Case Study

Mr. Garcia is a 73-year-old Hispanic man from Mexico that is now living in Louisiana. He has lived in American for the last 22 years working as a migrant farm laborer moving from place to place based on the seasons crops. He has been retired for 4 years and now resides permanently in Louisiana. He continues to be active and raises a small garden. He and his wife continue to enjoy eating their usual Mexican cuisine as often as they can. At his last physician appointment, he weighed 172 lbs. and was 5'8" tall. A 24-hour food recall shows the following intake:

Breakfast:Breakfast Tostado consisting of 1 corn tortilla, ¼ cup vegetable oil, ¼ oz. canned refried beans ½ avocado, 3 tbsp. minced red onion, dash of lemon juice 3 tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese, 2 tsp. butter, 1 large egg, 3 tbsp. jarred salsa

1 cup of coffee with 1 tsp. nondairy creamer and 2 tsp. sugar

Fresh Orange

Lunch: From Fast Food Restaurant (Taco Bandido) Small Salad, 2 Meat Burritos with 1 extra container sour cream, Diet Coke.

Dinner:1 cup Tortilla Soup (Homemade recipe that serves 8--recipe follows)

1 small package of Doritos, 1 Glass unsweetened Iced Tea, ½ cup ice cream

Snack:Fresh Papaya with 2 String Cheese

Recipe ingredients for Tortilla Soup (8 servings)

2 tbsp. Italian Dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 can (14 ½ oz. each) reduced sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 cups water
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast (1-1/2 lb.)
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
4 cups Tortilla chips (about 6 oz.) coarsely crushed
½ cup shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses
1/3 cup sour cream
1 large avocado, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1. Determine Mr. Garcia's estimated needs using the DRI calculator.

2. Develop a meal plan using MyPlate based on his needs.

3. Using the 24-hour intake record determine his intake. Compare these to his needs. Is he consuming all his vitamins and minerals? How does his calories compare to his needs?

4. How does his intake record compare to his meal plan?

5. What suggestions do you have to adjust his menu to meet his estimated needs?

6. Does Mr. Garcia need a vitamin/mineral supplement to meet his needs?

7. Would he and/or his wife qualify for any assistance programs while living in Louisiana?