Care England - Food For Thought

Education and training for the social care workforce If you work in adult social care, Macmillan’s Social care community on the Learning Hub is the go-to place for free education and training on cancer care.

There are over 20 on-demand e-learning courses, bitesize resources and virtual classrooms to develop your knowledge and skills in supporting people affected by cancer.

This community is for all staff working in adult social care who want to improve their understanding of cancer and skills in supporting people affected by cancer. This includes staff working in residential care, nursing homes, home care, sheltered accommodation, assisted living and day centres.

In the community you’ll find the following topics: Scan the QR code • Cancer awareness to log in or register • Cancer and other conditions for an account, then • Communication skills search ‘Social care • Personalised care community’ • Palliative and end of life care

Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Care England Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland.

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Food for thought How care homes can cut food costs and make sustainable choices

Richard Woodward, General Manager of apetito’s care home division, looks at how care homes can save money in the kitchen.

The last few years have been some of the most turbulent for health and social care in recent memory. Kitchen operations in care homes are facing unprecedented challenges in today’s economy. With inflation rates reaching record highs and food prices skyrocketing, every pound and penny counts. Care homes are navigating the cost of living in an industry facing high energy costs, galloping inflation and a continuing labour crisis.

Earlier in the year we partnered with Care England to learn about the challenges care home providers are facing in the kitchen. Our research found that over 90% of homes have looked at ways to streamline efficiencies in the kitchen since the cost-of-living and energy crisis began.

Not only that but a massive 97% said they were worried about the fast-rising costs of meals and more than 90% said their costs were increasing month

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on month. Finally, more than three-quarters of care homes said that cost is a deciding factor when it comes to choosing a catering service.

The Office for National Statistics recently reported that the price of food rose by 12.2% in the year to September 2023 according to the latest Consumer Price Index.1 In fact, we’ve experienced the highest increase in food prices since 1977, with basic commodities costing significantly more. The cost of bread and cereal has risen by 16.2%, chips by 39%, pasta by 60%, and even vegetable oil by 65%.2 These rising costs have a critical impact on a care home’s budget.

At the same time, residents expect and deserve quality meals that cater to their individual needs and preferences. Delivering this level of service while managing the costs can be a daunting task.

From visiting care homes up and down the country,

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Try holding these meetings regularly to accommodate changing preferences. By asking residents their likes and dislikes, kitchen staff are able to create meal plans tailored to residents’ tastes and in turn streamline the menu to eliminate unpopular choices and excess ingredients, reducing waste and saving money.

It is also worth trying to introduce flexibility in menu planning to accommodate varying appetites and preferences. Providing different choices and rotating menu items can help ensure that residents enjoy a range of different dishes, lessening the risk of menu fatigue and in turn, reducing the likelihood of uneaten food.

Portion control during meal preparation also helps to avoid serving more than necessary. Residents struggling with a poor appetite may find mealtimes and big portions daunting. Try not to serve massive portions which will overwhelm residents and just end up being thrown in the bin. A ‘little and often’ approach can provide sufficient nutrition while preventing portion intimidation.

The cost of dietary diversity

our care homes team has discovered some really helpful solutions and handy hints and tips to keep costs in the kitchen down.

Preventing food waste Food waste and portion control can have a real impact on the bottom line. Food thrown away is, in essence, money thrown away. It’s true that food waste can be unavoidable, families take loved ones out for lunch unpredictably, or residents can arrive back from hospital appointments later than expected, meaning there is unavoidable wastage. However, there are things that can be done to help reduce food waste.

Effective meal planning is key to reducing food waste and managing costs in the kitchen. It’s really important to understand the dietary needs and preferences of every single resident. Lots of care homes we visit host regular meetings with residents to find out what food they’ve recently enjoyed and if there have been any meals that haven’t gone down as well.

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We know that residents have increasingly diverse dietary requirements. The increased complexity of catering for residents who have specialist needs such as dysphagia, or live with allergies, can have a real impact on kitchens. The time needed to cook safe meals puts increased strain on kitchen staff and the cost associated with producing these dishes, means food budgets are increasingly stretched.

Working with suppliers who provide specialistprepared meals that can be cooked easily to cater for individual needs is a great way to provide residents with high-quality and, importantly, safe meals.

This switch reduces the time, stress and cost created by having to cook for many different needs from scratch. The benefits are clear - fewer ingredients need to be bought and less time needs to be spent in the kitchen; giving more time for teams to devote to front-line care.

Cost-saving and sustainable choices Decisions around food types and menu designs can not only reduce food costs but they can also help care homes become more sustainable.

It doesn’t have to be all change – it can be as simple as just switching one or two elements up. We know that Sunday lunch is always much loved by residents in care homes, but lamb and beef are two ingredients that have almost doubled in price and

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buying large quantities can really increase food bills. Making the change to meats such as chicken or turkey more regularly not only costs less but also has less of an impact on the planet.

It’s not about demonising any one ingredient or red meats, instead try making small changes to menu cycles, which can have a significant, yet surprising impact on cost, whilst at the same time ensuring that resident choice is not compromised.

Introducing one or two vegetarian or vegan options to menu cycles can not only reduce your home’s carbon emission but also save on ingredients costs. Vegetables, lentils, grains and pulses, which are ingredients often found in these meals, are cheaper and will help to reduce your food costs. Try serving dishes still familiar to residents, like a vegetable lasagne or vegetarian curry – we’ve found these often go down a storm.

It's also worth thinking about what ingredients are in season. Opting for seasonal ingredients often means they are in abundance, leading to lower prices. This allows you to stretch your budget without compromising on the quality of your ingredients. Cooking with out-of-season produce comes with a hefty carbon footprint and higher costs. By choosing ingredients that are in season, you're reducing your home’s food bill and environmental impact.

Through clever menu selections, you’ll be able to ensure that residents still enjoy all their favourite meals and introduce them to new meals, all whilst keeping food costs down and doing your bit for the planet.

Is fresh always best?

Last year, a Which? survey found one in five households were buying more frozen food to help cut their grocery bills. And the same can go for care homes...

Whilst many often think that fresh is best, that isn’t always the case. Dietitian Kiri Pointon-Bell told Which? that ‘fresh vegetables are often stored for prolonged periods before consumption, and during this time at warmer temperatures, the vitamin C is oxidised and lost.' She added, 'Whereas frozen vegetables lock in nutrients, as they’re picked at their peak in terms of freshness.’3 Frozen food has a longer shelf life than fresh food, providing flexibility with meal planning and reducing food waste.

Preparing fresh ingredients can be timeconsuming, especially in large quantities. Frozen

foods, on the other hand, can significantly reduce preparation time and labour costs. This time efficiency can lead to a more streamlined kitchen operation, allowing care home staff to focus on other essential aspects of resident care.

Switching from fresh to frozen foods in care homes is a strategic move that can yield considerable financial benefits without compromising the quality of meals provided to residents.

Little changes, big savings There can be no doubt that this is a challenging time for care homes and there is not one simple magic solution which will solve the cost-of-living crisis for care homes. Delivering quality and costefficient mealtimes in care homes requires careful planning and management.

By making some small but significant changes, you’ll have the tools to overcome the challenges of the current economic climate and provide your residents with the exceptional dining experiences they deserve.

Discover more about apetito’s care homes meal service: https://apetito.link/CMM

References [1] Office of National Statistics, 2023, Cost of living insights: Food, viewed 3rd November 2023, <https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/ inflationandpriceindices/articles/ costoflivinginsights/food#:~:text=Prices%20 of%20food%20and%20non,seen%20for%20 over%2045%20years.> [2] Office of National Statistics, 2022, Rising cost of pasta, bread and other everyday foods leaves most vulnerable the worst off, viewed 10th November 2023, <https://www.ons.gov.uk/ economy/inflationandpriceindices/articles/ risingcostofpastabreadandothereveryday foodsleavesmostvulnerabletheworstoff/ 2022-12-22> [3] Marianne Calnan, Which?, 2023, Can switching to frozen food save you money, viewed 10th November 2023, <https://www.which. co.uk/news/article/can-switching-to-frozenfood-save-you-money-aSfQs0Y7oQLd>

Richard Woodward is General Manager of apetito’s care home division, a leading expert in serving nutritious delicious meals. As general manager of care homes, Richard has spearheaded the growth of this division and encouraged innovation, having introduced the ground-breaking Finger Foods Range, which gives those living with dementia the opportunity to dine with dignity. Email: carehomes@apetito.co.uk @apetitouk 42

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