Your residents rely on you to provide them with healthy and nutritional food each day, including two main meals with at least one being hot. What’s also important is to offer a varied menu. Giving residents a choice by updating menu cycles regularly helps minimise repetition and makes meal times more enjoyable. Why not invite residents to help with the menu planning, they will be eating the food after all!
Each main meal should consist of:
- Protein source – This can be beans, pulses, fish (two portions each week, one of which should be oily fish), eggs, meat or meat alternatives.
- Carbohydrate source – Including potatoes, bread, rice, couscous or pasta. For extra fibre, leave the skin on potatoes and choose wholegrain/wholemeal bread, wholewheat pasta and brown rice
- At least one portion of vegetables or salad - all fresh, frozen and canned varieties count towards your residents 5-a-day. A portion is 80g or roughly three heaped tablespoons of vegetables. A portion of salad is a bit bigger, about a dessert bowl full.
TOP MAIN MEAL TIPS & RECIPES:
- Offer residents a choice of dishes at each meal time.
- Cater for the different diet preferences including vegetarian and vegan. Why not try this no meat alterative to the classic Cottage Pie.
- Make sure to provide at least one hot meal each day.
- Cater for those with different religious and cultural needs.
- Offer your residents a suitable portion size to help avoid malnutrition.
- Cater for special dietary needs such as higher energy (fortified), texture modified and gluten free. This traditional Beef and Vegetable Casserole with Cobbler Top tastes great and has the added benefit of being gluten free.
