MENU ASSESSMENT TOOL
for Institutional Facilities
This Menu Assessment Tool and Checklist will help institutional facility staff members
assess their menus to meet the recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide.
ASSESS YOUR MENU:
ff
every time changes are made
to your menu
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every time a new menu is
implemented (e.g. seasonally)
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before the annual inspection*
by the Eastern Ontario Health
Unit (EOHU)
* The Menu Assessment Checklist contains
the same criteria found in the Annual Living
Establishment Inspection Checklist used by
your EOHU liaison during their annual visit.
TIP:
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Identify the various food
groups in your menu using
different colors:
GREEN
STEP 1:
Prepare your menu for the assessment process
A.On the menu, add:
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details about the Vegetables and Fruit
(e.g. fresh fruit, canned peaches, carrot sticks, cooked broccoli)
ff
which Grain Products are whole grains (WG)
(e.g. egg salad sandwich on whole grain bread)
ff
information about the method of preparation
(e.g. boiled, grilled, baked, fried)
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the serving size beside each food and beverage item
ff Compare the serving size on your menu to the serving
size in Canada’s Food Guide. For information about Food
Guide serving sizes, visit the “Institutional Facilities » Menu
Planning and Revision” section of our website at
www.EOHU.ca.
B.Get to know Canada’s Food Guide: Which food group do these
common foods belong to?
ff
Although potatoes are “starchy”, they belong in the Vegetables
and Fruit food group.
ff
Fruit flavoured yogurt belongs to the Milk and Alternatives food
group. It DOES NOT contain enough fruit to count as a serving
from the Vegetables and Fruit food group.
ff
Ice cream, cream cheese and cheese spread DO NOT belong in
the Milk and Alternatives food group. These are foods to limit
since they are high in fat, sugar or salt (sodium). They are not part
of a food group.
ff
Cheese provides protein but it DOES NOT belong in the Meat
and Alternatives food group. Cheese belongs in the Milk and
Alternatives food group.
ff
Wieners and deli meats (e.g. pepperoni, baloney, mock chicken,
bacon) DO NOT belong in the Meat and Alternatives food group.
These are foods to limit since they are high in fat, sugar or salt
(sodium). They are not part of a food group.
Vegetables and Fruit
BROWN
Grain Products
105-0480E
NUT-8911 (14)
BLUE
Milk and Alternatives
RED
Meat and Alternatives
(Continued)
STEP 1:
C. Count Food Guide servings in mixed dishes (e.g. soups, casseroles, stews, lasagna).
RECIPE EXAMPLE: Baked chicken and broccoli casserole (Serves 4)
INGREDIENTS: �300 g (1¼ cups) cubed chicken
�500 mL (2 cups) chopped broccoli
�1000 mL (4 cups) cooked macaroni
�60 mL (¼ cup) Parmesan cheese
�15 mL (1 Tbsp) parsley
b
c
d
e
Identify the
major ingredients
in a recipe.
Identify which food
group each major
ingredient belongs to.
Determine the
amount of each major
ingredient in one portion
of the recipe.
Compare one
serving of each
main ingredient to
the Food Guide
serving size.
Chicken
Meat and Alternatives
300 g ÷ 4 = 75 g
75 g = 1 serving
Broccoli
Vegetables and Fruit
500 mL ÷ 4 = 125 mL
125 mL = 1 serving
Pasta
Grain Products
1000 mL ÷ 4 = 250 mL
250 mL = 2 servings
Parmesan cheese
Milk and Alternatives
60 mL ÷ 4 = 15 mL
15 mL
≠
serving
One serving of this recipe provides one Food Guide serving from the
Meat and Alternatives and the Vegetables and Fruit food groups, and two
Food Guide servings from the Grain Products food group.
STEP 2: Assess your menu
Using the MENU ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST FOR INSTITUTIONAL FACILITIES, add a checkmark
in the box for each criterion that is met.
STEP 3: Investigate missed checkmarks
Not missing any checkmarks?
Congratulations on planning a healthy menu that meets the recommendations from Canada’s
Food Guide.
Missing some checkmarks?
The Eastern Ontario Health Unit has resources to help you plan menus that meet Canada’s Food
Guide recommendations.
For menu planning resources and more, visit the EOHU website
at www.EOHU.ca (Institutional Facilities » Menu Planning and Revision),
contact your EOHU Institutional Liaison or
call 613-933-1375 or 1 800 267-7120 and ask for Health Line.
If you require this information in an alternate format, please call 1 800 267-7120 and press 0.
MENU ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST
for Institutional Facilities
Institutional Facility: ______________________________________________ Date:____________________________
Add a checkmark in the box for each criterion that is met. Use this checklist with
the MENU ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR INSTITUTIONAL FACILITIES.
HEALTHY MEALS AND SNACKS
1
A variety of food is offered from each food group, avoiding repetition within the week as much as possible.
2
Within a meal, nutritious higher-fat choices such as peanut butter, cheese, meats and nuts are balanced with lowerfat foods such as raw vegetables, beans, rice and milk.
3
Foods higher in fat and salt such as processed cheese slices, cheese spreads, bologna, mock chicken, bacon,
chicken burgers, fish sticks, hot dogs and ham are offered infrequently.
4
Each day, at least half of the grain products offered are whole grain choices such as barley, brown rice, oats,
quinoa, and whole grain couscous, pasta, tortillas, pitas, crackers and bread.
5
range vegetables or fruit such as carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, pumpkin, apricots, cantaloupe, canned
O
peaches, nectarines and mangoes are offered every day.
6
Dark green vegetables such as broccoli, romaine lettuce, asparagus, green peas and spinach are offered
every day.
7
Meat alternatives such as beans, eggs, soybeans, lentils and tofu are offered at least two times a week. Examples
include egg sandwich, baked beans, hummus/bean dips, pea soup and vegetarian chili.
8
Two Food Guide servings (1/2 cup or 125 mL or 75 g) of low-mercury fish are included each week (salmon loaf,
tuna casserole, tuna sandwiches, salmon burgers, baked fish fillets).
9
When desserts are served, they are most often food group-based (rice pudding, milk pudding, fruit crisps, yogurt
topped with fruit, fruit salad, bread pudding, banana bread and date squares).
10 Desserts high in calories, fat and sugar such as cakes, pastries and ice cream are served infrequently.
COOKING METHODS
11 Foods are flavoured with herbs, spices, onion, garlic, etc., and prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt.
12 Lower-fat cooking methods (baking, broiling, grilling, steaming, roasting and poaching) are used most often.
13
Canola, olive and soybean oils and soft, non-hydrogenated margarines are used. Butter, lard and shortening
are limited.
DRINKS
14
Two cups (adults and children) or 3 cups (teens and adults 51+) of milk or fortified soy beverages are offered
every day (may include milk used in cooking).
Vegetables and fruit are served more often than juice. Juice is 100% unsweetened and is limited to no more
15 than 1 cup each day. Fruit cocktails, fruit punches, lemonade, sweetened iced tea, fruit drinks and soft drinks
are not recommended.
16 Water is offered/available throughout the day to satisfy thirst, especially on hot days or when residents are active.
If you require this information in an alternate format, please call 1 800 267-7120 and press 0.
VF = Vegetables and Fruit; GP = Grain Products; MILK = Milk and Alternatives; MA = Meat and Alternatives
*See Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide for food groups and serving sizes
MEALS
BREAKFAST
Includes ONE serving* from at least THREE of the FOUR food groups (check only those that apply):
SUN
VF
GP
MILK
MA
MON
VF
GP
MILK
MA
TUES
VF
GP
MILK
MA
WED
VF
GP
MILK
MA
THURS
VF
GP
MILK
MA
FRI
VF
GP
MILK
MA
SAT
VF
GP
MILK
MA
LUNCH
Includes ONE serving* from EACH of the FOUR food groups (check only those that apply):
SUN
VF
GP
MILK
MA
MON
VF
GP
MILK
MA
TUES
VF
GP
MILK
MA
WED
VF
GP
MILK
MA
THURS
VF
GP
MILK
MA
FRI
VF
GP
MILK
MA
SAT
VF
GP
MILK
MA
SUPPER
Includes ONE serving* from EACH of the FOUR food groups (check only those that apply):
SUN
VF
GP
MILK
MA
MON
VF
GP
MILK
MA
TUES
VF
GP
MILK
MA
WED
VF
GP
MILK
MA
THURS
VF
GP
MILK
MA
FRI
VF
GP
MILK
MA
SAT
VF
GP
MILK
MA
SNACKS
MORNING SNACK
Includes ONE serving* from TWO different food groups (check only those that apply):
SUN
VF
GP
MILK
MA
MON
VF
GP
MILK
MA
TUES
VF
GP
MILK
MA
WED
VF
GP
MILK
MA
THURS
VF
GP
MILK
MA
FRI
VF
GP
MILK
MA
SAT
VF
GP
MILK
MA
AFTERNOON SNACK
Includes ONE serving* from TWO different food groups (check only those that apply):
SUN
VF
GP
MILK
MA
MON
VF
GP
MILK
MA
TUES
VF
GP
MILK
MA
WED
VF
GP
MILK
MA
THURS
VF
GP
MILK
MA
FRI
VF
GP
MILK
MA
SAT
VF
GP
MILK
MA
105-0479E
NUT-8911 (14)
EVENING SNACK
Includes ONE serving* from TWO different food groups (check only those that apply)
SUN
VF
GP
MILK
MA
MON
VF
GP
MILK
MA
TUES
VF
GP
MILK
MA
WED
VF
GP
MILK
MA
THURS
VF
GP
MILK
MA
FRI
VF
GP
MILK
MA
SAT
VF
GP
MILK
MA