How to Develop a Patient Food Menu

Hospitals, nursing homes, inpatient rehab centers and other care facilities that provide long- or even short-term care for their patients need to develop food menus for their patients that provide both variety and nutritional value. The greater the number of patients, the more complex developing an effective menu can be. With careful planning, however, you can develop a menu that is both healthy and pleasing to your patients' palates.

Things You'll Need

• Nutritionist
• Chef (optional)
• Menu planning charts

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Instructions

• 1

  Make a list of food items that fit the four basic food groups. Choose items that you can develop into a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner items. Combine these items into several full-course dishes you can add to your menu. It's important to read the medical charts of all your patients and plan several food choices for those patients with allergies.

• 2

  Work with a chef or the head cook at your facility as well as a nutritionist to ensure the menu choices you've made taste good and provide the nutritional needs of your patients, particularly those patients with specific diet needs.

• 3

  Use menu planning charts to construct a menu consisting of the same selections every day of the week to help minimize the preparation time for your kitchen staff. Include alternate menu items each day of the week to provide a variety for your patients as well as alternate selections for those with specific diet needs. Alternate selections should include an entree for vegetarians as well as food items to fit the dieting habits associated with any religious beliefs a patient may have.