6.02F MEAL PREPARATION STRATEGIES

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6.02F MEAL PREPARATION STRATEGIES
Scratch Semi-homemade / Speed-scratch Finished /
Convenience
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SCRATCH COOKING

• Meal preparation that uses a recipe and no
  convenience foods for most foods served.

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Advantages of Scratch Cooking

• One can choose what ingredients go in to flavor
  the dish and provides maximum variety,
  creativity, and more flavorful in meal
  preparation.
• (Example
• -Like
  lots of onions, add
  extra onions to the
  casserole
• -Add
  more spices if you
  prefer
• -OR
  substitute chicken
• 
  instead of beef)

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Are there recipes where ingredients cannot be
changed?

• Yes! Basic ingredients in baked goods CANNOT be
  changed such as basic flour, fat, or liquid
  ingredients.
• Flavoring ingredients like cinnamon or vanilla
  can be changed.

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Advantages to Scratch Cooking

• You can control ingredients based on health
  concerns.
• (Example someone in your
  family has high blood
  pressure
• change or omit the
• amount of salt the recipe
  calls for)

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Advantages to Scratch Cooking

1. Provides maximum nutritional value
2. Fewer additives and preservatives
3. Usually less waste in packaging
4. Uses quality fresh ingredients
5. Scratch cooking can be a way to relieve stress
6. Share time with family and friends

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Advantages of Scratch Cooking

• Saves you MONEY! While your time is worth money,
  the money you save buying your own ingredients
  can help trim your food bill.

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Disadvantages of Scratch Cooking

• Takes more time to plan
• Takes more time to shop
• Takes more time to prepare

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Examples of Scratch Cooking

• Making biscuits using a recipe with flour,
  shortening, and buttermilk instead of from a can.
• Cooking pasta, adding milk, eggs, and cheese to
  make baked macaroni and cheese instead of using a
  box version.

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Semi-homemade/Speed Scratch

• Meal preparation that uses a convenience food,
  such as a mix or already prepared food as part of
  the recipe.

pancake mix speed scratch pancakes
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Advantages of Semi-Homemade/Speed Scratch

1. Saves time and energy by providing short cuts
2. Adds variety and creativity to recipes
3. Usually less expensive than convenience foods
4. Easier for inexperienced cooks to prepare recipes
   with more confidence than scratch recipes

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Disadvantages of Semi-Homemade/Speed scratch

1. Flavor may not be what you wanted (example too
   strongly flavored in some ways and not enough in
   others)
2. Mixes tend to be high in fat, salt, sugar, and
   refined grainsless good nutrition than scratch
   recipes
3. Less meal appeal than scratch
4. More preservatives and additives than scratch
5. Extra packaging
6. More costly than scratch

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Examples of Semi-Homemade/Speed Scratch

• Browned ground beef canned beans canned
  tomato sauce spices chili
• -use dried beans to save money and sodium, but
  it takes several hours to prepare dried beans
• -using canned beans takes only minutes
• Baking a cake, cookies, or brownies from a box
  mix

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Examples of Semi-Homemade/Speed Scratch

• Bananas instant pudding vanilla wafer
  banana pudding
• -use homemade pudding to control sugar and add
  nutrition with eggs
• -instant pudding is ready in 5 minutes,
  preparing homemade pudding, even in the
  microwave, takes about 8 minutes

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Finished/Convenience Foods

• Meal planning and preparation that uses all
  precooked, ready-to-eat, serve and eat foods
• Can be used as a whole meal or as parts of a meal
• May be purchased at a store or restaurant.

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Advantages to using finished/convenience foods

• Convenient
• Time saving (macaroni cheese)?
• Energy saving
• Fear of cooking success is minimized
• Usually more nutritious than fast foods (read
  labels)

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Disadvantages of Using Finished/Convenience Foods

• More expensive than the other meal preparation
  strategies
• Highest sodium/ fat content than the other meal
  preparation strategies
• Flavor and appearance
• may not compare as well as the other
  meal preparation strategies
• More additives and preservatives than all other
  meal preparation strategies
• More packaging than the other meal preparation
  strategies

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Examples of Finished/Convenience Foods

• Roasted chickens
• Bagged salads
• Pre-cut fresh fruits
• and vegetables
• Canned foods
• Frozen fruits
• Frozen pizzas and other entrees

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Examples of Finished/Convenience Foods

• Bakery items-cakes and pies
• Packaged cookies
• Using as parts of a meal, items such as
  restaurant made salads, side dishes, or entrees.