OSU Extension Service
Lesson 5
Preparing Delicious Meals
Purpose
Learning Objectives
Lesson 5 illustrates techniques for preparing healthy meals and
modifying recipes. It also prepares participants to make
adjustments in their “meals and movement.”
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OFNP Key Messages
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Leader Preparation
Materials Needed
Estimated Teaching
Time
Start slides
Participants will be able to recognize features of healthy
recipes and food preparation techniques.
Participants will be able to modify ingredients of recipes to
improve the healthful benefits.
Eat whole grains.
Balance calorie intake from food and beverages with
calories expended.
Eat a variety of nutrient dense foods every day.
Plan ahead to stretch food resources.
Review Lesson 5 Script & Activities
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PowerPoint slides
PowerPoint projector or overhead projector
Supplies and recipes for cooking demonstration
Plate Method Food Group Substitution Scenarios
Plate Up meal worksheet (1 per group)
Cooking Tips handout(s)
Recipe Makeover handout or recipes brought in by
participants
Carrot Cookie Recipe Makeover handout (use as example)
Dinner Recipes handout
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Participant post-test evaluation if appropriate
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Certificates of Completion
Review “Steps to Healthier Me” – 10 minutes
Lesson Presentation & Learning Activities – 60 minutes
Quick & Easy Recipes Demonstration & Tasting – 30 minutes
Evaluation Tool & Closing – 20 minutes
Lesson 5
Preparing Delicious Meals
Review: Steps to a Healthier Me
Welcome back to Lesson 5, our last meeting in this series.
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Lesson 5
Review any questions or comments they might have from the
Grocery Tour. If you didn’t have time to review results from the
Scavenger Hunt, do so now.
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Let’s review any action steps you took since we last met. Please
choose a partner and share your actions and rate your level of
satisfaction with what you achieved.
Ask some participants to share with the whole group; interject
with appropriate comments that relate back to the goal-setting
process.
Discuss issues related to staying focused on goals, how changes
affect those around us, non-food ways of rewarding oneself for
meeting goals. Often people reward themselves with food, but
what would be non-food rewards? Ask participants what they
have learned so far that they want to continue doing even after
the course ends today.
Presentation: Tips for Modifying Cooking
Now that you’ve shopped for food at the grocery store you need
to know how to prepare it so it tastes good and is healthful.
Some of you are experienced cooks, others are developing that
skill, still others may rely on family members to do the cooking.
In this day of convenience foods, why do you think cooking skills
are important? (Answers might be that you have more control
over what goes in to the food, you can adjust the ingredients to
your tastes, gives you sense of accomplishment or caring for
your family, its fun, etc). Today we’ll venture into the kitchen
and learn more about how to prepare food that tastes good and
is good for you.
Do you have a favorite food or recipe? Maybe you’re wondering
how/if it will fit on your new plate. It may require adjusting the
recipe, eating a smaller portion or “trading” calories, but most all
foods will fit.
With a little practice, healthy food can taste good. By keeping the
calories low and the nutrients high you’re getting the best
“nutritional deal”. We can make recipes or cooking healthier by:
“Tips for Preparing
Delicious Meals”
handout
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REDUCE the quantity of some ingredient. Example:
reduce sugar by 1/3 in quick bread.
REPLACE or SUBSTITUTE one ingredient for another.
Example: use oil rather than shortening in a muffin recipe
OMIT an ingredient. Example: leave the salt out of a
casserole recipe.
ADD an ingredient. Example: add extra vegetables to a
casserole.
Let’s look at the food groups and discuss ways to Reduce,
Substitute, Omit or Add ingredients to improve the health
benefits while maintaining great flavor.
Distribute “Tips for Preparing Delicious Meals” handout(s). Rather
than simply reading the tips to participants, consider having
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participants work in pairs. Instruct them to check off what they
already do, circle several approaches they’d like to try and then
add one or two more suggestions to the list. Ask a few to share.
“Carrot Cookies”
handout
“Recipe Makeover”
Making Substitutions
A Portion of:
•Grains or About 100 calories
=
•Fruit or
•Milk/Yogurt
Activity: Recipe Make Over- Discuss how to modify a
recipe using the “Carrot Cookies” handout. Then have
participants refer to “Tips for Delicious Meals” handouts to come
up with suggestions for modifying recipes that they have brought
by reducing, replacing, omitting or adding an ingredient. You can
also use recipes from the “Recipe Makeover Activity” at the end
of this lesson. Have participants work in pairs then present ideas
to the group.
Presentation: Taking Charge of Change
With our busy lifestyles we are bound to encounter situations
that challenge our efforts to maintain our plan for “meals and
movement.” Maybe its meals away from home or a change in
season that throws your plan off.
For example if your calorie goal is about 1400-1600 calories per
day or 400-500 per meal, this is how a meal might look (refer to
slide). But what happens when you eat out or go to a friend’s
house. How can you keep your calories on track?
By knowing the calories in each of the food groups and
appropriate portion sizes you can make an alternative plan.
Food Group Substitutions
1 tortilla is substituted
for fruit
1/2 c. Rice is substituted for milk
1‐2 c. green salad
1/2 c. rice 2 tortilla
3 oz. grilled chicken
“Substitution Scenario”
“Plate Up Meal”
Worksheet
Let’s look at an example (show slide of tacos dinner):
salad, grilled chicken tacos, rice and beans. How does this meal
differ from what your plate portions/food groups?
Possible answers:
 No Dairy
 No Fruit
 5+ ounces of grains or equivalent
 1+ cup vegetables
 4+ ounces of protein
Using estimated calories from the food groups, about how many
calories would this meal have?
Estimated calories: 5 grains (500 cal), veggies (50 calories),
protein (150), fatty vegetable (avocado) (50) = 750
What could you do to keep the calories closer to your goal?
Responses might be, take a taco home, eat less at next meal,
ask for smaller portions, share with a friend, exercise more, etc.
What if you did this every day, that is, ate more calories than
your goal and skipped diary and fruit groups?
Responses might be: gain weight, not get enough nutrients
Activity: Meals & Movement Situations
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“Dinner Recipes”
handout
Maintaining Lifestyle Changes
 Keep your reasons for wanting to stay healthy in mind from day to day.
 Set reasonable goals for physical activity & healthy meals.
 Build on your motivation and confidence for making healthy lifestyle changes.
 Keep track of your progress.
 Seek support in different places.
Remember we are trying to build “skill-power” not “will-power” to
stay on track with your meals and movement goals. In our next
activity, we’re going to give you a scenario or situation that
might challenge your plan. Discuss it with your partner and using
the “Plate Up a Meal” handout, show how you made a
substitution in your plan to stay on track with your goals.
Give each table group a different scenario (available at the end of
this lesson guide) and a Plate Up a Meal worksheet. Remind
them to be aware of portions so that the meals are calorie similar
and include some nutrition goals (lower fat/saturated fat,
sodium, sugar, include fruits, vegetables, whole grains.) Leaders
circulate to assist; have groups share their scenarios and meals
with each other when finished. If you have time, have the group
offer problematic food scenarios they would like help with
solving.
Activity: Dinner Recipe Demonstration
Demonstrate recipes and allow time for tasting.
Final goal setting
Looking Ahead
How often will you plan meals and/or use the Plate Method for choosing your meals?
How will you keep physical activity part of your daily routine?
Over the past 5 lessons you’ve had a chance to practice new
behaviors that will help you feel better today and prevent chronic
disease in the future. I’d like you to consider what it takes for
people to continue with these beneficial, though often
challenging, lifestyle changes.(As you consider each point, take
opportunities to elicit, and listen to, more “change talk” among
participants.)
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Keep your reasons for wanting to stay healthy in mind
from day to day.
Set reasonable goals for physical activity & healthy meals.
Build on your motivation and confidence for making
healthy lifestyle changes.
Keep track of your progress.
Seek support in different places.
If you have come to appreciate setting actions/goals as a way to
guide new lifestyle changes, you will be happy to see that we’ll
finish up with one more opportunity to set weekly goals together
with “Steps to a Healthier Me” page so that you can continue this
process.
(As in past classes, assist participants in setting physical activity
and meal planning goals.)
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Evaluation & Closing
Review learning topics from past 5 sessions. Administer and
gather evaluation tool as appropriate; close with remarks
pertinent to your group. If you loaned participants pedometers,
don’t forget to collect them.
Hand out certificates of completion.
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Recipe Makeover
Choose 1 or more recipes. Suggest ways you could adapt recipes to make them healthier. Consider
substituting oils, reducing sugar, reducing sodium, adding whole grains or vegetables.
Lasagna
2 lbs
ground beef
2 tsp
dried oregano
1
15 oz. can tomato sauce
1
6 oz. can tomato paste
1¼
envelope spaghetti sauce mix
8 oz
dried lasagna noodles
1 tsp
olive oil
2 c.
drained cream-style cottage
cheese
1
beaten egg
12 oz sliced or shredded mozzarella
¼ c.
grated parmesan cheese
In skillet, brown beef; drain. Stir in oregano. Add
tomato sauce, paste, and spaghetti sauce add to
beef. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer
for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook Lasagna noodles according to package
directions, adding olive oil to boiling water. Drain.
In a small bowl, stir together cottage cheese and
egg.
Assemble lasagna in a greased baking dish. Bake,
uncovered in a 375° oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
Fried Fish
12-16
4 tbsp
3 tbsp
small Fish Fillets
flour
oil
Flour fish fillets. Heat oil over high heat; brown fish
fillet on both sides. Cook thoroughly and serve.
Macaroni & Cheese
1 ½ c.
6 tbsp
½ c.
1 ½ tsp
dash
2 c.
8 oz.
6
elbow Macaroni
butter
flour
salt
cayenne pepper
milk
shredded sharp cheddar cheese
eggs, seperated
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Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain
and set aside. Melt butter over medium heat in a large
saucepan or dutch oven. Blend in flour, salt and
peppers, stir well. Gradually add milk, stirring
constantly and stirring until thickened. Remove from
heat and add cheese, stirring until thickened. Remove
from heat and add cheese, stirring until cheese is
melted. Beat egg yolks until light. Quickly stir in sheese
sauce. Mix macaroni wil cheese sauce. In a separate
bowl beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into macaroni
mixture. Transfer to a casserole dish and bake at 475°
for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400° and bake 25
minutes longer.
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Coleslaw
1 head
10
1 can
10
1 c.
1 tsp.
pinch of
each
cabbage
grated carrots
chopped celery, green & red
pepper
sliced stuffed olives
chopped or sliced green
onions
mayonnaise
sugar
onion powder, dill weed, salt,
pepper
Pumpkin Pie
2 tbsp
butter, melted
1 ¾ c.
pumpkin (one standard can)
2
eggs
2 tbsp
flour
1 c.
evaporated milk
½ c.
sugar
½ c.
white sugar
1 tsp.
ginger
1 tsp.
cinnamon
¼ tsp.
mace
¼ tsp.
cloves, ground
½ tsp.
salt
1
pie shell, 9 inch, uncooked
Cream Sauce
¼ c.
butter
¼ c.
flour
2 c.
light cream
2
onions, stuuded with 3 cloves
2
bay leaves
salt & pepper to taste
fresh nutmeg, grated to taste
Banana Split
1
fresh banana, peeled and
split length wise
1 scoop vanilla, chocolate, and
each
strawberry ice cream
crushed pineapple
fresh strawberries
chocolate syrup
whipped cream
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Mix vegetables together. Mix all other ingredients
together. Combine vegetable mix and dressing mix. Thin
with pickle vinegar if desired. Chill for several hours
before serving.
Preheat oven to 450°. Beat the eggs until frothy.
Mix in the sugars and flour. Mix in the spices and
the salt. Mix in the pumpkin. Mix in the melted
butter. Finally mix in the milk.
Pour the mix into the pie crust and bake at 450°
for 15 minutes. Decrease heat to 375°
and bake for an additional 45 minutes. Remove the
pie from oven and set it out to cool.
Serve with ice cream or whipped topping.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in
the flour, and cook, stirring for 3 to 4 minutes; do
not brown. In another sauce pan, bring the cream
just to boil. Stir the warm cream into the flour
mixture, whisking until smooth. Add the onions,
bay leaves, and simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.
Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Strain the
sauce and serve.
Layer items in the order listed
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Lesson 5 Activity: Meals and Movement Situations
Copy this page and cut on the “dotted lines.” Give each table group a
different scenario along with a “Plate Up a Meal” worksheet.
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Scenario #1
You are at a “build your own” sandwich shop where the 6inch sub bun is equivalent to 3 ounces of grain. There are
many choices of protein, vegetables and condiments.
Beverages include sweetened beverages, milk, etc. Your
calorie goal for meals is 400-500. Plan a meal making
substitutions if needed.
-----------------------------------------------------------------Scenario #2
You have been invited to dinner at a neighbor’s house. You
have been told that there will be grilled steaks and chicken,
pasta and green salads, chips and dip, rolls and butter and
her famous banana cream pie. Your calorie goal for dinner
is 400-500 calories, how could you make a substitution and
still include the pie?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Scenario #3
One of your favorite meals is spaghetti with meatballs and
garlic bread. Plan a meal that uses the plate, food groups
and portions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Scenario #4
On Sunday mornings you would really like to have waffles
and syrup. You look at the label on syrup. It’s all sugar
(empty calories) and 100 calories for 2 Tablespoons. How
can you stay in your calorie goal of 400-500 per meal?
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Scenario #5
It is summer. Wonderful fresh fruit is plentiful and it’s too
hot to cook. Plan a refreshing meal using the plate & food
groups.
Scenario #6
You were walking on a regular schedule. Then the weather
turned cold (or hot) and you’ve stopped altogether. What
activities could you substitute? How can you get motivated
again?
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