“The great thing about dairy is that it’s a whole food which packs a flavour punch along with its nutritional benefits.”

• You can deliver better nutritional outcomes for aged care residents by fortifying meals with ingredients which provide those nutrients we need more of as our bodies age
• Dairy is well recognised as a source protein and calcium, important for muscle maintenance and bone health, but the benefits of some dairy products extend beyond that
• Dairy will not only fortify your nutritional content, it can also make your meals tastier and therefore more enjoyable

The newly strengthened Aged Care Standard 6 puts resident choice at the forefront of the meal planning and delivery process. As the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission notes, “It is particularly important that [aged care] providers engage with older people about what and how they like to eat and drink, deliver choice and meals that are full of flavour, appetising and nutritious (including for older people with textured modified diets).” [Source: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/strengthened-quality-standards/food-and-nutrition]

One way to deliver better nutritional outcomes for aged care residents is by fortifying meals with ingredients which provide those nutrients we need more of as our bodies age.

Dairy is well recognised as a source protein and calcium, important for muscle maintenance and bone health respectively, making it an obvious choice to use for meal fortification. But as Bega Foodservice Senior Nutritionist Jennifer Arguelles points out, the benefits of some dairy products extend beyond that.

“Milk and yoghurt in particular contain many other essential nutrients, such as iodine which can assist with brain health, phosphorous which is beneficial for bone maintenance, vitamins B2, B5 and B12 which help with energy delivery, and potassium which is important for hydration and contributes to muscle function.”

Healthy aging with choice and flavour

A simple way to take advantage of the powerhouse nutritional components of milk is to use Dairy Farmers Instant Whole Milk Powder to enrich full cream milk.

“This basically creates a double strength milk which residents can use on breakfast cereal, in beverages like coffee and tea, and as an ingredient in mashed potato, white sauces and stirred through sauces,” Jennifer says. “It’s a simple way to fortify your existing recipes with minimal labour and preparation.”

She also recommends sprinkling Dairy Farmers Tasty, Mozzarella or Parmesan Shredded Cheese atop casseroles, pastas or bread. Wholesome Dairy Farmers Buttermilk is another great choice to fortify desserts while also imparting extra flavour.

“Even something as simple as replacing sweet biscuits with crackers and cheese makes for a more nutritious snack,” Jennifer says. “And of course ice cream, custard or yoghurt are appealing additions to any dessert.

Jennifer also points out that a key principle of Standard 6 is to provide food which is appetising and enjoyable for residents. “Dairy products like cheese, yoghurt and custard are not only whole foods which offer nutritional benefits, they also pack a flavour punch. Not only do they fortify the nutritional content of the food you serve, they also make meals tastier and more enjoyable.”