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Factors Affecting Meal Planning

This document discusses many factors that affect meal planning including nutritional requirements, health status, economic factors, individual preferences, religious and cultural beliefs, environmental considerations, availability of time and energy, occupation, and access to facilities for cooking. Nutritional requirements vary based on age, gender, activity level, and physiological status. Meals must also consider diseases, allergies, budget, likes/dislikes, religion, culture, geographic location, season, and time available for cooking.

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8K views11 pages

Factors Affecting Meal Planning

This document discusses many factors that affect meal planning including nutritional requirements, health status, economic factors, individual preferences, religious and cultural beliefs, environmental considerations, availability of time and energy, occupation, and access to facilities for cooking. Nutritional requirements vary based on age, gender, activity level, and physiological status. Meals must also consider diseases, allergies, budget, likes/dislikes, religion, culture, geographic location, season, and time available for cooking.

Uploaded by

josephxdcosta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Factors affecting meal planning
  • Nutritional Requirements
  • Health and Nutritional status
  • Economic factors
  • Individuals likes and dislikes
  • Religious and cultural factors
  • Environmental Factors
  • Availability of time and energy
  • Other factors

Factors affecting meal

planning
Meal Planning
• Nutrition is a basic prerequisite to sustain life.
• A diet consisting of foods from several food groups provides all the
required nutrients in proper amounts.
• A well planned diet with the inclusion of a variety of foods will
therefore ensure good health and well being.
Factors affecting meal planning
Nutritional Requirements
• An important factor to consider during meal planning is the
individuals nutritional requirements. The meals planned and
consumed provide all the necessary nutrients for optimal health.

• These requirements vary based on factors such as:


❖Age
❖Gender
❖Level of Physical activity (Sedentary, Moderate & Heavy work)
❖Physiological status (Infancy, Pregnancy, Lactation)
Health and Nutritional status
• Disease will determine the type of diet planned for an individual.
e.g. Low sodium diet (Hypertension)
Low fat Diet (Heart disease)
Allergy (Diet which excludes milk protein, gluten, soybean, nuts etc.)
Economic factors
• Meal planning has to consider the economic status of the patient.
• Meals planned that are not within budget cannot be put into practice
• A low cost diet based on local available seasonal foods is planned
when there are budgetary constraints.

• List down some examples of low cost foods:


Individuals likes and dislikes
• Food preference- Vegetarian, Non vegetarian, Vegan
• Dislike towards certain foods- Some individual may dislike leafy
vegetables, karela, milk etc.
Religious and cultural factors
• These factors determine the food choice of individuals.
• Certain foods may be forbidden in some religions and communities.
e.g. Consumption of
oOnion, garlic and underground roots and tubers
oNon vegetarian foods
oRed meat (Beef, Pork)

• The meal consumption pattern also changes during religious events


e.g. Fasting
Festivals
• Cultural beliefs and taboos
Some examples:
Hot foods vs. cold food
Food combinations (Curd and fish should not be eaten together)
Papaya can cause miscarriage in pregnant women
Environmental Factors:
• Geographic location
The availability of food may also be based on geographic region.
e.g. Availability of seafood in Himalayan regions is limited
Military locations (Soldiers patrolling borders at high altitude and
cold regions)- difficulty in transporting fresh food supplies

• Seasons
The season will determine the availability of certain foods
e.g. Winter- fresh vegetables such green peas, red carrots
Summer- Mangoes
Monsoon- local traditional leafy vegetables
Availability of time and energy
• Planning of meals should be done in such a way that the recipes
should be simple and nutritious.
• This is important for:
-People who spend long hours at work
-Individuals who live alone- young working professionals, elderly
• Labour and time saving devices can be used.
Other factors:
• Occupation- Field job(Community workers, marketing job), desk job
etc.
• Variety- color, texture & taste
• Cooking skills
• Availability of facilities for cooking food or ordering food

Factors affecting meal planning
Meal Planning • Nutrition is a basic prerequisite to sustain life. • A diet consisting of foods from several food groups prov
Factors affecting meal planning Nutritional Requirements • An important factor to consider during meal planning is the indivi
Health and Nutritional status • Disease will determine the type of diet planned for an individual. e.g. Low sodium diet (Hype
Economic factors • Meal planning has to consider the economic status of the patient. • Meals planned that are not within budg
Individuals likes and dislikes • Food preference- Vegetarian, Non vegetarian, Vegan • Dislike towards certain foods- Some ind
Religious and cultural factors • These factors determine the food choice of individuals. • Certain foods may be forbidden in
• Cultural beliefs and taboos Some examples: Hot foods vs. cold food Food combinations (Curd and fish should not be eaten tog
Environmental Factors: • Geographic location The availability of food may also be based on geographic region. e.g. Availabili
Availability of time and energy • Planning of meals should be done in such a way that the recipes should be simple and nutri

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