Food & Nutrition

We’re Passionate About Good Food

We serve fresh, homemade, well-balanced meals from our home’s professional kitchen, with recipes developed around residents’ preferences. We have qualified chefs, a well-equipped kitchen and a catering team dedicated to delivering a first-class dining experience every day.

We use only the best and freshest ingredients bought whenever possible from local independent suppliers, and some ingredients may even be picked from our own garden.

Three nutritious, well-balanced meals are prepared every day, which can be enjoyed in communal dining rooms, in the resident’s room, or with guests where possible in a private dining area. Our menus always involve resident choice and are rotated quarterly to reflect the seasons.

We recognise how important food and the dining experience is and our team is on hand to make sure it’s an enjoyable time for all.

Menus Tailored To Our Residents’ Preferences

Every resident can expect to meet our chef within a day or two of arriving at the home. They will discuss likes and dislikes, as well as any special dietary needs, which means the chef can tailor the menus accordingly.

Tastes and preferences can change over time, so this special relationship continues. Our chef liaises regularly with residents in the home, gathering direct feedback and responding promptly to any specific preferences and requests.

Our chef will also liaise regularly with the Clinical Lead which means any clinical nutritional requirements can be incorporated.

Good Health Is An Enjoyable & Varied Diet

As we age, our sense of taste and smell can change, which can affect our appetite and how much enjoyment we get from food. Our chef will aim to make foods as tempting and tasty as possible so that eating stays enjoyable.

Even if even a modified diet is required, such as a soft or low sugar diet, our skilled team keep meals from becoming bland and uninteresting by varying colours and textures as much as possible, and using herbs and spices.

Our trained chefs can meet all dietary needs including those residents who have food allergies or intolerances. They prepare foods to meet a wide variety of dietary requirements.

Our ‘Handpicked Excellence’ Philosophy

All the meals prepared in our home are done so in accordance with Colten Care’s ‘Handpicked Excellence’ philosophy, which is guided by three key principles:

• Handpicked recipes developed around residents’ preferences
• Handpicked suppliers chosen for their quality and taste of produce
• Handpicked staff selected for their dedication and passion for both care and food

We believe this ensures the quality and consistency our residents deserve.

The Resident Dining Experience

We will accommodate all resident dining preferences. Residents can choose to enjoy their meals in the communal dining rooms, the privacy of their own room or with guests where possible in a private dining room.

To maintain our high standards, our catering managers give continual advice and support to all our chefs, encouraging an exchange of best ideas between chefs from our sister homes. Creative thinking is very much welcomed.

Visitors are welcome to join for mealtimes with prior arrangement – simply talk to the Home Manager. Visitors may join residents in the dining room, their bedroom or we can make arrangements for private dining if you wish to celebrate a special occasion, or just have some quiet uninterrupted time together.

Refreshments Are Available 24/7

In addition to main meals, residents can also enjoy tea, coffee and biscuits, homemade tasty cakes and pastries, freshly made smoothies, shakes and fresh fruit through-out the day.

Residents’ guests are welcome to help themselves during their visit.

We even have a “night owl” menu with a selection of tasty hot and cold snacks and drinks for residents feeling peckish during the night.

With our chefs clearly visible at meal services they are on hand to ensure that their teams deliver a consistently high standard of food service to all our residents. They pride themselves in their passion for food and are more than happy to talk to any resident or visitor about food and listen to feedback on the catering service provided to make sure eating and drinking is a delight to all.