ahead.

A few minutes spent planning can eliminate many emergency trips to the grocery store and frantic efforts to get dinner on the table. Your plan may be very simple -- such as always deciding what you will prepare for supper before you leave home in the morning, or quite complex -- such as planning dinner menus in advance for a full week, and coordinating the menus with weekly grocery specials.

Chances are that your grocery purchases remain fairly constant from one week to the next. How do your usual purchases and family favourites fit into the basic four food groups? Use your favourite choices as the starting point in planning nutritious meals. Try to include items from at least three of the four food groups at every meal.

Deciding upon the meat or main course is usually the starting point for a meal plan. Establish a seven day cycle of meats (or vegetarian entrees), leaving lots of opportunities for variety and flexibility in your basic plan.

Since you probably already have an "unofficial'' meal and shopping pattern, why not take advantage of this head start, and write it down? A typical supper pattern might look like the following: Monday -- beef or leftovers ("planned overs'') from Sunday dinner.

Tuesday -- chicken or turkey.

Wednesday -- pasta.

Thursday -- soup and/or sandwiches.

Friday -- fish or shellfish.

Saturday -- cheese, eggs, vegetarian entree or pizza.

Sunday -- a roast of beef, pork or lamb.

The most convenient system is to choose five or more quick and easy ideas for each entree category. For example, beef recipes might include a stir fry, simple toppings for broiled steak, meatballs, a taco salad, meatloaf, a crock pot stew, etc.

Next, focus on the side dishes needed to round out the meal -potatoes, rice, vegetables, salads, etc. Jot down several quick ideas for each of these categories as well. Combine all of your ideas into one "masterlist'' and tape it to the inside of a kitchen cabinet, or keep a copy in your wallet or purse.

Your "masterlist'' will be worth its weight in gold on those days when you are short of inspiration! Refer to your "masterlist'' as you write your tentative menu plans. Look at the finished plan with a critical eye. Have you included enough choices from all of the food groups? Are there too many salty, fried or high calorie items? Have you involved other family members in making decisions? Make any changes to your written plan before going to the grocery store. Take your plan along or simply condense your needs into a shopping list.

Flexibility is important, as unforeseen events can disrupt the best of plans.

A convenient substitution of a different food from the same basic food group, for example, noodles instead of rice, will provide similar nutritional value for your meal.

Bear in mind too, that meals don't have to be hot to be nutritious! A chef's salad with crusty rolls, or a sandwich of lean meat with salad, coleslaw or raw vegetable strips are quick and nutritious alternatives to traditional hot meals.

SERVING SIZE -- Remember to plan meals with fare from each of the food groups.

The above chart shows how to determine one portion size. The number of servings that are right for you depends on your age, sex, size and how active you are.