Enhancing the Dining Experience in Healthcare Catering

Enhancing the Dining Experience in Care Homes

For care home residents, mealtimes aren’t just about nutrition. The overall dining experience in healthcare catering – from the atmosphere to the table settings – impacts their enjoyment of food and ability to eat independently. Here are tips for catering staff to provide an optimal dining environment.

Creating a Positive Mealtime Atmosphere

The backdrop to a meal can set the tone for the resident’s mindset and appetite. Follow these tips to make dining more pleasant.

1. Play calming and relaxing instrumental music at a moderate volume during meals to create a soothing ambience. Avoid loud TVs which can be distracting.
2. Use appealing tablecloths. Use colourful, stain-resistant tablecloths to give tables a more formal, restaurant-like feel. Change them out seasonally or for holidays. Working in healthcare catering is more than just supplying meals and support for residents, it is creating a happy and healthy environment for residents.
3. Incorporate centrepieces. Simple floral centrepieces, fruit bowls or candles can make tables more inviting. Vary centrepieces to coordinate with the menu theme.
4. Eliminate clutter with clear serving carts, extra dishes, and other clutter from the dining area to open up space. A peaceful setting supports a focus on food.
5. Let in natural light. Open blinds during mealtimes so residents can enjoy the sunlight and outdoor views, weather permitting. Daylight brightens the mood.
6. Seat residents with friends and assign seats so residents dine alongside friends for enjoyable social interaction. Companionship can stimulate their appetite.
7. Adapted tableware for independence. Specialised plates, cups and cutlery allow residents with limited dexterity to enjoy their meals with dignity.

Weighted Items

Weight the base of bowls, cups and plates so they don’t slide easily when the resident scoops or cuts food. This aids independence. Plates with High Sides: Use plates with raised edges to help residents push food onto their utensils. The sides prevent food from falling off. Non-slip placemats are great for supporting aided dining. Rubberised mesh placemats hold dishes in place and are washable. They provide stability during eating.

Built-Up Handles

1. Built-up cutlery handles make gripping easier for residents with arthritis or tremors. The extra thickness is easier to grasp.
2. Cups with two handles. Cups and mugs with two large handles allow residents with limited dexterity to lift them more steadily to their mouths.
3. Drinking aids for those physically unable to lift a cup, and devices like sippy cups with straws or nozzle cups promote independence.

Upholding Rigorous Food Safety Standards

1. Maintaining scrupulous food safety practices prevents illness and protects vulnerable residents and others working in healthcare catering roles. Monitor Temperatures. Use probe thermometers to verify foods are held and served at safe temperatures. Hot foods must be above 60°C and cold foods below 4°C.
2. Practice diligent hand hygiene. Catering staff must wash hands thoroughly before handling any food, after touching raw meats, after breaks, and frequently. Use gloves where appropriate.
3. Sanitise surfaces. Disinfect counters, cutting boards, and other surfaces frequently using approved sanitisers. Avoid cross-contamination between meats and other foods. Taking care of cleanliness is a crucial part of healthcare catering roles.

Follow Food Storage Rules

1. Label prepared foods with dates and times. Refrigerate promptly after cooking. Follow “first in, first out” guidelines to use the oldest food items first.
2. Enforce Illness Policy. Staff showing symptoms of communicable illness must not handle food. They must report symptoms to supervisors immediately.
3. Monitor stock rotations and check expiration and best-before dates when receiving food deliveries. Rotate soon-to-expire items to the front of storage.
4. Record temperature logs and maintain logs tracking fridge, freezer and warm holding unit temperatures and food reheat temperatures for auditing purposes.

Upholding gold standards around food safety is a vital responsibility for care home catering staff, keeping residents protected.

Another key method that some healthcare facilities use to increase the dining experience for their patients is through patient surveys. 

Providing an inviting, inclusive dining environment allows residents to reap the nutritional benefits of the meals you prepare. By addressing both food quality and presentation, you enable residents to thrive. For more information and support finding a role in healthcare catering get in touch with our team.