There’s nothing better than having a good home-cooked meal.
The aroma of a familiar dish can instantly transport us back to cherished moments, offering a sense of security and warmth. This connection to food and memory is especially profound for older adults, and as they transition into senior living communities, maintaining this link becomes crucial for their overall well-being.
While the convenience of institutional dining is undeniable, it’s essential to recognize the deep emotional and nutritional significance of comfort foods. Often overlooked is the impact of dietary changes on seniors’ mental and physical health, as the loss of familiar meals can contribute to decreased appetite and a sense of displacement.
By thoughtfully integrating nutritious comfort foods into long-term care dining, you can create an environment that truly feels like home.
Let’s take a closer look at how comfort food can easily integrate into your dining program without overriding important health and wellness principles.
Research shows comfort food makes a difference
Why is there such an emphasis on comfort food? What makes the difference between having these types of meals over any other in senior living?
At Washington State University, researchers recently found new ways to look at comfort food in senior living. After developing their own set of breakfast and dessert menus, Carolyn Ross, part of the WSU School of Food Sciences, and her team discovered just how much food-related nostalgia means to older adults – and it was more than you’d think.
In almost all the received responses, participants (who had a median age of 71) shared stories about foods that evoked comfort and nostalgia, with examples like BBQ, suggesting a connection between food and cherished memories.
But what’s so unique about this study? It takes resident opinions into account and provides actionable insights. You can use this as inspiration for your own meal planning. After all, we’ve found that increasing resident satisfaction is one of the most important goals to achieve when improving your long-term care dining plan.
Conducting resident surveys provides an accessible way to gather feedback and innovative ideas directly from those you serve. By prioritizing their input, you can implement suggestions like themed meal nights or the inclusion of specific comfort foods, all contributing to a more satisfying, personalized dining experience.
Here are some of our favorite ways to change out some of the unhealthier aspects of comfort foods to make them more nutritious:
- Biscuits and gravy prepared with whole wheat biscuits; turkey gravy thickened with cornstarch instead of flour
- Center-cut bacon cooked to remove excess fat
- Turkey and avocado wraps with whole grain tortillas instead of white bread sandwiches with mayonnaise
- Apple slices with almond butter instead of processed snacks like chips or cookies
- Fruit salad with a dollop of Greek yogurt instead of ice cream or cake
Education is the catalyst for changing comfort food
The more you know, the more effectively you can implement nutritious comfort foods. Education for both residents and staff is essential to shift perceptions and embrace healthier versions of familiar favorites, ensuring that comfort food truly contributes to well-being in senior living communities.
It’s also a move towards becoming more inclusive, as not every older adult (or their support systems) may have the dietary education they should. While today’s seniors are tech-literate, you can’t assume that everyone is comfortable using technology and searching online for information. That’s where registered dietitians and nutritionists (RDNs) play a huge role in long-term care dining. With the new regulations, RDNs are more equipped than ever to provide residents with quality nutritional guidance tailored to their individual needs and preferences. They provide services like:
- Providing nutritional assessments and personalized, liberalized diets that integrate individual comfort food preferences.
- Offering dietary counseling and education to residents and their families on how to enjoy comfort foods within their dietary restrictions and needs for a balanced diet.
- Monitoring and evaluating residents’ nutritional status while incorporating comfort food choices, adjusting meal plans as needed.
- Supporting and educating families about their loved one’s nutritional needs and the community’s ability to provide comforting and appropriate meal options.
- Developing food and nutrition policies and procedures that support the inclusion of nutritious comfort foods in the dining program.
- Ensuring continuity of nutritional care during transitions by communicating residents’ comfort food preferences and dietary needs between settings.
However, residents aren’t the only ones who need nutrition education. Making nutritious comfort foods work well means keeping the kitchen team in the loop, too. Chefs, cooks, and dietary aides need to learn how to make these healthier dishes still feel like comfort food. Training should include understanding what residents can and can’t eat, picking up healthier cooking skills, and making meals look good and familiar. This helps make sure that offering comfort food actually does what it’s supposed to – make people feel better and happier.
Nutritious comfort foods are trending in 2025
In 2024, memorable table experiences, increased resident involvement, and personalized dining plans would be the trending culinary topics for 2025. It’s only May, but it looks like those have come true. We’ve touched on each in this blog, highlighting the importance of staying up to date on what’s trending, even if it seems like it’s out of your scope.
Comfort foods seamlessly complement liberalized diets and personalized meal plans, offering familiar and enjoyable options that align with individual preferences and nutritional needs. By offering healthier adaptations of classic comfort dishes, senior living communities can enhance resident satisfaction and well-being.
At Culinary Services Group, we provide expert support in developing and implementing these personalized dining strategies. Our registered dietitians and culinary professionals can assist in creating nutritious comfort food menus, conducting resident surveys, and providing staff training to ensure a dining program that truly feels like home.
Our sales team is always on standby to help you determine which of our services works best for your long-term care community. Schedule a meeting with us today!
