Family Meal Planning Project
Due 5/10 100 Points
Library days: 5/5-5/7
This project requires you to view the world from someone else's perspective, to be
creative, and use the skills gained in class in a practical application. You will use your
knowledge of MyPyramid, recipe reading, menu planning, team work, and budgeting.
Each pair will have a family with varying needs. It is your goal to meet the
nutritional, financial, and social needs of each family mentioned in the scenario. You
will need to create a five day menu that includes three meals each day and a snack. The
meals must meet the nutritional needs for your family according to MyPyramid. You
will also need to create a grocery list, budget, and recipes for the week. To do this you
will need to follow the directions below.
Part 1
Enter the information for each family member on MyPyramid.gov in
“MyPyramid Plan”. Print out the individual MyPyramid results for each family member
(10 points).
Part 2
You will need to create a meal plan for your family for five days that meets the
recommendations from MyPyramid and fits the family’s needs. Each day should include
a menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack (20 points). There should be variety in
your meals (5 points).
There is a menu planning tool on MyPyramid.gov. Be sure to create an account to save
your information. Write your login and password here. _______________________ If
you lose this information, it cannot be retrieved.
The menu planning tool can help you plan menus for each family member. Use this tool
to help you stay within the needs for oils, total calories, serving sizes for each food group,
and extra calories. This tool will break down mixed food into categories and plan out
dinner, lunch, breakfast, and snacks for each person.
Do not be afraid to serve leftovers and use foods you may not be familiar with.
Family members may eat different foods or different amounts of foods, but make sure
menus reflect that.
Part 3
You will need to buy groceries for your family staying within their budget for the
five days (10 points). Each meal must be paid for. You can assume they already have
some staples at home like flour, sugar, and spices. You will need to make a list of staples
you are using and get them approved by Ms. Lochrie before you start your grocery list.
You will only have to pay for the food you use. For example, if eggs come by the
dozen for $1.20, but you only need two eggs, you only pay $.20 for the eggs you used.
($1.20/12=$.10 $.10x2=$.20) You will need to find current prices for food on either a
grocery store website (ex. Safeway.com, Albertsons.com), in the local advertisements, or
at the grocery store.
The grocery list including their costs should be organized by food group, Grains,
Fruit, Vegetables, Dairy, Meats and Beans, and Other (20 points). It should include all
the food you need to create your menus. You will need to total the cost for each food
group and a total cost for all groceries on the list. Next make a pie graph that represents
what percent of the budget was spent on each food group (10 points).
Part 4
Using the information from the menu planner answer the following questions (10):
1. How well did your menu meet the recommended daily intake suggested by
MyPyramid?
2. What recommendations did your people get too much of or too little of?
3. How could you change your menu to improve these results?
Part 5
For at least seven dishes you will need to include the recipe used (15 points).
This can be a recipe you made up, found in a book, online, or use at home. Remember to
include all parts of a recipe (yield, ingredients, instructions, etc.).
For 15 Leadership points you can create a lab plan and cook a recipe from your
project at home for your family. Bring in a sample of the food and get your lab plan
signed by a parent.