indicated that previous experience in menu planning enhanced their ability to plan NSMs. Most felt the approach to be workable and applicable. Menu monitoring was more difficult for the evaluators. Seventy-five per cent were able to monitor menus satisfactorily, and all felt they could do so with more time. The data again showed that the younger individuals having more formal education were able to master the monitoring skills more easily.