Resource list
I am going to make an egg and avocado salad, tabbouleh and chewy granola bars. To drink I am making a vegetable cocktail.
Ingredients
Egg and Avocado Salad
1 ripe avocado
1 egg, hard boiled
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped chives
4 lettuce leaves
4 sprigs watercress
Handful of mustard and cress
1/2 small red pepper
Dressing
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tabbouleh
90 g burghul
20 g mint leaves finely chopped
60 g parsley, finely chopped
1 onion finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
Tomato, for garnish
Chewy Granola Bars
25 g ground almonds
25 g walnuts
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 level tablespoons honey
50 g moist light brown sugar
100g oat flakes
25 g desiccated coconut
25g sesame seeds
Vegetable Cocktail
2 sprigs of watercress
Half a stick of celery
2 tomatoes
Half a carrot
1/2 inch piece of cucumber
Thin slice of peeled onion
1 level tablespoon tomato purÉe
Salt and pepper
Preparation
Preparation of all the vegetables will require a chopping board, a chopping board for the onion and suitable knifes.
Tabbouleh
Bowl,
Sieve,
Mixing bowl.
Egg and Avocado Salad
Sauce pan,
Mixing bowl,
Small bowl.
Chewy Granola Bars
Mixing bowl,
7" by 11" tin.
Vegetable cocktail
Liquidiser.
Packaging
Tin foil,
Small, round plastic box,
Small, square plastic box,
Ice pack,
Plastic cup,
Napkin,
Insulated picnic bag,
Plastic cutlery.
Time Plan
Preparation - Pre heat oven to 350°F/180°C. Wash hands. Collect ingredients and wash fruit and vegetables. Grease 7" by 11" tin.
Conclusion
The RNI of protein for pregnant women is 51g. The meal contained no meat or fish (good sources of protein) because the woman is a vegetarian, but it still contained enough protein. In the egg and avocado salad there was an egg which contained approximately 7.5g of protein. The burghul from the tabbouleh contained approximately 8.73g of protein. The almonds, walnuts and sesame seed from the chewy granola bars contain an approximate total of 9.575g of protein. This means that the total amount of protein in the meal is 25.805g. This is about half of the RNI, so this is probably too much protein as she probably has two other meals during the day. In order for the amount of protein in this packed lunch suitable for a pregnant woman, she would have to make sure that she does not have too much protein in her other meals. There is also a small amount of protein in other foods in the meal so the protein content the meal is even higher.
The RNI of folic acid for a pregnant woman is 0.4mg. The packed meal contains green leafy vegetables (lettuce, watercress), so it should contain enough folic acid for one meal. However, it is unlikely that it contains enough for an entire day. The pregnant woman must make sure that the other meals she eats foods such as green leafy vegetables, beans, asparagus, citrus fruits and juices and whole grain foods. She should also take folic acid supplements(women planning pregnancy should begin taking supplements 12 weeks before conception).
The RNI of iron for a woman is 14.8mg. Pregnant women need extra iron. The packed lunch contains nuts, egg and watercress so it should contain enough iron for the meal. Vitamin C is important for the absorption of iron. It is also needed to maintain the body's connective tissue, heal wounds and protect against some infections and disease - a deficiency may lead to scurvy. Because vitamin C is soluble, it cannot be stored in the body, so it must be eaten every day. Watercress is also high in vitamin C, and the meal also contains lettuce so there should be enough vitamin C.
I have made sure that there is no risk of listeria from soft cheeses and not used liver, which contains too much vitamin A. Although I did use an egg, it was hard-boiled, so that there was no risk of salmonella and I used store-bought mayonnaise.
Most people would probably enjoy this meal. It has a variety of tastes and textures. The tabbouleh was crumbly, but also soft and was sour because of the lemon. The egg and avocado would have been smooth and creamy. The granola bars were sweet and crunchy. Although there was a lot of green in the meal, it had other colours (such as red peppers and tomatoes) which made it look more interesting.
It is suitable as a packed meal because it compact and easy to carry and is well packed so that the food will not spill or fall out. But it is enough for a whole meal and contains the correct dietary requirements for a pregnant woman (although it contains too much protein for one meal). It is important to keep food cool so that it will stay fresh and not go off, so I have used an insulated picnic bag, with an ice pack.
It contains no meat, fish or poultry, so it is suitable for a lacto-ovo vegetarian. Because these are rich in protein, it is important that vegetarians get sufficient protein from other foods. I have made sure that there is enough protein in the meal without using meat, fish or poultry.
Although pregnant women do need more from their food (especially those in the third trimester), it is not true that they should eat for two. The meal is sufficient for most pregnant women.
Evaluation
I am quite pleased with my plan. I think that my priorities are important for a pregnant woman although I could have mentioned that they also need plenty of dietary fibre (NSP) in their diet.
I found that most of the things I needed were on my resource list, except for spoons for measuring out ingredients. The time plan was mostly easy to follow, and I found that I got most things done in time. I soaked the burghul first because it would take the longest, without me doing anything to it and I prepared the vegetables second because they would be needed throughout the practical.
I could have kept my work surface tidier, but it was hygienic and safe. I kept the work bench clean and made sure that boiling water would not spill. I followed the time plan closely, but if I finished a task early, I did some washing up, so that I would have less to do later on. If I spent too long on a task, I managed to catch up quickly, but if I do it again, I should plan my time better.
I think that my meal was presented quite well. The food seemed quite colourful, as the tabbouleh was garnished with tomatoes and the egg and avocado salad, with red peppers. All of the packaging matched, which I think improved presentation. I should have made sure that there weren't so many crumbs from the granola bars though.
Overall, I think I did quite well, and I now know that I need to plan my time more carefully.