Mealtimes are more than just a break in the day for people in aged care. They’re essential for health, dignity and enjoyment of life.
It’s important to make meals nutritious. However, they also need to be appealing to people so they want to eat them and receive the benefits.
Planning and creating a menu that is healthy, safe and tasty takes teamwork.
The team
Residents can give you feedback about meals. They can tell you what foods they like. You can get regular feedback from your residents in different ways. Try surveys, focus groups and taste testing.
Chefs and cooks have the expertise in running kitchens and making tasty food that looks good. For example, they know:
- which herbs improve flavour
- what cooking methods to use
- how to make food look and smell delicious.
Chefs and cooks can also make sure menus use seasonal ingredients. Using seasonal produce in aged care menus is good in many ways. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are:
- cheaper
- more available
- full of flavour and nutrients.
When chefs use produce that’s in season, they can offer variety and freshness and keep costs down. That’s a win for residents and providers.
Dietitians are experts in nutrition. They can make sure each resident is supported to get the energy, protein, vitamins and minerals they need.
Speech pathologists assess people’s eating and drinking ability. They recommend how to safely adapt meals and identify suitable options for people who need texture-modified food or fluids.
The teamwork
A team that works together to create menus can design and adapt them to suit each service and its residents.
If the dietitian helping develop your menus isn’t from your organisation, it’s important that they understand the needs of the residents. They should work with your service to adapt their recommendations so they suit each person’s needs and preferences.
If you use the same menu at more than one aged care service, make sure it meets the needs of the residents at each service. What works at one service may not work at another, because people may have different:
- cultural needs
- dietary preferences
- health needs.
Set up a well-structured process to create menus. Combine feedback from residents, involvement from allied health professionals and the expertise of chefs and cooks when doing menu reviews. Soon you’ll be providing meals that nourish the body and uplift the spirit – bite by bite.
More information:
To support improvements to food, nutrition and dining in aged care, we have developed resources to support providers, workers and older people. To learn more about these resources, as well as other information and initiatives to support your menu development visit:
- Menu and Mealtime Review Program – EOI closes Monday 9 June 2025
Menu and Mealtime Review Program - Food, Nutrition and Dining information and resources
Food, Nutrition and Dining information for providers- Supporting choice about food and drink in aged care – fact sheet for aged care staff and providers
- Nutrition and texture modified food and drinks – fact sheet for aged care residents
