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The Menu
A menu is a food plan for a meal, a day, a week or longer.
A balanced menu is a menu which includes the foods required by the body for most efficient functioning.
Planning the menu, therefore, should be of primary importance to the commissary personnel, for upon it depends, to a great extent, the health and morale of the men in the general mess.
A Food Guide, specifying the basic foods required daily for a balanced menu, is included in this chapter. Study it carefully.
While the emphasis in menu planning is placed on the nutritive value of the food, attention must also be given to providing meals which are interesting, attractive, varied, and satisfying. This is helpful in maintaining good morale.
In addition to the main factors involved in planning the menu, many helpful suggestions are included throughout this book in conjunction with recipes and with other explanatory material.
PLANNING THE MENU
First, Know the Foods Essential for Good Nutrition: It is important that the Nutritional Value of Foods (page 1) and The Food Guide (page 6) be studied before starting to plan the balanced menu. Include these foods in each day's menu.
Check Your Menus: Be sure each food group in the Food Guide is represented in the menu. Emphasis is placed on the use of fruits and vegetables because of their valuable contribution of minerals and vitamins.
Become Acquainted With the Recipes in This Book: The recipes are numerous and allow for a wide selection. All of them have been developed and tested particularly for Navy use. The notes and variations of the recipes contain helpful suggestions for menu planning.
Study the "Tables": They contain valuable information which pertains to food planning.
Plan the Menus a Week in Advance: The Navy menu should be planned for an entire week sufficiently in advance to permit the ordering and receiving of required stores. This practice will allow time for figuring costs and for an orderly planning of the week's work, which are important factors in controlling the production of food necessary for a given mess.
Observe the Food "Likes and Dislikes" of the Men: Observe the food habits of the men, their likes and dislikes. This is helpful in planning and estimating the amount of food required for the number of rations to be prepared. Food left uneaten on the tray is wasted food.
Include Contrasting Foods in Each Menu: Foods contrasting in texture, color, and flavor tempt the appetite, give eye appeal, and increase the palatability of the meal.
Vary the Ways o f Serving the Same Food: Avoid repetition. Become acquainted with the variations of the basic recipes. They offer a wide choice of ways to prepare a single food.
Consider the Climate: Whenever possible plan to serve cool, crisp, fresh foods and cool beverages in hot weather.
Use Fresh Foods in Season: Whenever practicable, this should be done. Fresh fruits and vegetables in season, can often be purchased at a lower cost than packaged products. By using them, it is possible to release processed products for ship and overseas use. Fresh foods purchased locally also help to relieve congestion in transportation.
Consider Cooking Equipment: Plan meals which can be prepared with the cooking equipment available. This insures better prepared meals and often prevents waste of food through improper cooking.
Use a Pattern for Planning the Day's Menu
Breakfast
Fruit: Fresh, frozen, evaporated, dehydrated, or canned fruits or fruit juices are used for appetizing as well as nutritional reasons. In one form or another, fruit is a welcome starter for the day, but need not be served for breakfast if it would be more useful in improving other meals.
Cereal: Cereal is a fuel food and has the advantage of being a carrier for milk. Serve hot or cold cereal depending on the supply, the climate, food habits of the men, or need for variety.
Main Dish: The main dish may be ham, bacon, eggs, sausage, creamed dried beef, fried mush, French toast, hot cakes, or other satisfying breakfast dishes. Do not have the same thing on the same day each week. If fried mush or French toast are on the menu, sirup, jam, or jelly should be served.
Bread: The bread should be varied as much as possible. Toast, rolls, cornbread, biscuits, coffee cake, doughnuts, and pan bread are some suggestions.
Jam or Jelly: Jam or jelly may be served in place of butter occasionally.
Beverage: The beverage may be either milk, coffee, tea, or cocoa.
Dinner
Soup: Soup may be served at either the noon or evening meal, whichever one needs the extra nourishment. When a vegetable soup is on the dinner menu, the salad may be omitted if desired. Soup is one means of getting men to eat vegetables.
Meat: Meat is always popular. The meat purchased by the Navy is of good quality. Many cuts are spoiled by poor cooking. Do not have meat cooked too long in advance of the service period.
Gravy: Gravy or sauce is usually served with meat. Good gravy is smooth, well seasoned, and not greasy. Serve hot.
Vegetables: A leafy green or yellow vegetable besides potato is valuable because of flavor, appearance, and vitamin content. Do not overcook. Season well.
Relish: A relish may take the place of salad occasionally. Raw carrot strips, young onions, radishes, sliced raw turnips, chopped cabbage and green peppers, sliced cucumbers and onions, and pickled beets are suggestions.
Salads: Salads may be made from meat, greens, vegetables, or fruits. Serve as cold and crisp as possible.
Dessert: Dessert has a definite place in the menu because it gives a feeling of satisfaction. Many people crave sweets and are accustomed to having them at the end of the meal. Dessert adds calories and will round out a light meal. Serve lighter dessert with a heavy meal.
Beverage: This can be coffee, tea, cocoa, milk, or a fruit-ade.
Supper
Main Dish: Meat may or may not be used, according to supplies on hand. The supper meal is usually a lighter meal than dinner. This depends upon the activities of the crew. It should be heavy enough to keep the men from being hungry when they turn in at night. Combinations of meat and rice, macaroni and cheese, chili con carne, chop suey, creamed meat, thick chowders, baked beans, and similar dishes are excellent dishes to serve at the supper meal.
The supper meal is also a good time to utilize leftovers from dinner, if there are any. They must be attractive and appetizing on their reappearance and, if possible, completely changed. Combinations such as rice and stewed tomatoes, carrots and peas, cooked vegetables made into a salad, meat and potatoes for hash are a few examples of how leftover foods may be utilized.
Salad: A salad fits well into the supper meal. A fruit or vegetable or a chef's salad with mayonnaise or cream dressing, when served in addition to the main dish, is satisfying and helps to balance the meal nutritionally.
Dessert: If the supper meal is lighter than dinner, the dessert can be richer and one that yields more calories such as pastry or pudding.
Beverage: Beverage can be a choice of coffee, milk, cocoa, tea or fruit-ade. In warm weather or hot climates, a cool beverage such as iced tea or a cold fruit-ade is preferable.
The extent to which these patterns can be followed is affected by the variety of available supplies. These supplies are limited aboard ship by the amount of storage space and refrigeration.
A FOOD GUIDE FOR MENU PLANNING
Include One or More from Each of the Basic Foods Each Day
BASIC FOODS RECOMMENDED DAILY
(For 1 Man)NUTRITION HIGHLIGHTS Milk and Milk Products:
Fresh fluid, evaporated or dehydrated milk, and cheese.1 pint (liquid) or equivalent. Milk furnishes protein of good quality, high content of calcium, phosphorous, vitamins A, G (riboflavin), and considerable B1 (thiamin). Cheese: Five ounces of American cheddar cheese is about equal to 1 quart of milk in calcium, phosphorous, and protein content.
Eggs:
Fresh, frozen, or dehydrated.1 egg Eggs are especially valuable for their complete proteins, iron, phosphorous, and vitamin A. Butter 1 to 2 ounces Butter is especially valuable for its Vitamin A and fat content. Meat, Fowl, Fish:
Fresh, frozen, or canned.1 or more servings of meat, fish, or fowl. Meat furnishes complete proteins, phosphorus, iron, B1 (thiamin), and G (riboflavin). Liver is especially high in vitamin A.
Fish are important for protein and phosphorus. Salt water fish furnish iodine.
Legumes:
Dried kidney, lima and Navy beans; dried peas; also peanut butter.Once or twice a week. Legumes are chiefly important as a source of energy, proteins, phosphorus, iron, thiamin. Because they are not a source of complete proteins, legumes should be used only as a supplement and not as a total substitution for the animal proteins. Cereals and Bread:
Cereals, whole grain or restored to whole grain value. Bread enriched..2 or more servings. Cereals, with whole grain value, and bread, enriched, furnish energy, protein, bulk, iron, phosphorus and vitamins B1, G, and niacin. Fruits:
Fresh, frozen, canned, dried or dehydrated.2 or more servings. 1 fresh fruit when possible.
Citrus fruit often.
Fruits supply vitamins, minerals and bulk. Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C.
Yellow fruits supply generous amounts of vitamin A.
Vegetables:
Fresh , frozen, canned, dried or dehydrated.2 or more servings besides potato. 1 green or yellow vegetable each day and greens, cooked or in salads, often. Tomatoes often.
Vegetables furnish valuable vitamins, minerals and bulk. Some more than others. Green and yellow vegetables are valuable for vitamin A and iron. Use the outer dark green leaves of lettuce and cabbage in salads and soups.
To save nutrients, use water in which vegetables are cooked for soups and gravies.
Tomatoes, fresh or canned, are especially valuable for their vitamin C. Use them often, fresh or canned.
NOTE - Other foods in form of desserts, sirups and sugar may be used to supplement the diet. Sugar supplies energy but makes no other dietary contributions.
SUBSTITUTE FOODS OF SAME NUTRITIVE VALUE
It may be necessary sometimes to substitute one food for another in a planned menu. Certain factors will require consideration:
- Whether it is equivalent in nutritional value to the food originally planned, and if not, the adjustments necessary to make it so.
- The acceptability of the substituted food in relation to the other foods on the menu.
A chart giving the nutritive values of the different classes of vegetables, and suggested substitutions, is listed in the section on vegetables.
SAMPLE MENUS
Bill of Fare for the General Mess
Each of these pattern menus is offered as a guide for planning the weekly Bill of Fare for the General Mess, aboard ship and ashore. These are balanced menus, planned to meet the nutritional requirements of the moderately active Navy man needing approximately 3,000 to 4,500 calories daily.
The suggested food selections and combinations are based upon Navy food issues, ration allowances and recipes in this book.
When the fresh or other foods suggested in the menus are not available, they should be replaced by canned and dehydrated or other foods of approximately the same nutritional value.
SAMPLE MENU FOR SPRING
BREAKFAST DINNER SUPPER MONDAY
Grapefruit Juice
Cornflakes
Grilled Sausages
French Toast
Maple Sirup
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Cream of Vegetable Soup
Roast Beef Brown Gravy
Buttered Potatoes
Harvard Beets
Carrot and Celery Salad
Ice Cream
Rolls ButterCoffee
Lamb Fricassee
Mashed Potatoes
Tossed Green Salad
French Dressing
Coconut Jelly Doughnuts
Bread
ButterTea TUESDAY
Stewed Rhubarb
Hominy Grits
Corned Beef Hash
Poached Egg
Danish Twists
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Chicken Broth
Ham and Macaroni Salad
Tomato Aspic
Buttered Peas
Lemon Meringue Pie
Hot Biscuits
ButterCoffee
Baked Pork Chops
Hashed Browned Potatoes
Glazed Carrots
Cole Slaw
Rice Custard Pudding
Rolls
ButterMilk WEDNESDAY
Orange
Shredded Wheat
Griddle Cakes
Maple Sirup
Crisp Bacon
Bread
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Creamed Chicken over Biscuit
Baked New Potato
Savory Green Beans
Crisp Celery
Assorted Fruit Gelatin Cubes
Toast ButterCoffee
Griddle-Broiled Salisbury Steaks
Potatoes Au Gratin
Buttered Beets
Lettuce Salad
Ice Cream
Bread
ButterFruit-ade THURSDAY
Stewed Prunes
Oatmeal
Grilled Sausages
Scrambled Eggs
Cinnamon Buns
Jam
Milk
Coffee
Cream of Green Pea Soup
Roast Veal
Natural Gravy
Applesauce, canned
Fried Hominy
Buttered Spinach
Cherry Roll
ToastCoffee
Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast
Browned New Potatoes
Mixed Vegetable Salad
Boston Cream Pie
Bread
ButterTea FRIDAY
Half Grapefruit
Cooked Whole Wheat Cereal
Fried Cornmeal Mush
Maple Sirup
Crisp Bacon
Bread
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Tomato Juice
Salmon Loaf
Escalloped Potatoes
Buttered Carrot Strips
Waldorf Salad
Angel Food Cake
Bread
ButterCoffee
Beef Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Franconia Potatoes
Hearts of Lettuce Salad
Thousand Island Dressing
Pear Halves
Coconut Butter Cookies
Bread
ButterCocoa SATURDAY
Banana
Dry Cereal
Baked Beans
Catsup
Raisin Buns
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Spanish Beef Steaks
Parsley Buttered Potatoes
Fresh Asparagus
Crisp Celery
Green Onions
Tapioca Cream
Rolls
ButterLemonade
Knickerbocker Bean Soup
Welsh Rarebit on Toast
Pickled Beet and Onion Salad
Mixed Fruit Cup
Bread
ButterCoffee SUNDAY
Sliced Pineapple
Oatmeal
Fried Egg
Lyonnaise Potatoes
Crisp Bacon
Toast
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Beef Broth with Barley
Sugar Baked Ham
Sweet Potatoes Baked with Apples
Buttered Corn
Lettuce Salad
French Dressing
Strawberry Shortcake
Rolls ButterCoffee
Cream of Tomato Soup
Hot Potato Salad
Buttered Green Beans
Crisp Carrot Strips
Orange
Oatmeal Cookies
Bread
ButterMilk
SAMPLE MENU FOR SUMMER
BREAKFAST DINNER SUPPER MONDAY
Fresh Peach
Dry Cereal
Soft Cooked Eggs
Home Fried Potatoes
Toast
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Green Split Pea Soup
Roast Beef Natural Gravy
Glazed Onions
Corn on the Cob
Perfection Salad
Sliced Pineapple
Bread ButterCoffee
Pigs in Blankets
Hashed Browned Potatoes
Sliced Tomato and Lettuce Salad
French Dressing
Berry Pie
Bread ButterCoffee TUESDAY
Chilled Cantaloupe
Whole Wheat Cereal
Creamed Chipped Beef
on Cornbread
Toast
Jam
Milk
Coffee
Fricassee of Chicken
Mashed Potatoes
Buttered Asparagus
Apple, Carrot and Celery Salad
Chilled Watermelon
Hot Biscuits
ButterIced Tea
Beef Loaf with Barbecue Sauce
Noodles with Buttered Crumbs
Cole Slaw Salad
Strawberry Gelatin
Bread
ButterLemonade WEDNESDAY
Fresh Apricots
Shredded Wheat
Navy Baked Beans with
Salt Pork
Danish Twists
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Roast Lamb Mint Sauce
Escalloped New Potatoes
French Fried Carrots
Grapefruit and Green
Pepper Salad
Vanilla Ice Cream
Whole Wheat Bread
ButterCoffee
Cream of Chicken Soup
Baked Luncheon Meat
Sliced Cheese
Cardinal Salad
Chocolate Cake Square
Rolls
ButterTea THURSDAY
Chilled Half Grapefruit
Hot Whole Wheat Cereal
Grilled Canadian Bacon
Hashed Browned Potatoes
Bread
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Vegetable Soup
Cold Roast Beef
Cold Potato Salad
Spiced Beets
Green Onions
Spice Cake with Marshmallow
Frosting
Hot Biscuits
ButterIced Tea
Macaroni and Corn Au Gratin
Buttered String Beans
Grilled Tomato
Jellied Mixed Fruits
Bread
ButterMilk FRIDAY
Fruit Cup
Corn Flakes
Roast Beef Hash
Catsup
Cinnamon Buns
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Broiled Halibut Steak with
Lemon Slice
Potatoes Au Gratin
Fresh Lima Beans
Tossed Green Salad
French Dressing
Peach Fudge Cookie
Rolls ButterCoffee
Omelet with Creole Sauce
Browned Potatoes
Buttered New Cabbage
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake
Bread
ButterCocoa SATURDAY
Fresh Berries
Hot Wheat Cereal
French Toast
Maple Sirup
Grilled Sausages
Bread Butter
Milk
Coffee
Braised Liver
Spanish Rice
Buttered Fresh Peas
Corn Relish
Deep Dish Apple Pie
Bread ButterMilk
Tomato Broth
Salmon Salad
French Fried Potatoes
Crisp Carrot Sticks
Brownies
Rolls ButterMilk SUNDAY
Chilled Fresh Plums
Dry Cereals
Scrambled Eggs
Crisp Bacon
Sugar Doughnuts
Toast
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Griddle-Broiled Beef Steak
Creamed New Potatoes
Buttered String Beans
Raw Vegetable Salad
French Dressing
Fresh Peach Ice Cream
Rolls
ButterIced Chocolate
Cream of Green Pea Soup
Assorted Sandwiches
(Sliced Egg, Lettuce and
Tomato, and American
Cheese)
Crisp Celery and Radishes
Jelly RollMilk
SAMPLE MENU FOR AUTUMN
BREAKFAST DINNER SUPPER MONDAY
Baked Apple
Oatmeal
Griddle Cakes
Maple Sirup
Crisp Bacon
Toast
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Beef Broth with Barley
Breaded Veal Cutlet
Tomato Sauce
Oven Browned Potatoes
Mixed Cooked Vegetable
Salad
Cranberry and Orange Pie
Bread ButterTea
Pork Sausage Links and
Sauerkraut Pie
Mashed Potatoes
Waldorf Salad
Soft Molasses Cookies
Bread
ButterCocoa TUESDAY
Orange
Hot Wheat Cereal
Scrambled Eggs and Ham
Coffee Cake
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Beef Stew with Vegetables
Corn Fritters
Lettuce Salad
French Dressing
Sliced Pickles
Pineapple Ice Cream
Bread ButterTea
Noodle Soup
Smothered Ham Slices
Baked Potato
Buttered Cauliflower
Tomato Salad, Mayonnaise
Apple Tort
Bread ButterCoffee WEDNESDAY
Banana
Corn Flakes
Grilled Pork Sausages
Lyonnaise Potatoes
Toast
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Consomme
Braised Veal Patties
Mashed Potatoes
Fried Eggplant
Pickled Beet and Onion Salad
Fruit Cup
Rolls ButterCoffee
Broiled Beef Steak
Browned Potatoes
Mashed Hubbard Squash
Dixie Relish
Fresh Peach Cobbler
Hot Biscuits
ButterCoffee THURSDAY
Chilled Melon
Hot Whole Wheat Cereal
Roast Beef Hash
Catsup
Butterfly Buns
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Baked Canadian Bacon
French Fried Potatoes
Buttered Green Beans
Orange Cole Slaw
Pumpkin Pie
Corn Bread
ButterFruit Punch
Tomato Rarebit on Toast
O'Brien Potatoes
Raw Vegetable Salad
French Dressing
Fruit and Rice Compote
Toast
ButterTea FRIDAY
Fresh Bartlett Pear
Oatmeal
French Toast
Maple Sirup
Hashed Browned Potatoes
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Corn Chowder
Oven Broiled Mackerel
Spanish Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
Buttered Beets
Crisp Celery
Applesauce Cake
Bread ButterCoffee
Spareribs with Barbecue
Sauce
Steamed Rice
Buttered Broccoli
Fresh Grapes
Sugar Cookie
Bread
ButterCoffee SATURDAY
Prunes
Dry Cereal
Baked Beans
Catsup
Hot Biscuits
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Roast Beef Natural Gravy
Lyonnaise Potatoes
Buttered Cabbage
Carrot and Lettuce Salad
French Dressing
Banana Fritters with
Orange Sauce
Whole Wheat Bread
ButterCoffee
Spaghetti Loaf
Buttered Peas
Fruit Salad Mayonnaise
Gingerbread with Frosting
Bread
ButterMilk SUNDAY
Half Grapefruit
Hot Wheat Cereal
Soft Cooked Eggs
Grilled Bacon
Toast
Jam
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Cream of Tomato Soup
Baked Chicken and Noodles
Glazed Carrots
Buttered Kale
Cranberry Sauce
Celery and Olives
Maple Nut Ice Cream
Rolls ButterCoffee
Broiled Cheeseburgers on Bun
Potato Chips
Escalloped Tomatoes
Lettuce Salad
French Dressing
Sliced Pineapple
Ginger Cookies
Bread JamCoffee
SAMPLE MENU FOR WINTER
BREAKFAST DINNER SUPPER MONDAY
Prunes
Oatmeal
Grilled Sausages
Home Fried Potatoes
Whole Wheat Bread
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Navy Bean Soup
Fried Pork Chop Gravy
Hominy Spoonbread
Buttered Green Peas
Apple Cole Slaw Salad
Lemon Cream Layer Cake
Bread ButterCoffee
Meat Loaf
Tomato Sauce
Baked Potato
Buttered Carrots
Peach Half
Sugar Cookies
Bread ButterCocoa TUESDAY
Half Grapefruit
Hominy Grits
Griddle Cakes
Maple Sirup
Crisp Bacon
Toast
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Tomato Broth
Pot Roast of Beef
Brown Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Buttered Cabbage
Crisp Celery
Prune Whip
Rolls ButterCoffee
Macaroni Au Gratin
Stewed Tomatoes
Mixed Vegetable Salad
Devil's Food Cake with
Coconut Frosting
Bread
ButterMilk WEDNESDAY
Chilled Figs
Oatmeal
Scrambled Eggs
Hashed Browned Potatoes
Cinnamon Buns
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Cream of Celery Soup
Veal Birds
Franconian Potatoes
Glazed Onions
Lettuce Salad
French Dressing
Chocolate Ice Cream
Bread ButterCoffee
Chop Suey over Cooked
Noodles
Pineapple Cole Slaw
Apricot Cream Pie
Whole Wheat Bread
ButterCoffee THURSDAY
Canned Peaches
Hot Wheat Cereal
Grilled Bacon
Soft Cooked Egg
Coffee Cake
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Consomme
Baked Ham Mustard Sauce
Baked Rice and Cheese
Buttered Spinach
Perfection Salad
Mayonnaise
Apple Crisp
Cloverleaf Rolls
ButterCoffee
Grilled Frankfurters
Relish
Hot Potato Salad
Banana Shortcake
Buttered Toast
JamMilk FRIDAY
Orange
Shredded Wheat
French Toast
Maple Sirup
Cottage Fried Potatoes
Bread
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Cream of Corn Soup
Fried Flounder
Tartar Sauce
Parslied Potatoes
Buttered String Beans
Waldorf Salad
Cherry Pie
Bread ButterCoffee
Chili Con Carne
Steamed Rice
Grapefruit and Celery Salad
Butterscotch Pudding
Bread
ButterTea SATURDAY
Apple
Dry Cereal
Baked Beans
Raisin Buns
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Vegetable Soup
Swiss Steak
French Fried Potatoes
Stewed Tomatoes
Lettuce Salad
Jellied Mixed Fruits
Whole Wheat Bread
ButterCoffee
Creamed Fish on Toast
Succotash
Sliced Pineapple
Hot Gingerbread
Bread
ButterCoffee SUNDAY
Stewed Apricots
Hot Wheat Cereal
Fried Ham and Egg
Butterfly Rolls
Jam
Butter
Milk
Coffee
Bouillon
Roast Loin of Pork Gravy
Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Buttered Asparagus
Celery Applesauce
Vanilla Ice Cream
Rolls ButterCoffee
Noodles, Scalloped with
Cheese, Tomatoes and
Bacon
Buttered Carrots
Cranberry Orange Relish
Hermits
Bread
ButterMilk