Author: Kathleen M. Stadler, Extension Specialist, Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, Virginia Tech
Publication Number 348-051, Posted June, 1998
 Introduction
| Cost of One Meal
|
| Food Manager's Resource Chart
| Family Meals and Family Chats
|
| Rate Your Food Patterns
| Creating a Pyramid Meal
|
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Table of Contents
First, place a check mark by each item that you have or you use.
Next, fill in the blanks with information about your household and estimate your monthly food budget.
| $$$$ FOR FOOD BUDGET | PAYCHECK | FOOD STAMPS | GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS I.E. WIC, Free Breakfast/Lunches, ETC. | OTHER |
| Total $ _____ for month | $ _____ | $ _____ | $ _____ | $ _____ |
| HOUSEHOLD | KIDS | ADULTS | OLDER ADULTS | OTHERS |
| Total # _____ | = _____ | + _____ | + _____ | + _____ |
| TRANSPORTATION | OWN CAR | PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION | TAXI | FRIENDS |
| HOUSING | HOUSE | APARTMENT | LIVING WITH OTHERS | OTHER |
| APPLIANCES | STOVE/OVEN | HOT PLATE | REFRIGERATOR | FREEZER |
| MICROWAVE | WASHER/DRYER | STORAGE | OTHER | |
| OTHER FOOD SOURCES | GARDEN | FAMILY/FRIENDS | EMERGENCY FOOD PROGRAMS: FOOD PANTRIES | OTHER |
| STORES | GROCERY STORE | CONVENIENCE STORE | WAREHOUSE STORE | OTHER |
| FOOD PREPARERS Who likes to cook? | KIDS | ADULTS | OLDER ADULTS | OTHERS |
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| How often do you or your family members: | Never | Seldom | Most of the Time | Always |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan your meals | ||||
| Include family members in meal planning | ||||
| Use a shopping list | ||||
| Use coupons or store specials | ||||
| Compare prices | ||||
| Compare labels for nutritional information | ||||
| --fat/cholesterol (Heart Disease) | ||||
| --salt/sodium (High Blood Pressure) | ||||
| --sugar (Diabetes) | ||||
| Eat one meal together | ||||
| Eat breakfast | ||||
| Eat lunch | ||||
| Eat dinner | ||||
| Thaw food in refrigerator and not at room temperature. | ||||
| Have adequate food throughout the month | ||||
| Attend work and feel good | ||||
| Attend school and feel good |
The more checks you have in the last two columns, the better your food patterns and practices.
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| 1. Add up the money for your food budget. Write that amount on the first line below. | 2. Divide the monthly food budget by 4 weeks to determine the amount available per week. | 3. Divide the weekly food budget by 21 since there are 3 meals for 7 days or a week |
| ____________divided by 4 = | ____________divided by 21 = | ____________ |
| per month | per week | per meal |
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| Meals | Your Family's Favorites | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | | |
| Lunch | | |
| Dinner | | |
| Fast Food or Restaurant Meals | | |
| Snacks | |
Select several meals and estimate their cost. Are there any changes your family would need to make for this meal to fit your cost per meal?
Changes:________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
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Divide your meal cost by 5 to know how much you can spend for each food section of the Food Guide Pyramid. Now create a dish that your family would eat.
For Example:
| Family of 4 | 
| |
| Your family: of #_______ |  |
| Potatoes | 1/2 lb. ground meat |
| Onions | 1 can green beans |
| Carrots | 1 can tomato soup |
| 1/2 cup uncooked rice | 1 cup hot water or milk |
Wash and slice fresh vegetables. Line bottom of a greased casserole with potatoes. Then layer in this order: onions, carrots, rice, meat, green beans, and soup (mixed with 1 can water or milk). Bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours or cook on top of stove at medium heat until rice is cooked. For a quicker meal, boil rice before making the casserole. Bake or cook for 30-45 minutes.
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