Quick questions on Principles of meal planning - O-Level Food and Nutrition

A well-planned meal satisfies all the principles at once. You start from the people and their needs, choose dishes that together are balanced, vary the colours, textures and methods, make it look appealing, and check it can be cooked in the time and budget you have. Improving a poor meal means spotting which principle is missing and fixing it.

The meal should supply the right nutrients in the right proportions: a protein food, a wholegrain staple, and plenty of fruit and vegetables, with fat, sugar and salt kept moderate. This is the foundation, drawing on the balanced-diet guidelines.

Vary the colour, texture, flavour and cooking method across the meal. Variety makes a meal more interesting and usually more nutritious, and it stops the meal being, say, all soft, all beige or all fried.

The meal should look, smell and taste good. Use contrasting colours, an attractive arrangement, a garnish, and a mix of textures (crisp with soft) so the meal is appetising and people want to eat it.

The meal must suit the people eating it: their age, appetite, activity, health, and any cultural, religious or special dietary needs. A meal for a child, an athlete and an older adult would differ in portion and content.

The plan must be realistic for the cook: the time available, the budget, the equipment and skills, and what foods are in season and easy to get.