As we age, our bodies change, and so do our nutritional needs. For our elderly population to live a healthy lifestyle with a diverse, nutrient-rich diet is imperative. Well-balanced diets provide our bodies with the energy necessary to remain active and maintain strength. One element that supports a well-balanced diet is through the consumption of cheese. This simple and delicious, nutrient-dense addition to your care facilities’ menu is essential for maintaining a healthy & happy diet amongst your residents.
Let’s take a look at how cheese-based menus can help aged care residents maintain optimum health and well-being during their stay at your facilities.
Versatility and Ease of use
There’s a lot you can adapt to your menu when it comes to cheese. Due to the flavour profile, it brings to meals, it complements most ingredients, making them a perfect companion to many dishes. It can be grated to be used as a topping, served as a snack, or even as an appetiser paired with fruits and crackers. Due to its versatility and ease of application to any meal, cheese serves as a fantastic nutritious addition to your menu.
Helps the elderly regain strength and maintain muscle mass
Senior citizens are prone to weak muscles and loss of mobility. By adding Cheese to your aged care facilities’ menu, you are increasing the consumption of protein significantly. Some residents may not enjoy eating meat products in their later years. That’s where cheese – amongst other foods – can provide a good source of protein to their diets. The protein in cheese helps maintain muscle mass, keeping the elderly fit and able to carry out their everyday activities without feeling unnecessarily sore, fatigued, or tired.
Maintains bone health and reduces the risk of fractures.
With elderly bones comes fragility and increased risk of fracture or, worse, immobility. Cheese also provides a rich source of calcium, helping to maintain healthy bone strength. This helps reduces the risk of osteoporosis and enhances overall mobility in elders.
Promotes immunity and health with its vitamin-rich properties
Vitamins are essential aids that help cells and organs function optimally. When it comes to residents in aged care facilities, it’s important they maintain their vitamin levels. Cheese can achieve this. Cheese is rich in Vitamin A, which helps maintain good vision, healthy skin, and a healthy immune system. Vitamin B12 works wonders for blood cells and keeps nerves healthy. Zinc, another nutrient found in cheese, helping maintain immunity and expedites wound healing.
Different ways to add cheese to your aged care facilities’ menu
Based on the meal and quantity served, there are various ways to make cheese a part of your aged care facility’s menu. Here are a few:
- Grated cheese: To top off your delicious pizza and pasta dishes, grated cheese works best. It’s also the perfect garnish for soups and salads. Additionally, grated cheese has little moisture and with great shelf life, making it a great product for storage.
- Cheese platters: Snacks and appetisers are crowd favourites, especially during movie and game nights. Adding cheese to crackers and fruit can be a great way to create share platters for the whole group. This can be a great way to introduce residents to a variety of recipes and encourage them to try new things.
- Cheese in cooking and baking: Cheese adds soft, nutty, full-bodied flavour to many dishes like omelettes, quiches and casseroles. Used in baking and cooking, it is also used as a filling in some dishes such as ravioli, tortellini, and lasagne.
- Cheese in desserts: Cheese is extremely versatile in form and taste, making it a key ingredient for desserts such as cakes, tarts and pastries. Time to ramp up the menu for the residents’ birthday parties.
There are certain parameters that need to be kept in mind while selecting cheeses for aged care facilities. Firstly, the digestibility of certain cheese types could be an issue for some residents. Cheese types that are high in fat or sodium, like Haloumi and Goat varieties, may not be suitable for many elders. Their dietary restrictions or allergies need to be considered as well. The key is in limiting the quantity to match the average RDI (Required Daily Intake) for your residents while keeping their medical history and present condition in mind.
It’s common for aged people to have low appetites and difficulty swallowing. However, Cheese’s delicious ability to add flavour and texture to meals, it can make many food types more appealing to their fickle appetites.
How can Pure Dairy help you procure the best cheese for your residents in the aged care facilities?
- Quality and Food Safety: We care about our products, and that’s why Pure Dairy sources only from certified and reliable cheese manufacturers. Our quality control measures are strict and standardised, ensuring that the cheese you get is safe, fresh and of the highest quality. With a robust food safety management system in place, we promise you quality at affordable prices.
- Variety: We have a wide assortment of delicious cheeses for everyone’s taste and dietary preferences. Take your pick from our delectable Mozzarella to our flavour-rich Cheddar.
- Customer Support: We believe in helping our customers get the best dairy solutions in the industry. We work with our customers to provide the right product in the right quantities specific to their needs. Our customer support is always at your disposal for any queries you may have regarding our products and services.
Residents within your aged care facilities deserve a versatile, flavourful, nutritional option for their meals. Cheese helps maintain strength and mobility whilst enhancing the dining experience of your residents. Not to mention the potential growth in admissions due to your updated, modern, adaptive menu.
If you’re looking to add a few more cheese products to your menu, get in touch with Pure Dairy today.