Menu
General Information

Two six week cycles menus have been approved for this home.

A winter and summer cycle is planned by a Registered Dietitian.

The menu set comes with two six-week cycles, weekly spread sheets, daily production sheets, weekly grocery lists, colorful holiday menus, and a group home cook book.

The two six-week cycles include a winter cycle and a summer cycle. The summer cycle includes more fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables with light meals. The winter menu cycle include fruits and vegetables available in the winter time and meals that are served typically in the winter time. For example, a Chicken Caesar salad is more likely to be offered in the summer while a hot bowl of chili would be offered in the winter months.

Each week has a weekly spread sheet to display the weekly menu. The weekly spread sheet can be posted on the facility refrigerator to view the current week’s menu items. The menu items selected were chosen with the consumer’s schedule in mind. Lunch menu items for Monday thru Friday are for sack lunches. Weekend lunches are simple quick items. Sandwiches are used for the sack lunches and not served on the weekend lunches. The weekly spread sheets also have a space for dating the menu.

Production Sheets

The weekly menu has daily production sheets. The production sheets include breakdowns for diets typically found in group homes. The diets include: regular,
chopped, ground, puree, bland, low fat, consistent carbohydrate, and no added salt.
The different diets are written across the top of the production sheet.

Each menu item is numbered. If nothing is written behind the number in the modified diet column, it means that they get the same as a regular diet.

If there is something written in the column, it means the menu item will be different from the regular diet.

If there is a number with an * (asterisk), it means that there are additional instructions written on the bottom of the menu.

Portion Sizes

Portion sizes are also found on the production sheets. The portion size should be followed to ensure consumer are receiving adequate nutrition and to control weight.

Every prepared menu item has a recipe in the cookbook and the recipe page is indicated on the production sheet.

Weekly grocery lists are also included in the package. All needed menu items are included on the grocery lists with the quantity necessary to feed eight consumers. For example if lemon chicken is on the menu the grocery list will indicate how many pounds of chicken to purchase and how many lemons will be needed for eight servings. A weekly staples food check list is also provided for your staple items such as flour, sugar, salt, etc.

Holiday Menus

Colorful holiday menus are also included in the menu set. The holiday menus can be displayed on the refrigerator for the staff and consumers to view. The holiday menus available include: New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Independence Day, October Festival, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The facility may wish to use these menus to celebrate their holidays.

Maintaining Records

Menus need to be labeled and dated.

Weekly Menu plans will be posted at least 1 week at a time.

Menus will be saved for at least 30 days.

Menu Requirments

A variety of foods and meal patterns to enhance the nutrient content of meals on a weekly basis and increase consumer satisfaction.

Standardized Recipes are be available in the cookbook and adjusted to appropriate yield, shall be maintained and used in food preparation.

Standardized recipes will be used for each item prepared on the menus.

Cooks may deviated from the standardized recipe as long it does not alter the nutritional value or quality of the final product.

Menu Changes

Permanent menu changes shall be approved by the Registered Dietitian.

Temporary menu changes should be kept to a minimum and made only due to unavoidable occurrences. The staff is responsible for noting any temporary changes on the posted menu. The reason for the change will be noted on the back of the menu or the substitutions form.

Food Substitutions: If a consumer refused a food item in a food group he/she should be offered a substitute with in the same food group. The food substitutions should also be in the allowed food group for texture and therapeutic modified diets.

Food Group

Grains/Starch Group

Make ½ Grains from Whole Grains-Whole Grains should be substituted with Whole Grains
Serving Size: ½ c. or 1 slice or ½ bun or ½ bagel or small muffin, or for cereal ½ c. cooked &3/4c. dry

Whole Grains

Amaranth, Brown Rice, Buckwheat, Bulgur, Millet, Oatmeal, Popcorn, Whole Wheat cereal flakes, muesli, quinoa, sorghum, triticale, whole grain, barley, whole cornmeal, whole grain cornmeal, whole rye, whole wheat bread, whole wheat crackers, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat sandwich buns and rolls, whole wheat tortillas, wild rice

Refined Grains:

cornbread, corn tortillas, couscous, crackers, flour tortillas, grits, noodles or pasta, pita, pretzels, ready to eat cereals, white bread, white buns and rolls, white rice,

Starchy Vegetables:

potatoes, lima beans, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, muffins, biscuits, bagels, black beans, black eyed peas, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, lentils, navy beans, pinto beans, soy beans, split peas, white beans, cassava, corn, plantains

Vegetable Group

if possible substitute vegetables with similar colors to provide similar nutrients
Serving Size: ½ c. cooked or 1 c. raw

Dark Green Vegetables: Bok Choy, broccoli, collard greens, dark green leafy lettuce, kale, mesclun (a mixture of edible leaves from greens), mustard greens, romaine lettuce, spinach, turnip greens, watercress

Red and Orange Vegetables: acorn squash, butternut squash, carrots, Hubbard squash, pumpkin, red peppers, tomatoes, tomato juice
Other Vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, bean sprouts, beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, green pepper, ice berg lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsnips, turnips, wax beans, zucchini

Fruit Group-if possible substitute good sources of vitamin C with other good sources of vitamin C
Serving Size: ½ cup fresh, canned or frozen

Good Sources of Vitamin C: Strawberries, grapefruit, lemon, lime, mango, orange, pineapple, tomato
Other Fruits: apples, apricots, bananas, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, grapes, kiwi fruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, fruit cocktail, peaches, pears, papaya, plums, prunes, raisins, tangerines, 100% fruit juice

Dairy Group-

1 cup milk or yogurt,
½ cup dry milk powder, cottage cheese
¼ c. parmesan cheese
2 oz. cheese
1 cup white beans, low fat pudding, ice cream or frozen yogurt

Protein Group

Beef, Ham, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Bison, Rabbit, Venison, Chicken, Duck, Goose, Turkey, Eggs, Tofu, Fish, or Shellfish