Catering
cultural dietary needs. It is important to remember dietary
practices between and within different faiths can be diverse, so it is essential to understand the differences and not make assumptions. Some residents may exclude certain foods from their diet, while others may have specific dietary requirements such as halal or kosher. For other residents, they may choose
to change their diet or fast at certain times of year. Fasting for Ramadan, for example, needs changes in routine as food would need to be provided before sunrise and after sunset. Communication is key - the best way to
understand what is suitable for a resident is to ask them or speak to their relatives. In addition to religious beliefs, it is
important to consider catering for a diverse range of cultures. As food can be emotive and a source of comfort to many, catering teams should try to include meals or ingredients residents would have traditionally cooked and eaten at home when planning menus. However, we understand how the
introduction of ingredients such as okra or dhal, which may be a comfort to some residents, may be too bold or adventurous for others. With many homes looking to reduce food waste and operate as efficiently as possible, cooking multiple meals from scratch may not be a viable option. In this instance, care homes may want to consider using individual prepared meals. Apetito, for example, offers an ethnic range of prepared meals.
One of the most effective measures to ensure a successful operation is to give all staff involved in the catering operation extensive training in food allergy management
Catering for a texture modified diet When catering for a resident living with dysphagia, catering teams should be aware of two things. Firstly, dysphagia is a difficult condition to cater for: providing a diet of the incorrect texture can be extremely unsafe, leading residents to choke and increasing risk of infection. Secondly, time should also be spent
ensuring meals are great tasting, nutritious and visually appealing. Often, the importance of making meals appealing and nutritious is overlooked, as staff focus on ensuring meals are of the correct texture. Undeniably, this is an important
aspect of maintaining the residents’ safety. However, there is no nutritional value to a meal left uneaten, so it is vital meals also taste good and are presented in an appealing manner. For those making their own texture
modified meals in house, caterers will need to be comfortable with International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI)
guidelines and confident carrying out the tests required to ensure texture compliancy. Caterers also need to be aware of
ensuring the nutritional content of meals and the visual appearance. Simply blending meals together produces unidentifiable, unattractive food that has reduced nutritional value and no guaranteed texture and taste. To guarantee nutritional content and
improve safety, it is advised caterers consider moving to a prepared meal option. These pre-moulded, softer, individual portions are nutritionally balanced in line with British Dietetic Association guidelines and holds its shape after cooking, so it looks appetising. Moreover, these meals are pureed to the correct consistency and are fully compliant with the IDDSI framework. Whichever route caterers choose to
take, it is important for residents following a texture modified diet are offered a choice to suit their dietary preferences and are offered variety
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www.thecarehomeenvironment.com• December 2020
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