Food and dining in our homes

Dining is an important and enjoyable part of daily life in our homes. We acknowledge that this can serve as a key part of the day to encourage social interaction, a time when new friendships can be made and memories shared.

Our chefs take great pride in crafting delicious, appealing, and nourishing meals for all our residents, ensuring a pleasant and sociable dining experience. It is of fundamental importance that we offer a nutritionally balanced diet - incorporating essential ingredients for health, happiness, and overall wellbeing. If preferred, residents can choose to enjoy their meal in their room or indulge in private dining with a friend or family member.

An expert approach

Our team of experienced and dedicated chefs work alongside Group Development Chefs to provide a balanced, tasty diet, customising menus to promote good health and nutrition from locally sourced top-quality ingredients with delicious choices at every meal. Menu choices are informed by regular feedback from residents - taking into consideration taste, nutrition, seasonality, regional dishes, and preferences. Every seasonal menu is chock-full of well-known classic favourites, but there is always something new to tempt the taste buds too. And our menus include at least five daily portions of fruit and veg for essential vitamins and minerals.

Fortification plays a crucial role in helping our residents maintain a healthy weight. Our chefs provide high-calorie dishes and snacks whilst maintaining the tastiness of our daily food choices.

Take a look at an example of a weekly lunch menu

Personal touch and choice

Our ever-evolving menu boasts daily specials so that residents always have a selection of alternatives depending on their culinary whim that day. This not only offers more variety but also creates a more enjoyable mealtime experience that aligns with our 'dining with dignity' ethos.

If a resident requests a specific dish to be added to the special’s menu, our development team collaborates with the home to ensure this is provided. A vegetarian option is always on offer at every meal, providing a meat-free alternative.

Personal food passports

We ensure that all resident’s individual food preferences are honoured with our ‘Personal Food Passport’.

As soon as someone moves into our home, our devoted teams get thoroughly acquainted with our residents to understand their likes and dislikes and cater to their gastronomic choices throughout their stay. So adding a unique personal touch to the dining experience.

For those residents who are unable to communicate their likes and dislikes due to conditions such as dementia or stroke, we gather invaluable input from their friends and family.

Variety is the spice of life

Our development chefs have worked hard to create dishes that appeal to all and when planning new seasonal menus they ensure that they incorporate cultural diversity and religious beliefs. That in turn reflects in our menu variety, with a wealth of flavours to suit all palettes. For example a traditional Scottish haggis, Jamaican jerk chicken, smoked haddock kedgeree and an authentically spiced lentil and cauliflower curry.

Once a week our popular ‘World Cuisine’ dish is available so each home can choose their residents’ favourite from a number of traditional dishes originating from countries across the globe.

Choice and variety for all

Our chefs are upskilled by our national Craft Trainers so that they possess the culinary skills needed to prepare nutritious, well-presented, appetising meals for those who have difficulty chewing or swallowing.

Refreshments

Of course, we all can fancy a nibble between mealtimes, so regular snacks, refreshments, light bites, sweet treats, and freshly baked items are available throughout the day from early morning to late at night—there is always something for everyone!

Dedicated to delivering the best

Every meal we serve is planned and prepared with the utmost care to ensure optimal nutrition and variety for our residents. Our residents’ individual needs are always catered for.

Pictorial menus and recipe cards are also provided for those that find reading a menu challenging.

Time to celebrate

Celebrating events can be a wonderful occasion. Our chefs bake birthday cakes and prepare food and snacks for small gatherings so that families and friends can visit and celebrate with their loved one, creating more happy memories. Themed events are also popular, and there is always something brewing in our kitchens, the most recent being our annual bake-off.