Working with a diverse range of groups – including care homes, community centres, stroke survivor groups, food banks and older people’s friendship groups – the charity is ‘transforming’ the accessibility and enjoyment of plant-based food for older adults.
VfL’s team of four Roving Chefs, based in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, cover the whole of the UK. They offer hands-on cookery training and expert guidance to improve plant-based meal provision.
Care homes across the UK are recognising the growing demand for plant-based options among their residents. HC-One, which has over 275 care homes, recently partnered with VfL to enhance its vegan and vegetarian menu offerings.
VfL’s Roving Chef Alex Connell led training for HC-One’s chefs and kitchen assistants, introducing ‘innovative’ plant-based recipes while addressing key nutritional considerations for older adults. The session helped build confidence among the culinary teams, ensuring they could offer diverse, nutritious, and appealing meals to all residents.
Victoria Meakin, group development chef at HC-One, said: “We cater for every diet in HC-One care homes, and we have also noticed more and more of our residents choosing to eat less meat and more plant-based foods. That’s why giving our chefs the confidence to introduce delicious vegan and vegetarian dishes into our homes not only meets this growing demand but also encourages a more diverse diet and promotes resident well-being.”
Beyond recipe development, the training also covered texture-modified meals, ensuring that residents with specific dietary needs could still enjoy flavourful and nutritious plant-based dishes.
For more information or to arrange a cookery demonstration with one of VfL’s Roving Chefs, contact info@vegetarianforlife.org.uk or visit www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk.