A meal pattern is a tool used to develop menus for specific age groups that includes foods from four food groups: meat/protein, vegetables/fruits, grains, and dairy. Patterns can incorporate standards for sodium, fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol levels set by state agencies. There are different types of menus including a la carte which lists individually priced items, table d'hote which is a fixed price multi-course menu, function menus for special events, and cycle menus which rotate on a weekly or multi-week basis.

2. Menu Pattern
 A meal pattern is a menu-planning
tool used to develop menus for a
specific age group.
 Meal patterns should include food
from each of four food groups-
meat/meat alternate, vegetable/fruit,
bread/bread alternate, and milk/milk
alternate.

3.  Patterns can incorporate
standards including: low
sodium, low fat, low saturated
fat, and low cholesterol as
designated by State Units of
Aging (SUA) guidelines.

4. Breakfast
Lunch
Supper

5. TYPES OF MENU
A. A LA CARTE
B. TABLE D’HOTE
C. FUNCTION MENU
D. CYCLE MENU

6. A La Carte Menu
A reference to a menu of items priced
and ordered separately.
Table D’Hote
It comes from the French word means
“table of the host.”

7. Function Menu
This menu is for special occasions
such as weddings or parties and
has a fixed price.
It may consist of four to eight
courses, defending on the time
and cost.

8. Cycle Menu
 Itis a planned set of menus that
rotates at intervals of five days or
more weeks.
 This type also provides a balanced
diet and it enables production and
service to be monitored.