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Fats, Oils, and Sweets
Fats, oils, and sweets are at the top of the food
pyramid and should be used sparingly. A low-fat style
of eating allows room for use of some fats and high-fat
foods. The idea is balance and moderation The food
pyramid suggests using added fats such as butter,
margarine, and salad dressing sparingly. It is helpful to
notice the amount of fat in these foods. Most of the
added sugar in the American diet comes from soft
drinks, candy,
Choose fewer
sweet desserts,
jams, jellies, syrups, and table sugar.
foods that are high in
and soft drinks.
MENU PLANNING
sugars-candy,
Menu planning in the Navy means devising meals
that are nutritionally adequate and acceptable to the
patrons. The term providing for food needs means that
enough nourishing food must be served to satisfy the
needs of the patrons and that this food should be
attractive and acceptable to these personnel. This
service must be accomplished consistently under
varying afloat and ashore operating conditions in widely
different geographic locations, using the foodservice
capabilities of your ship or station.
FACTORS AFFECTING MENUS
Many factors affect the menu planner’s choice of
foods for the menu. Nutritional requirements, portion
preferences, food costs, and availability of supplies are
discussed next.
Nutrient Levels
Navy menus should be planned according to the
principles of menu planning set forth in Foodservice
Operations, NAVSUP P-421. In the menu-planning and
nutrition education chapters of this publication,
guidelines for Navy GMs are given that will meet the
nutritional standards established by the Surgeon
General. Menu-planning principles in Foodservice
Operations are revised when nutrient standards are
revised by the triservice nutritional standards regulation
(Nutritional Allowances, Standards, and Education,
AR-40-25, NAVMEDCOMINST 10110.1, AFR
160-95). These military recommended dietary
allowances (MRDAs) are adapted from the most current
National Academy of Sciences/National Research
Council publication
Recommended Dietary
Allowances. Nutritional science is in a growth phase.
New guidelines are based on new understandings of the
relationship of nutrition and health.
Monetary Allowances
Economic factors invariably concern all menu
planners. GMs are operated on a monetary ration
allowance. The Navy Food Service Systems Office
(NAVFSSO) publishes a list of fixed unit prices
quarterly. This is used in pricing food items issued to
the messes and in the monetary values of the basic daily
allowance, supplementary allowances, and special
allowances.
The value of the basic allowance is
developed from the standard Department of Defense
Food Cost Index that contains a representative list of
specific quantities of food items derived from the Navy
Ration Law and the current Defense Personnel Support
Center Price List. The basic daily food allowance is
sufficient to feed a full daily ration under normal
operating conditions. It is expected that, with proper
management, an underexpenditure will exist at the end
of the accounting period. This requires effective menu
planning, control of issues, correct inventory
procedures, food conservation programs, and a daily
review of ration costs.
Food Item Restrictions
Food item restrictions should be considered. The
Federal Supply Catalog, Group 89, Subsistence, lists
all the food items procured for the armed services. Only
foods listed and coded on the NAVSUP Form 1059 may
be used in Navy GMs.
To request a new food item, consult the introduction
to the Federal Supply Catalog, Group 89, Subsistence,
for Navy procedures.
Seasonal Availability of Food Items
Seasonal availability of food is important in that
menus should be adjusted to take advantage of seasonal
changes in the supply of fresh produce. Canned, frozen,
or dehydrated fruits, juices, and vegetables supplement
the fresh menu items and are comparable in nutritive
value.
Equipment Personnel, and Storage Facilities
Limited storage space, especially on small craft
deployed on long cruises, prevents the use of many
perishable food items. Menus for these activities should
plan to use custom foods extensively to take best
advantage of available storage space. Menus for such
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