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Creating and Following a Weekly Menu Lesson Plan

Creating and Following a Weekly Menu Lesson Plan

Created by: Rachel Steinberg, 3LPlace, April 2017

Applies to: Life Skills, Critical Thinking, Self Awareness

Purpose:  To create a varied, yet comfortable eating plan for members with sensory aversions to certain foods, smells etc.

Objectives:

  • Managing stress and anxiety related to sensory input (smells, tastes, textures)
  • Creating and following a plan (higher order thinking)
  • Expanding the scope of textures, smells and tastes consumed by the member


Materials needed:

  • Visual supports/word bank of foods 
  • Computer or paper and pens
  • Printer (if using computer)
  • Tape/magnets/thumbtacks
  • Applicable Food
  • Example weekly menu (see attachment below)


Activity Steps:

  1. Make the menu
    • Sit down with member and draw/type out a blank weekly schedule
    • Choose meals for each day together, using visual supports or word bank to spur creativity and higher order thinking
    • Use a variety of foods, some that you know are comfortable, and some that step slightly out of the comfort zone
    • Consider book-ending the week with foods that are known and comfortable
  2. Incorporate the menu into everyday life
    • Hang menu somewhere near the kitchen that the member will notice (i.e. on the fridge)
    • Point it out often, and ask the member to read off what they will be having for dinner that night, or another night of the week
  3. Implement
    • At the end of each meal, ask member to rate it on a scale of 1-6 (1 bad, 3, neutral, 6 good)
    • If member gets comfortable with this menu over the course of weeks or months, consider altering meals slightly (i.e. substitute bacon for turkey bacon or make mac’n’cheese from scratch)



 

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