Care homes rightly invest significant time and effort in sourcing quality ingredients and preparing nutritious meals, but the truth is, the dining experience does not, and should not, end at the kitchen door.
What happens in the dining room – the ‘last nine yards’ as it is often referred to – is every bit as important as the food itself because it is here that meals become memories, nutrition becomes nourishment, and daily routines become social occasions.
Care homes often have diverse catering and front-of-house teams, with staff coming from many different nationalities, and although this diversity is often a strength, it also highlights the need for clear, consistent communication.
That could mean, for example, knowing which accompaniments traditionally pair with a dish – beef and horseradish, lamb and mint – or understanding the subtleties of table service.
The physical environment also plays a crucial role because a thoughtfully laid table can transform an ordinary meal into something special and, to that end, the choice of cutlery and crockery should always be resident-focused.
In this regard, think in terms of lightweight handles, adapted plates and specialist cups where needed rather than gearing things towards making life easier for staff.
Just as important is the social side of dining given that mealtimes may well be one of the few regular opportunities for residents to gather, interact, and connect with each other. This means considering who sits with whom, recognising friendships, and fostering positive group dynamics.
These principles are strongly supported by Phil Shelley, a leading advocate for improving mealtime standards across care and healthcare settings.
Drawing on his experience chairing the NHS Hospital Food Review, Phil stresses that great care catering doesn’t end when the food is plated, it continues through the way residents are guided to their seats, the atmosphere in the room, the respect shown during service, and the sense of community that mealtimes can create.
His work consistently reinforces the idea that dining is not just functional, but emotional, social, and central to wellbeing.
Protected mealtimes are another cornerstone of good practice because they help to ensure that residents can eat without any unnecessary interruptions from visitors, phone calls, or other distractions.
This time should be treated as sacrosanct – an opportunity for the residents to focus solely on eating and socialising and for the care home operator to safeguard both the dignity and nutrition of those residents.
Ultimately, excellence in care catering should not be about simplifying processes for staff, but about enriching the lives of residents because although the kitchen may produce the meal, it is the dining room where the true value is felt.
By paying close attention to communication, environment, and the social context of meals, care homes can transform food from simple sustenance into one of the most important parts of the residents’ daily life.