FOOD & DRINK THRIVING TOGETHER
Danielle Smith, Head of Nutrition at procurement and food management consultancy specialists Added Value Enterprises Ltd (AVE), shares advice on transforming care home nutrition to enhance resident wellbeing.
Across the care sector, there’s a growing recognition that food is more than fuel. It’s central to residents’ health, comfort, and sense of belonging. Yet, for many operators, nutrition still sits in a compliance box – something to be managed, rather than maximised.
At AVE, we believe it’s time to move beyond meeting standards and start developing food strategies that truly enhance quality of life. That means
working hand in hand with care operators to build menus that are not only compliant but also personalised and evidence-based and fulfilling.
Traditional menus oſten focus on what to avoid: less salt, less sugar, fewer fats. While those principles still matter, they’re not the whole picture. In practice, what’s missing is a focus on what to add such as foods that support gut health and long-term wellbeing.
When I work with catering teams, we talk about bringing food to life by introducing variety, colour, and texture, and incorporating more whole vegetables, fibre-rich foods, and natural ingredients. Many homes are also beginning to reduce reliance on ultra-processed foods, something we can review for clients. By analysing menus for both nutrition and sustainability, we can identify areas for improvement and suggest simple, realistic swaps and tips that boost nutritional value and resident satisfaction.
One of the most exciting developments in care catering we’ve adopted is the use of data-led menu scoring. At AVE, we’ve developed a system that rates menus from A to E across two dimensions – nutrition and sustainability. This enables operators to analyse their menus and make quick, high-impact changes.
This approach turns menu planning into a more strategic process. It enables care homes to access recipe systems, compare performance, and receive tailored recommendations: for example, how to improve fibre intake or reduce waste without compromising on the nutritional value. The more data care homes have, the more they can flex and adapt to meet their residents’ needs with confidence.
Nutrition doesn’t begin and end with the menu, it is brought to life by the people who prepare and serve the meals every day – that’s why staff training is such a valuable investment.
Through our consultancy work with clients in the care sector, we’ve seen how initiatives like hydration and diabetes training, pop-up nutrition days, and nutrition champion programmes can transform a team’s confidence and understanding of nutrition. When staff understand why nutrition matters and how to put it into practice, they become true ambassadors for resident wellbeing.
38
For homes without in-house nutritionists or dietitians, external consultants can fill an important gap. We can provide training materials, videos and Q&A resources that support teams in understanding topics such allergies, texture-modified diets and the practicalities of health promotion.
With extensive expertise in healthcare catering, we are well- versed in the standards that govern the sector, from the The British Dietetic Association’s Nutrition and Hydration Digest to food safety legislation. But compliance should be the starting point, not the finish line.
Every care home population is unique; menus should reflect not only medical and dietary needs, but also cultural preferences and personal histories.
At its best, nutrition consultancy isn’t just about food, it’s about fostering a culture of wellbeing. That means creating regular feedback mechanisms, reviewing menus every six months and using data insights to keep standards high and menus dynamic.
With the right partnerships, catering in care homes can move from re-active nutrition to pro-active wellbeing and ensure that every meal is an opportunity to nourish and to care.
https://a-v-e.com
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42
