Menu Project
Introduction
This project contains two parts. First, you’ll research and discuss food safety, including sanitation
requirements, food storage, preparation, and proper food handling, as well as presentations that make food
appetizing for children. Second, you’ll be required to create a one-week menu, including snacks, for your
selected age group following the food guide is now known as “Choose My Plate. You may wish to refer to
the ChooseMyPlate.gov website for more detailed information.
Part 1: Essay
Food safety sanitation requirements, storage, preparation, proper food handling, and presentation are the
first steps in ensuring proper diet and nutrition for a child’s health and welfare. Using the Internet, research
proper methods for each of these areas for your chosen age group and then write a 400-500 word essay
about what you’ve learned. Make sure you’ve used your own words or used proper citations if quoting
directly. Include a Works Cited page for any websites you’ve consulted.
Part 2: Creating a Menu
For this part of your project, you’ll select an age group for which you’ll plan a week’s menu that includes
three meals a day, plus snacks.
On your submission, be sure to clearly identify the age group you’ve selected. The age groups for this
project are
Children 1–2 years old
Children 3–5 years old
After carefully reviewing the nutritional information, you’ll use the menu template Preview the
documentprovided to create a five-day menu for your chosen age group. Take into account the nutritional
needs (calories, recommended dietary intake, and food sources for vitamins, minerals, and nutrients) for
the age group you’re working with. We’ve included a sample menu with one day’s menu completed to show
you how it should look.
Preparing Your Project
When you’ve completed your essay and planned your menu for all five days in the age group you’ve
chosen, you’ll transfer your menu information onto the menu templatePreview the document. Using the
sample menu as a guide, complete your menu and save your file.
When you’ve completed both the essay and the menu, check them carefully for errors. Run the spell check
and grammar check, and pay attention to the red and green lines that mark possible errors. However, you
must also proofread for errors that the computer doesn’t pick up, such as mistakes in grammar and missing
or misused words or punctuation.
Food Groups
To make knowledgeable selections, you need to know what’s included in each food group. Here are the
basic components of each food group, although you may find additional options during your research.
