Last updated on May 15th, 2024
Having the freedom of choice is an expectation for today’s seniors. Instead of taking a backseat to their care as they age, people 55 and up are voicing their preferences like never before. Focusing on person-centered dining is the way to go as you regularly incorporate new ideas and concepts into your dining program. While seemingly brief and unimportant for senior living communities, food trends are essential to keeping up with the latest generation of older adults. But why?
By staying updated on what’s popular, these programs can ensure they serve food that residents love, keeping everyone happy. Plus, it helps your senior living community stay competitive and attract new residents while maintaining the ones you have. And by offering trendy dishes, these programs show they’re committed to providing top-notch dining experiences that everyone can enjoy.
However, sometimes trends go from a viral fad to part of the essential nutrition guidelines for seniors. The more we learn about the health of older adults, the more we know that proactively addressing dietary health concerns is something every senior should have access to – especially in places like assisted living communities, hospitals, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, where traditionally, food hasn’t been a central focus for leadership.
Let’s revisit some of the predicted food trends for 2024 and what’s trending now.
Plant-Based Meals
According to a Gallup poll, more seniors favored plant-based meals in 2023, with 5% of older adults 65+ identifying as vegetarian – up from 3% in 2018. With this growing interest, adding things like meat alternatives to your menu is a great place to start. These alternatives surged in popularity in 2023, and the hype hasn’t died down yet. Portobello mushrooms, jackfruit, and plant-based seafood are a few of the trending plant-based meal favorites so far this year.
Non-Alcoholic Beverages
While many seniors enjoy an occasional cocktail happy hour, some prefer sobriety for health reasons or personal choice. Plus, as awareness grows about the importance of health and wellness, non-alcoholic beverages are gaining popularity among older adults. These beverages offer alternatives that allow seniors to socialize and enjoy themselves without the effects of alcohol or having to sacrifice flavor and fun.
Memorable Dining Experiences
While your residents likely won’t expect a Michelin-star meal, they will expect a memorable dining experience for each meal. This seems like a big ask, but all it takes is a thorough knowledge of your community’s population. Some questions to ask if you want to revamp your dining experience are:
- What are residents’ favorite meals?
- What times do they prefer to eat?
- Do they enjoy bright or dim lighting?
- Do they prefer music or live entertainment while they eat?
- What foods do they eat the most versus the least?
- What’s the most common food left on the plate?
Farm-to-Table
Locally sourced ingredients are the most obvious way to focus on farm-to-table in senior living communities. Working with farms to obtain fresh fruits and vegetables for your kitchen enhances the freshness and quality of the meals served and supports the economy by bolstering local farmers and producers. It also helps residents better connect to their food, giving them a sense of pride and satisfaction in knowing where their meals come from.
Many farm-to-table foods also promote a brain-healthy diet, which experts encourage older adults to follow to prevent conditions like dementia and cardiovascular disease. These foods are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and essential nutrients.
Reinventing Old Favorites
Instead of catering to the same comfort foods you have been for the past few years, this year is the time to start thinking outside the box by reinventing these old favorites. You can either put a twist on classic dishes like pot roast, meatloaf, or spaghetti or use this trend as an opportunity to infuse more meals with healthier ingredients. For example, instead of serving a standard macaroni and cheese dish made with processed cheese and white pasta, you could create a vegetable-packed version using whole grain pasta, locally grown vegetables, and a creamy sauce made from pureed cauliflower or butternut squash.
Sustainability
You might think sustainability is a given for dining programs in senior living communities. However, this concept doesn’t only mean you should prioritize the longevity of your culinary investments or have a long-standing, traditional menu. In 2024, sustainability is focused on sourcing food from organizations that use sustainable practices, such as switching to recyclable packing materials and committing to food waste (something your community can do, too).
Aside from this, sustainability is also linked with adaptability. How well can your menu shift with resident preferences? Can your kitchen smoothly shift to more ethical and sustainable practices without incident? How well are staff trained on sustainable practices? Ask yourself these questions about how to incorporate this food trend into your dining program.
Thankfully, at Culinary Services Group, we’ve prioritized sustainability, nutrition, diet, and everything in between since our beginning. Along with making efforts to provide our partners with more sustainable options, we also intentionally design our menus, meal plans, and staff education to be long-lasting, flexible, and customizable – all the while keeping the health of your residents at the center of focus.
Schedule a call today to learn how to partner with us to enhance your community’s food service management and dining program.
