The Commission and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing are committed to supporting improvements to food, nutrition and dining in aged care. We are collaborating to deliver a free national Menu and Mealtime Review Program for residential aged care services over 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years.
This program offers providers an opportunity to prepare for the introduction of the new Standard 6: Food and nutrition of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards. The food and nutrition standard, which comes into effect for providers of residential aged care on 1 November 2025, is about partnering with older people to find out what they like to eat and drink. It is also about providing meals and drinks that align with needs and preferences. This includes regularly reviewing menus and mealtime service to make sure the meals, drinks and dining experience are tailored to individual needs.
We received many nominations and reviews are underway. Feedback from participating services tells us that providers find the review and recommendations helpful. They have said they value this external expert support.
Expression of interest to take part in the third round are now closed.
Providers who applied have been notified on the outcome of their application via email. If you have applied and have not received this email please contact us.
We may have a limited number of places available later this year.
If your service did not participate in the previous rounds and would like to join the waiting list, please complete this form.
Please note, joining the waiting list does not guarantee a review of service. We will prioritise services that meet the characteristics outlined on this page.
About the program
Up to 500 residential aged care services can receive a menu and mealtime review in the financial year 2025-26.
These services will be supported with expert assessment and recommendations from Accredited Practising Dietitians. This will include feedback and recommendations specific to each service.
- Completely free and confidential
- Conducted on-site by an Accredited Practising Dietitian
- Customised feedback and recommendations
The on-site menu and mealtime review provided by the Accredited Practising Dietitian will include:
- introductory meetings with management staff
- evaluation of the menu
- assessment of the dining environment and mealtime experience including how well it supports residents to eat and drink safely and happily (enjoyment)
- review of documents describing delivery of good food, nutrition and dining
- a written report and feedback meeting to support continuous improvement.
The Commission does not get a copy of the menu and mealtime review report. The report is confidential to the provider, the residential aged care service and the assessing dietitian.
A short summary report will be completed by the attending Accredited Practising Dietitian and provided to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing to be used for policy development purposes only.
The residential aged care service will be invited to participate in a brief online survey offered by the Commission about their experience of the review to assist in program evaluation. Services can choose to do so anonymously.
Eligibility for this program is limited to residential aged care services. That includes National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program and multipurpose services.
Participation will be prioritised for:
- aged care services in small rural towns, remote communities and very remote communities
- residential services under the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program
- small providers that have 1-2 services and medium providers that have 3-10 services
- smaller services (with 60 or less residents)
- services with a score lower than 3 on the Residents’ Experience Survey question, ‘Do you like the food here?’
If there remains capacity in the program, a limited number of services that do not meet these criteria may be selected once we have completed our prioritisation.
Enquiries about the program
For further enquiries about the Menu and Mealtime Review Program please contact us via:
- info@agedcarequality.gov.au (using subject ‘Menu and mealtime review program enquiry’)
- call the Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline on 1800 844 044 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday).
