Making meals a moment of pleasure in EHPAD

Much more than a care or service, catering in a retirement home is a true sensory and convivial experience. Each meal becomes a challenge for chefs, who must now offer a moment of sharing, discovery and pleasure through their dishes.

How to make menus appetizing and stimulating for EHPAD residents? Adoria outlines ways to develop attractive and practical dishes to make.

Enjoy this moment of conviviality

Every meal served in the EHPAD restaurant is an opportunity to bring residents together, so that they all share a delicious moment. Indeed, sometimes lonely, the elderly can be accompanied to socialize. For example, you can favor dish service rather than individual meal trays, and take care of the presentation of certain dishes to make them want to come and eat in the restaurant room.

Promote sensory discoveries: work on taste

As they age, EHPAD residents are in poorer health, and must have a diet that meets their very specific needs. In addition to providing them with all the macronutrients they need to stay healthy, the food must be tasty and smell good to counteract the decline in sensory perception. Keep this in mind when selecting your ingredients. It is all about giving pleasure to eat everything without forgetting the nutritional dimension of your dishes.

Culinary animations are also very appreciated by residents. So take advantage of this opportunity to bring taste to the forefront: work their memory by way of their palate, and bring back memories! The objective of these activities is to develop the residents' senses, to let them taste new foods and to allow them to differentiate between aromas and smells. For example, you can organize themed meals, decorate the dining room, or propose new recipes such as world dishes.

The development of a varied, balanced and adapted menu

Because residents eat lunch at EHPAD every day, it is important to vary the menus in order to avoid repetition between the lunch and dinner dishes. Don't hesitate to play aroundwith the selection of products, seasonings and side dishes.

In fact, you can work around classic recipes, and make them regular by making only simple changes such as cooking or condiments, so that you don't fall into a routine that might bore residents. Sauce is a great way to enhance the taste of a dish while changing it completely.

The selection of the basic products is also most important. This is because you need to tailor your dishes to the needs of the elderly. Some foods are too hard to chew. You must therefore cut them or work on their texture in order to make them accessible. Potato variations or poultry in sauce are good values.

Finally, you owe it to yourself to take care of the presentation. Indeed, making the dish visually appealing will help to whet the appetite of the elderly, who may feel less hungry or thirsty, but will also give them a full sensory experience. Do not hesitate to play with textures, colors, volumes and reliefs.

Restorers in EHPAD, Adoria accompanies you in the development of playful dishes with multiple flavors and in the management of your menu cycles. Don't hesitate to contact us for a personalized demo!