How to Cycle Food Menus
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Analyze how long your cycle needs to be based on the needs of the people who are eating from it.old calendar image by Allyson Ricketts from Fotolia.com
Establish a schedule for how frequently the menu will cycle. Evaluate how long people will be eating from the menu. For example, at a hospital, patients may be eating from the same menu for a week or less. In a day care center, children might be eating from the menu every day. In the former case, use a shorter cycle such as a week whereas in the latter case, use a longer cycle such as a month. - 2
Ensure your menu choices are healthy on both a daily and longer-term basis.nutrition image by razorconcept from Fotolia.com
Consult a nutritionist to determine the nutritional needs of the people you are feeding. Some groups require special diets or have particular restrictions. The nutritional demands of a spa menu will differ greatly from a resort menu. Find a good balance of foods that meet the nutritional needs of all who will be eating from the menu. - 3). Provide variety in your menu choices. The type of variety will again depend on whom you are feeding. Children may prefer fewer foods that cycle more often while adults will want greater variety. Examine the health goals of the people you are feeding. If you are feeding an older population, you may need to create greater variety to encourage them to eat more. If you are serving people with cardiac problems, you will want to find a variety of heart-healthy foods.
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Use special menus to celebrate holidays and special events.holiday image by Yuriy Rozanov from Fotolia.com
Plan special menus for holidays or special events. These meals can be worked into a cycle menu even though they won't repeat with the same frequency as other meals. Examples of special menus might include fish and rice pudding on the Chinese New Year or a vegetarian dish every Friday during Lent.
