OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
10 Tried-and-True Methods That Can
Take a Bite Out of Food Costs By Sara Wildberger
V
oices of experience from the senior living culinary world share their tips for efficiency, engagement,
and avoiding waste. 1. Go seasonal and local when you can.
This makes for better quality and lower costs, but it also pays off in other ways, points out Morrison Living: with increased engagement and curiosity among residents about what’s new, by forging community connections among local farms and ven- dors, and in lower energy use for transport. 2. Make a meal an occasion. Particular- ly during times when in-room dining was required, senior living staff came up with some brilliant ideas to promote and special occasions and themes—personalized cookie kits, flowers, celebrations of regional and heritage cuisines. Taking time out for fun can have add up to better health in a com- munity: staff get creative, positivity replaces loneliness, and food tastes better (so less is wasted). 3. Explore new options in grab-and-go.
These items can increase quality and choice while decreasing labor needed, says Mor- rison Living, which has recently welcomed Sally, the Salad Robot to its team. It’s a vending machine that creates a custom sal- ad to order—base, toppings, and dressing. But robotics isn’t required to offer sand-
wiches, salads, and desserts for grab-and-go, and the quality of these items today is far above the pre-made sandwiches of the past. During COVID-19, many communities had to use pre-made and wrapped foods in order to stay within health guidelines. One side effect was culinary’s increased familiarity with how to source, make, and keep these items at their best for residents—and anoth- er was the chance for a little more freedom of choice during a tough time.
Motion Picture & Television Fund CEO Bob Beitcher and Morrison Living general manager Javier Ruelas visit Sally the Salad Robot, a vending machine that provides 300 customizable menu items and touchless QR code ordering.
4. Thaw correctly. Frozen foods offer
great variety, taste, and nutrition but can lose these if not properly handled. “Thaw food under refrigeration—not at room tem- perature—and covered,” counsels Mandy Sedlak, RS/REHS, food safety and public health manager at Ecolab. “Thawing food under running water can cause yield loss and decrease quality. When thawing food under running water is necessary, put food in a closed bag under running water of less than 70 degrees.”
34 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 5. Pare down your menu. This startling
recommendation comes from Darren Tristano, CEO at FoodserviceResults. Here’s why it works: It requires that you get to know your residents and their tastes better, focusing on high-demand items and personalizing in a way that’s not possible with an overly large menu. “Managing your menu requires an
understanding of which items [residents] order more frequently … Moving low-de- mand items off the menu can optimize
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