Planning Your Meals

---

If you follow some kind of a pattern or plan for your meals, you can be sure of getting all the basic foods you need each day. Here are examples of two eating patterns. You can see the two are very different. Pattern 1 has three meals per day. It would be good for someone who likes to eat three big meals each day. Pattern 2 has six little meals in it. It would be good for someone who likes to nibble all day. Both ways of eating are just fine. Both have enough of each of the basic food groups. You might wish to follow one of these patterns or make up one of your own that suits the way you live.

PATTERN  1	PATTERN   2
Breakfast Protein group food Bread/cereal food Fruit or vegetable Milk group food	Breakfast Bread/cereal food Milk group food
	Snack Fruit or vegetable Protein group food
Lunch 2 Bread/cereal foods Protein food Fruit or vegetable Milk group food	Lunch 2 Bread/cereal food Protein food Fruit or vegetable
	Snack Fruit or vegetable
Supper Protein food Bread/cereal food 2 Fruits or vegetables	Supper Protein food Bread/cereal food
	Snack Fruit or vegetable Milk
Totals Protein foods      3 Fruits/vegetables   4 Bread/cereals       4 Milk group foods   2	Totals Protein foods      3 Fruits/vegetables   4 Bread/cereals       4 Milk group foods   2

Here are two sample menus using Meal Pattern 1:

Pattern
Breakfast
Protein food Bread or cereal Fruit or vegetable Milk group food	Scrambled eggs Bowl of cereal Sliced peaches Milk on cereal	Fast Food Special: 1 egg English Muffin Orange juice Cheese on sandwich
Lunch
2 Bread or cereal Protein food Fruit or vegetable Milk group food	Crackers Bowl of chili Carrot sticks Cheese on chili	Tacos: 2 taco shells Ground beef Lettuce/tomato Grated cheese
Supper
Protein food Bread or cereal 2 Fruits or vegetables	Chicken pot pie Toast Green salad/orange	Chicken Dinner: Fried chicken Roll Slaw/mashed potato
Pattern
Breakfast
Protein food Bread or cereal Fruit or vegetable Milk group food	Egg Salad Toast Tomato juice Milk	Breakfast Sundae: Chopped nuts Granola (on yogurt) Sliced Banana Yogurt
Lunch
2 Bread or cereal Protein food Fruit or vegetable Milk group food	Cornbread Pinto Beans Turnip greens Ice Cream	Noodle soup/bread Tuna salad Apple Chocolate milk
Supper
Protein food Bread or cereal 2 Fruits or vegetables	Fish sticks Roll Fruit salad Green beans	Hamburger meat Spaghetti noodles Tomato sauce Tossed green salad

Here are some menu ideas using Pattern 2:

Pattern
Breakfast
Bread or cereal Milk group food	Rye toast Yogurt	Crackers Cheddar cheese
Snack
Fruit or vegetable Protein food	Sliced pear Peanut butter	Apple juice Boiled egg
Lunch
2 Breads or cereals Protein Food 2 Fruits or vegetables	Crackers Chicken salad Carrot sticks	2 slices bread Hamburger pattie Vegetable soup
Snack
Fruit or vegetable	Fruit cocktail	Grape juice
Supper
Protein Food Bread or cereal	Slice of Ham Bread	Peanut butter Vanilla wafers
Snack
Fruit or vegetable Milk group food	Banana Hot cocoa	Cantaloupe Yogurt
Pattern
Breakfast
Bread or cereal Milk group food	Rasin Bread Cottage Cheese	Cereal Milk
Snack
Fruit or vegetable Protein food	Celery sticks Peanut butter	Mixed nuts Grape juice
Lunch
2 Bread or cereal Protein food Fruit or vegetable	Crackers Tuna chunks Tossed salad	2 pieces toast Bean soup Orange
Pattern
Breakfast
Bread or cereal Milk group food	English muffin Melted cheese	Cold cereal Yogurt
Snack
Fruit or vegetable Protein food	Rasins Peanuts	Grapes Cheese cubes
Lunch
2 Bread or cereal Protein food Fruit or vegetable	Crackers Noodle soup Chopped chicken Applejuice	Lasagna: Noodles Ground beef Tomato sauce
Snack
Fruit or vegetable	Canned pineapple	Applesauce
Supper
Protein food Bread or cereal	Egg salad Bagel	Peanut butter Muffin
Snack
Fruit or vegetable Milk group food	Peaches Milkshake	Banana Ice Cream

Only you know what you like to eat

Everyone knows that eggs and bacon are "breakfast" foods and turkey and gravy are "dinner" foods, right? Not necessarily. Only if you like them that way. There are many people who eat pizza for breakfast and cereal and milk for supper. There is nothing wrong with this. Bacon and eggs, pizza, and turkey and gravy are all good for you. Your body doesn't care if you eat them in the morning, noon or night time.

When selecting what foods you might eat from the basic food groups consider such things as:

• what you like to eat

• what you've got on hand,

• what you can afford to buy,

• what helps you meet your medical needs

You can see below how two different people might eat two different kinds of meals in a day. Both used Pattern 1 to get in all their basic food groups. Menu 1 shows traditional foods. Menu 2 is not traditional at all but just as healthy.

Pattern              Menu 1      Menu 2
Breakfast
Protein food Bread or cereal Fruit or vegetable Milk group food	2 egg Omelet Toast Orange juice Milk	BBQ Beef Bun Cole slaw Milkshake
Lunch
2 Bread or cereal Protein food Fruit or vegetable Milk group food	2 slices bread Sliced ham Sliced tomato Sliced cheese	Oatmeal & Biscuit Fried eggs Tomato juice Hot cocoa
Supper
Protein food Bread or cereal 2 Fruits or vegetables	Meatloaf Roll Corn and Peas	Peanut butter Crackers Sliced banana Apple juice

Go to the Peggy A. Wickwire, M.S., R.D. Menu

Go to the HIV & Nutrition Menu

Go to the HIVpositive.us Main Menu

39