Special Menus

Overview

Not everyone at the table wants, or can safely eat, the same plate of food. The auntie who takes no meat, the toddler who is still growing, the patient just out of hospital, the pregnant mother, the grandfather with few teeth, the bricklayer who has dug since dawn: each brings a different need to the same kitchen. A caterer who serves one menu to all of them will please some and fail others. A special menu is how the good caterer feeds each guest as that guest actually needs to be fed.

In this lesson you will learn what a special menu is, the three vegetarian types and how to give a vegetarian enough protein, iron and vitamin B12 from Nigerian foods, how to feed the vulnerable groups from the child to the elderly, and how the worker's job decides the size of the plate. You will plan real menus, in beans and egusi and pap, for named people with named needs.

Objectives

  1. Define a special menu
  2. Explain the dietary needs of vegetarians and the types of vegetarian
  3. Plan menus for vulnerable groups such as children, invalids and the elderly
  4. Explain the dietary considerations for workers in different occupations
  5. Plan a suitable special menu for a given individual or group

Lesson Note

A caterer in Ibadan is booked for a family lunch. Around one table sit a vegetarian aunt, a two year old, a grandmother recovering from malaria, a cousin who is six months pregnant, and an uncle who lays blocks all day. The caterer sends out one heavy plate of fried rice and beef for everyone. The aunt cannot touch the meat and leaves hungry, the toddler chokes on the large pieces, the grandmother finds the greasy food hard to keep down, the pregnant cousin needs more iron than the plate gives, and only the bricklayer is truly satisfied. Every one of these needs could have been met, cheaply and with ordinary Nigerian foods, by planning a special menu. That planning is the craft this lesson teaches.

Lesson Evaluation

Congratulations on completing the lesson on Special Menus. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.

You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.

Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.

  1. A special menu is one planned to: A. Use only the most expensive foods B. Meet the particular dietary needs of a certain person or group C. Serve the same food to everybody D. Reduce the number of courses Answer: B
  2. A vegetarian who takes milk and eggs but no meat or fish is a: A. Vegan B. Lacto-vegetarian C. Lacto-ovo vegetarian D. Non-vegetarian Answer: C
  3. Which nutrient is a strict vegan LEAST likely to obtain naturally and must get from fortified food or a supplement? A. Carbohydrate B. Vitamin B12 C. Fibre D. Vitamin C Answer: B
  4. The best food combination to give a vegetarian complete protein is: A. Rice and yam B. Bread and garri C. Rice and beans D. Yam and plantain Answer: C
  5. A heavy manual worker, such as a bricklayer, needs a diet especially rich in: A. Energy foods (carbohydrate and fat) B. Water only C. Vitamin C only D. Very little food Answer: A

Past Questions

Wondering what past questions for this topic looks like? Here are a number of questions about Special Menus from previous years

Question 1 Report

The illustration above is a special lunch designed for the aged. Study it and answer questions 2(a) and 2(d).

(a) Give three reasons why the menu is suitable for the aged.

(b) Mention two methods of cooking used for preparing the menu.

(c) Identify one micronutrient that can be obtained from the menu and state one function of the micronutrient.

(d) Name the class of menu illustrated in the diagram.