Answer the 10 questions first one by one then do the second part on bottom.

NUTRI320/ECE415 Menu Planning Case Study

For this assignment, you will plan AND price out 2 dinner menus for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children). Many grocery stores and big box stores, such as Target, Smart and Final, Walmart, Raleys, and Safeway list their prices on their websites. Please visit their websites to find out the prices for your menus.

You may discuss the assignment with a classmate; however, please note that identical assignments will result in both students earning a zero.

Your assignment will be graded based on how you apply the information learned in class, thus your answers need to be thorough. Use complete sentences in response to the questions posed and please correct all spelling errors as points may be deducted for grammar and spelling mistakes.

1. List a dinner menu that includes a food from each food group that you typically prepare at home. In addition, price out the cost of this meal for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children).

Grocery Store:

Food Group	Food	Serving size/person	Cost for 4 people
Grains
Protein
Vegetables
Fruits
Dairy
		TOTAL COST OF MEAL FOR 4:

2. The average SNAP (food stamps) benefit is $1.50 per person per meal, which is comparable to the reimbursement rate for lunch from CACFP ($1.58 per child). Make up a dinner menu for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children) that includes a food from each food group AND keep the cost of this meal to $2 per person per meal. The total cost for your dinner menu should be $8 or less.

Grocery Store:

Food Group	Food	Serving size/person	Cost for 4 people
Grains
Protein
Vegetables
Fruits
Dairy
		TOTAL COST OF MEAL FOR 4: ($8 or less)

3. Many parents are concerned about school lunch programs. They feel that there are too many processed foods, not enough whole grains, and too much canned fruit to keep costs down rather than focusing on children’s health.

a. What is the definition of processed foods? What are ‘ultra processed foods’? Please provide examples for both processed foods AND ultra processed foods.

b. Based on your research on processed vs ultra processed foods, are ALL processed foods unhealthy? Why or why not? Do you believe that the only way to keep food costs down is to eat processed foods? Why or why not?

c. What are some strategies to save money when grocery shopping and still eat healthy? Please provide at least 2 specific examples. Why do your recommended strategies save money?