Daily Meal Planning System

• US 20120031805A1
• Filed: 08/09/2011
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kathleen K. Stolarczyk
• Original Assignee: Kathleen K. Stolarczyk
• Inventors: Stolarczyk, Kathleen K.
• Application Number:
  US13/206,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20120031805A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/541
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/20 Lunch or picnic boxes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/006 for either storing and preparing or for preparing food on serving trays, e.g. heating, thawing, preserving

Abstract

A daily meal planning system may include plates, cups, bowls, measuring scoops, lunch boxes, trays, mats, and other eating utensils that are sized in proportion to the nutritional needs of a user, based upon a user'"'"'s age, height, and/or weight. Additionally the daily meal planning system may include a plurality of food wells or segregated areas, each food well or segregated area may include an indicium that indicates a color of food to be placed in the given food well or segregated area. By varying the colors of food within a food group throughout the day, the daily meal planning system ensures that a user receives at least a recommended amount of nutrition for the user'"'"'s age, height, and/or weight.

Claims

1. A daily meal planning system comprising:

a meal planning device including at least one of;

at least one segregated area, the at least one segregated area having a plurality of interchangeable indicia, each indicia indicating a food group to be placed on the at least one segregated area; and

at least one food well, the at least one food well including indicia that indicate a food group to be placed within the at least one food well,

wherein the at least one segregated area and the at least one food well each map a nutritionally sufficient amount of a particular food group to meet dietary guidelines for a user for a given meal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the meal planning device is a first meal planning plate having a first top surface;

and

a first plurality of food wells are formed in the first top surface, each food well in the first plurality of food wells forming a volume between a bottom of the food well and an intersection of the food well and the first top surface, at least two food wells in the first plurality of food wells having different volumes.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a second meal planning device wherein the second meal planning device is a second meal planning plate having a second top surface;

and

a second plurality of food wells that are formed in the second top surface, each food well in the second plurality of food wells forming a volume between a bottom of the food well and an intersection of the food well and the second top surface, at least two food wells in the second plurality of food wells having different volumes.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising a third meal planning device wherein the third meal planning device is a third meal planning plate having a third top surface;

and

a third plurality of food wells that are formed in the third top surface, each food well in the third plurality of food wells forming a volume between a bottom of the food well and an intersection of the food well and the third top surface, at least two food wells in the third plurality of food wells having different volumes.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one food well in the first plurality of food wells has a volume that is approximately equal to a nutritionally sufficient volume of food from one food group for a user, at least one food well in the second plurality of food wells has a volume that is approximately equal to a nutritionally sufficient volume of food from one food group for the user, and at least one food well in the third plurality of food wells has a volume that is approximately equal to a nutritionally sufficient volume of food from one food group for the user, when used together, the first meal planning device, the second meal planning device, and the third meal planning device define a nutritionally sufficient daily meal plan for the user.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein at least one food well in the first plurality of food wells may include a first indicim representing a first food group and a first color of food to be placed within the at least one food well, and at least one food well in the second plurality of food wells may include a second indicum representing a second food group and a second color of food to be placed within the at least one food well in the second plurality of food wells, the first and second colors being different and the first and second food groups being the same.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a see-through window in the segregated area.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of food group cards, each food group card being insertable into a slot in the meal planning device and viewable through the window.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a first raised rim at least partially surrounding the food well.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first raised rim has a first color that is the same as a color of food indicated by a first indicium located in the first food well.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising a second raised rim at least partially surrounding a second food well.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the second raised rim has a second color that is the same as a color of food indicated by a second indicium located in the second food well.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the first color is different from the second color.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a perimeter rim extending around a perimeter of the device.

15. A set of measuring scoops, the set of measuring scoops being sized to provide nutritionally sufficient volumes of given food groups for one or more nutritious meals per day for a user, the set of measuring scoops comprising:

a first scoop including a first food well having a concave shaped first bottom surface, the first food well being connected to a first handle portion by a first base portion;

a second scoop including a second food well having a concave shaped second bottom surface, the second food well being connected to a second handle portion by a second base portion; and

a third scoop including a third food well having a concave shaped third bottom surface, the third food well being connected to a third handle portion by a third base portion,

wherein volumes of the first food well, the second food well, and the third food well are based upon a user to measure nutritionally sufficient volumes of food for the user for different food groups, when used together, the first scoop, the second scoop, and the third scoop measure nutritionally sufficient food volumes of different food groups, the nutritionally sufficient food volumes forming a well-balanced and nutritionally sufficient meal.

16. The set of scoops of claim 15, wherein the first handle portion includes a recessed area.

17. The set of scoops of claim 16, wherein the recessed area includes an opening.

18. The set of scoops of claim 17, further comprising a ring sized to be disposed in the opening to temporarily connect the first scoop, the second scoop, and the third scoop together.

19. The set of scoops of claim 15, the first handle portion including a first indicium indicative of a first food group.

20. The set of scoops of claim 19, wherein the first handle portion may include a first picture indicative of the first food group.

21. A set of portion drinking cups, the set of portion drinking cups being sized to provide nutritionally sufficient volumes of given liquids for a user, the set of portion drinking cups comprising:

a first portion drinking cup having a first reservoir for holding a first liquid, the first reservoir having a first opening, and a first lid for covering the first opening, the first portion drinking cup having a first liquid measuring component indicative of a volume of the first liquid approximately equal to a single serving of the first liquid for a user; and

a second portion drinking cup having a second reservoir for holding a second liquid, the second reservoir having a second opening, and a second lid for covering the second opening, the second measuring cup having a second liquid measuring component indicative of a volume of the second liquid approximately equal to a single serving of the second liquid for a user.

22. The set of portion drinking cups of claim 21, wherein the first portion drinking cup has a second lid that is interchangeable with the first lid, the first lid defining a straw and the second lid defining a spout.

23. The set of portion cups of claim 21, wherein the first portion cup may include a plurality of liquid measuring components.

24. A portion drinking cup, the portion drinking cup being sized to provide nutritionally sufficient volumes of given liquids for a user, the portion drinking cup comprising:

a reservoir for holding a liquid, the reservoir having an opening, and a lid for covering the opening,

a first liquid measuring component indicative of a volume of a first liquid approximately equal to a single serving of the first liquid for a user; and

a second liquid measuring component indicative of a volume of a second liquid approximately equal to a single serving of the second liquid for a user.

25. A meal planning kit for a user, the meal planning kit comprising at least one of:

a set of meal plates having;

a first plate having a first top surface;

a first plurality of food wells formed in the first top surface, each food well in the first plurality of food wells fowling a volume between a bottom of the food well and an intersection of the food well and the first top surface, at least two food wells in the first plurality of food wells having different volumes;

a second plate having a second top surface;

a second plurality of food wells formed in the second top surface, each food well in the second plurality of food wells forming a volume between a bottom of the food well and an intersection of the food well and the second top surface, at least two food wells in the second plurality of food wells having different volumes; and

a third plate having a third top surface;

a third plurality of food wells formed in the third top surface, each food well in the third plurality of food wells forming a volume between a bottom of the food well and an intersection of the food well and the third top surface, at least two food wells in the third plurality of food wells having different volumes;

a set of measuring scoops having;

a first scoop including a first food well having a concave shaped first bottom surface, the first food well being connected to a first handle portion by a first rubberized base portion;

a second scoop including a second food well having a concave shaped second bottom surface, the second food well being connected to a second handle portion by a second rubberized base portion; and

a third scoop including a third food well having a concave shaped third bottom surface, the third food well being connected to a third handle portion by a third rubberized base portion;

a set of portion drinking cups having;

a first portion drinking cup having a first reservoir for holding a first liquid, the first reservoir having a first opening, and a first lid for covering the first opening, the first portion drinking cup having a first liquid measuring component indicative of a volume of the first liquid equal to a single serving of the first liquid for a child of a given age; and

a second portion drinking cup having a second reservoir for holding a second liquid, the second reservoir having a second opening, and a second lid for covering the second opening, the second measuring cup having a second liquid measuring component indicative of a volume of the second liquid equal to a single serving of the second liquid for a child of a given age; and

a plurality of eating utensils, each eating utensil having;

a fork portion;

a spoon portion; and

a knife portion,

the fork portion, spoon portion, and knife portion each being attached to a body of the eating utensil.

26. A set of meal planning devices, the set of meal planning devices providing a daily nutritional map for a user, the set of meal planning devices comprising:

a first meal planning device having a first top surface;

a first plurality of segregated areas formed on the first top surface, each segregated area in the first plurality of segregated areas forming an area on the first top surface, at least two segregated areas in the first plurality of segregated areas having different areas;

a second meal planning device having a second top surface;

a second plurality of segregated areas formed on the second top surface, each segregated area in the second plurality of segregated areas forming an area on the second top surface, at least two segregated areas in the second plurality of segregated areas having different areas;

a third meal planning device having a third top surface;

a third plurality of segregated areas formed on the third top surface, each segregated area in the third plurality of segregated areas forming an area on the third top surface, at least two segregated areas in the third plurality of segregated areas having different areas,

wherein the first meal planning device is a breakfast meal planning device and at least one segregated area in the first plurality of segregated areas has an area that is equal to a nutritionally sufficient area of food from one food group for a user, the second meal planning device is a lunch meal planning device and at least one segregated area in the second plurality of segregated areas has an area that is approximately equal to a nutritionally sufficient area of food from one food group for a user, and the third meal planning device is a dinner meal planning device and at least one segregated area in the third plurality of segregated areas has an area that is approximately equal to a nutritionally sufficient area of food from one food group for a user, when used together, the first meal planning device, the second meal planning device, and the third meal planning device define a nutritionally sufficient daily meal plan for a user.