An assessment of menu planning strategies of catering officers of some selected senior high schools in Bolgatanga

Abstract

Menu planning is one of the important activities of food and beverages operations executed by a team comprising the restaurant manager, the executive chef and catering officers. The purpose of the study is to assess menu planning strategies of catering officers of some selected Senior High Schools in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. As well, the study sought to achieve challenges associated with menu planning of catering officers in some selected Senior High Schools in Bolgatanga, effects of menu planning on food operations and lastly appropriate strategies that will improve menu planning of catering officers. A descriptive method was used for the study. Questionnaires and observation were used as data collection instrument in obtaining information from the respondents using some selected schools within the research area. Specifically, a sample size of 50 were used for the study. The field data or responses were further analyzed using Social Package for Scientific Studies (SPSS) and Excel. The study revealed that nutritional adequacy, students’ interest and time for planning were the major challenges associated with menu planning. Again, the study revealed that dissatisfaction of individual and individual health complications were the major effects of poor menu planning on food operations. Moreover, the study recommended that, proper measures such as effective timing, individual satisfaction, individual health and wellbeing should be highly considered when planning menu because poor menu planning might eventually lead to dissatisfaction of individual which may finally lead to additional cost on the institution.