Today’s seniors have a sophisticated approach to food. They bring to the table a taste for international flavors and an awareness of the way culinary choices can impact health and the environment. This evolved gastronomic understanding is inspiring new senior living dining trends. Here are some of the innovative food and dining trends that make dining in a retirement community a treat:
A Variety of Venues
Senior living communities today strive to create a bustling atmosphere in which residents get to engage in activities they enjoy and choose the dining options that suit their tastes and lifestyle. A variety of dining locations within a community give residents the option to choose what they’re in the mood for — from a casual meal at a bistro, or perhaps an elegant dining experience with friends.
A Health-Conscious Approach
The connection between food and health has been recognized since the Greek physician Hippocrates first wrote about it in the 4th century BC. But our understanding of the link between health and food has deepened over time, leading to a plethora of diets that promote health and wellness. Current senior living dining trends seek to accommodate the dietary needs of residents, often offering gluten-free, heart-healthy, vegetarian or vegan menu options.
An Emphasis on Local, Unprocessed Foods
According to author Michael Pollan, transporting and processing food uses far more fossil fuel than eating locally sourced, unprocessed foods. Senior living communities are looking to local farmers to supply healthy, locally grown ingredients. And in some communities, on-site gardens are a source of fresh herbs and produce. In addition to the environmental benefits, local, unprocessed foods offer health benefits, too. Simple, natural, local ingredients tend to provide more nutrients than processed foods or those shipped long distances.
Eating Seasonally
Nothing beats the taste of a vine-ripened tomato or fresh, locally grown sweet corn. Eating foods when they’re in season means your plate is brimming with seasonal flavors — and nutrition. Foods grown and harvested in season are packed with vitamins and minerals. Research has shown, for example, that broccoli, a cool-season crop, has almost twice as much Vitamin C when cultivated under optimal growing conditions and harvested in fall than it does when grown at other times of the year. Senior dining trends take advantage of seasonal variety to ensure a cyclical and ever-changing selection of delicious foods.
Chef-Prepared Meals
Chefs bring years of training and their love of food and cooking to the task of preparing nutritious meals that delight the palate. With their flair for food and flavor, chefs understand how to best turn locally sourced, seasonal foods into dining experiences that satisfy the nutritional needs and taste buds of residents.
The Gourmet Experience at Friendship Village
“There can be no more shameful carelessness than with the food we eat for life itself,” wrote American food writer M.F.K. Fisher in “How to Cook a Wolf.” At Friendship Village, we agree that the food we eat matters. That’s why we’re at the forefront of senior living dining trends. We have award-winning chefs crafting our menus, and a variety of venues at both our senior living communities. Friendship Village Chesterfield has two dining venues – the Olive Leaf Bistro and the new full-service Chesterfield Dining Room – and an ice cream parlor. And Friendship Village Sunset Hills has multiple gourmet options – The Bavarian, Edelweiss, Cambridge, and Clubhouse Café.
Contact us to learn more about the advantages of senior living at Friendship Village, where wonderful food is just one of the exceptional amenities in this faith-based, not-for-profit community.