Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for preparing a series of daily menus that include foods having preselected characteristics. The menus are prepared from a list containing numerous food items, the caloric content of each item, which food group each item resides, and the applicability of each item for a particular meal. The daily menus are created from the items in the list in a manner such that each meal in each menu only includes items which are applicable to that meal, each meal has items from each of a preselected number of food groups, and each meal has a predetermined caloric content. After the menus are formed, selected items in the menus can be replaced, with each replacement item being applicable for the particular meal, being in the same food group, and having the same caloric content as the item that is replaced.