Catering


You’ll never dine alone: the power of social mealtimes


Rachel Sipaul, senior dietitian at apetito and Wiltshire Farm Foods Professional, explains why eating with others is so important for care home residents’ physical and mental wellbeing


Food is far more than simply fuel and nutrition – it is an important part of daily life, turning mealtimes in to a social occasion that creates shared experiences and fosters meaningful relationships. Whether gathered around a family dinner table, celebrating special occasions, or enjoying a meal with friends, food serves as a universal language in bringing people together – and simply tastes better when eating with company. And this magic of mealtimes should not be lost for those living in care. The dining room sits at the heart of every care home, providing a time for residents to not only savour great tasting food, but come together as a community to enjoy companionship and build connections. If only we could promise this to all older adults that are cared for, an idea that embraces the wonderful traditions of eating a meal with friends and family. Coupled with an appetising meal and an engaging dining environment, these are all key factors that can improve dietary intake. This is particularly important for residents in care homes; how the food looks, and the environment residents dine in can be just as important as the nutritional quality of the meal in front of them.


To better understand this concept, the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing looked at the impact social isolation can have on nutritional intakes in over 3,500 older adults living in the community.1 They found that those living alone and having less contact with others had a lower nutritional intake, highlighting an important relationship between living alone and eating less. Knowing this helps


September 2025 www.thecarehomeenvironment.com


to explain why the risk factor of living alone is often seen in older adults who are malnourished (under-weight).2 This therefore leads to the question, if eating alone means you eat less, can eating with others help you eat more? The answer for residents in care homes, is most definitely ‘yes’!


Enhancing the dining environment Studies have shown that the dining environment – looking at the physical, social, and organisational components – can have a positive impact on the resident’s mealtime experience. A ‘social environment’, engaging the resident in an enjoyable mealtime with others, such as a communal dining room with carefully designed seating arrangements, has been shown to support an increased dietary intake.3


placed on a white plate was considered sweeter and more palatable than the same food presented on a black plate.4


This means


that changes such as the colour of the tablecloth, general room décor and set up, modified cutlery and cups, verbal prompts, or sitting next to a friend can all help.5 It is important to remember that staff


also have a central role in creating a warm and compassionate atmosphere too. Making sure that carers take the time to engage with residents during mealtimes not only ensures that residents feel valued but also allows staff to monitor residents’ wellbeing and identify changes in appetite or eating patterns.


Likewise, when the physical aspects


of the environment were addressed such as adequate lighting or a strong contrast of colours of the table, plate and food, dietary energy intakes also significantly improved. For example, a strawberry flavoured mousse


The magic of mealtimes should not be lost for those living in care


Thoughtful plate presentation In addition to the environment, having an appetising, attractive meal is also essential to eating well. Although most people will say taste is the most important characteristic of food, usually the first sensory cue we have is sight of the meal. There is truth to the saying ‘we eat with our eyes’. It has been shown that improving the look of the meal by presenting it in a more attractive way, or by considering the food arrangements on the plate can lead to an increased intake.5


This means ensuring


that the portion size is not over-whelming, meal components are neatly defined, and the plate is well balanced in terms of colours and


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