Assessment of Menu Plan Prepared by Middle School Students According to Ordinary Meal Pattern and Single Serving Size

It is important to prepare and execute the menu plan for proper and balanced intake of nutrients in the adolescence. This study investigated the new approach for planning menu by ordinary meal pattern based on cooked foods groups. The amounts of cooked foods in the menu plan assumed to be single serving size. The middle school second graders participated for the study. A total of 313 questionnaires were analyzed using CAN-pro 3.0 and SPSS WIN 12.0 program. The average content of energy in the menu plan was 2,453 kcal, the average ratios of energy contribution by carbohydrate, protein and fat were 54.3%, 17.9%, 27.8%, respectively. A total of 56.9 % menu plans (94.9 % of male and 8.7 % of female students’) were below the lowest limit of optimum carbohydrate energy ratio of 55%. A total of 29.1 % menu plans (33.1 % of male and 23.9 % of female students’) were exceed the highest limit of optimum fat energy ratio of 30%. The NAR of minerals and vitamins were all 1.0 except for calcium (0.92) and folate (0.88). When INQ of the individual cooked food groups were calculated, kimch was the highest in all minerals and vitamins examined, suggesting that kimch may be the best source for all minerals and vitamins, including calcium and folate with the minimum change in energy content. In conclusion, the menu plan by ordinary meal pattern in this study was low in carbohydrate, high in fat, and contained enough minerals and vitamins except for calcium and folate for middle school students. (Korean J Community Nutr 18(4) : 333~343, 2013