What is the goal of menu planning?

The goal of menu planning is to create a predictable intake of calories and nutrients. Menu planning is often practiced by people trying to lose weight, athletes trying to recondition their bodies or people with medical conditions affected by food intake, such as diabetics.

When people eat without planning their meals, they run the risk of emotional eating or eating junk food for convenience. Meal planning minimizes these risks by creating a regular schedule for meals, ideally including the calorie and nutrient count for each meal. Meal planning ensures that healthy choices are always on hand, reducing the risk of making poor nutritional decisions due to a lack of options.