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@NRCNA_engAging

Creating Delicious, 

Healthy, 

Appealing Meals for 

Seniors

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@NRCNA_engAging

HOW TO “RAISE YOUR HAND”

• Use the hand raising button on the 

control panel to have your phone line 

unmuted when you have something to 

contribute to the discussion.

• Use the questions box to send 

questions or comments via text. 

• Identify yourself each time you make a 

contribution so everyone knows who 

is talking.

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CREATING DELICIOUS, HEALTHY, 

APPEALING MEALS FOR SENIORS

Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND

February 6, 2020

@NRCNA_engAging

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TODAY’S SPEAKER

Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND

Founder and President

Farmer’s Daughter Consulting

Carmichael, California
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@NRCNA_engAging

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MY EARLY COOKING LESSONS & RECIPE INSPIRATION

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@NRCNA_engAging

The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone

Napa Valley, California

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TODAY’S TOPICS

I. Recipe Testing: Recap

II. Your Challenges and Barriers

III. Food Safety: Recap Recipe Development Dos 

and Don’ts

IV. Incorporating Food and Nutrition Trends 

V. Upcoming Trainings

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After participating in this webinar, attendees will be 

able to:

1. List three ways to improve recipes.

2. State the four basic principles of food safety.

3. Discuss one food trend that may boost the 

marketing appeal of your senior nutrition 

program.

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CREATING SUCCESSFUL RECIPES

RECAP

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RECIPE TESTING: CREATING SUCCESSFUL RECIPES

There are four steps involved in 

creating successful recipes:

1. Recipe Development

• Documenting your ideas

2. Recipe Writing

• Documenting ingredients and 

amounts; writing the first draft 

of the method.

@NRCNA_engAging

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RECIPE TESTING: CREATING SUCCESSFUL RECIPES

There are four steps involved in creating successful 

recipes:

3. Recipe Testing

• Testing what you have written in your kitchen. 

And likely re-testing...

• Asking someone to test your recipe; getting 

feedback.

4. Recipe Editing

• Editing the ingredient list, amounts, methods, 

yield, etc. for clarity. 
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COMPONENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL RECIPE

• Recipe name

• Headnote

• Yield

• Preparation time

• Cooking time

• Ingredient list with 

common names & 

amounts

• Directions

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WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO TEST RECIPES?

• Is the recipe appropriate for the 

intended audience (considering 

both the people cooking it and

eating it)?

• Is the recipe accurate and 

reproducible?

• Is the final product visually 

appealing?

• Does the recipe taste delicious?
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@NRCNA_engAging

MASTER CLASS & CLINIC

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YOUR SPECIFIC CHALLENGES – LET’S TALK ABOUT THEM! (PT 1)

• Setting up a recipe system

• Reducing sodium content

• Meeting nutrition requirements for menu development for 

dialysis patients, and low sodium clients

• Providing enough magnesium in each meal to match our 

standards

FORMAT:

1. I’ll share a few suggestions.

2. Please share how these challenges show 

up at your organization – type in chat 

box or raise your hand to speak.

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YOUR BIGGEST LIMITATIONS – LET’S CROWDSOURCE SOLUTIONS!

• Uncertain if a new recipe will be liked by clients

• Lack of staff to test recipe

• Amount of time it takes to test a recipe

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FORMAT:

1. I’ll share a few suggestions.

2. Please share what has worked in your 

organization – type in chat box or raise 

your hand to speak.

FOOD SAFETY IN RECIPE 

WRITING RECAP

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FOOD SAFETY: MISSING INGREDIENT IN RECIPES

• When consumers follow recipes with basic food safety

instructions, they increase food safety behaviors.

• Learn more at the Partnership for Food Safety Education’s

website: https://www.saferecipeguide.org/

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CLEAN

Wash hands and surfaces often.

SEPARATE

Avoid cross-contamination.

COOK

Cook to the safe internal temperature.

CHILL

Refrigerate promptly; avoid the 

“danger zone” of 40-140°F.

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REGISTER FOR AN UPCOMING WEBINAR

• Want to learn more about the Safe Recipe Style

Guide? Check out this upcoming webinar:

Evolution of Food Safety in Recipes

• Wednesday February 19, 2020

• 12:00pm ET (60 minutes)

• Free registration: Click Here

We will share link during/following this webinar

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FOLLOWING FOOD & 

NUTRITION TRENDS

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WHAT’S TRENDING IN FOOD & NUTRITION?

Some ideas:

• Fermented Foods

• Plant-based Proteins

• Mediterranean Diet

• Reducing Sodium

Questions:

How can you realize these trends in 

your menus – in the face of realworld constraints?

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CHALLENGES TO TRYING NEW TRENDS – LETS TALK ABOUT IT (PT 2)

• Seniors willingness to try new recipes

• Meeting nutrition requirements for plant-based protein 

menus

• Pleasing both the younger and older seniors 

• Adding fun foods into menu choices

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FORMAT:

1. I’ll share a few suggestions.

2. Please share what has worked in your 

organization – type in chat box or raise 

your hand to speak.

TAKE HOME MESSAGES

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TAKE HOME MESSAGES

• The Future Is Yesterday. Seniors of today and 

tomorrow are interested in new ways of eating 

familiar foods to maintain health and wellbeing

• You Got This! There are resources out there to help

• Take One Step Forward. Take a chance, invite your 

clients input and support for new menu options

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RECAP

1. Healthy meals contain foods for most/all foods 

groups.

2. Healthy snacks contains foods from 2-3 food 

groups.

3. Great recipes are tested, re-tested, and tested 

again.

4. Great recipes are very detailed.

5. Food safety requires training, re-training, and 

reinforcement on the basic four principles.

6. Trending ingredients include fermented foods, 

protein-rich foods, and plant-based foods.

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CALL TO ACTION

If your goal is to create and serve delicious, 

healthy, appealing meals...

"Find something you're 

passionate about and keep 

tremendously interested in 

it.“

- Julia Child

@NRCNA_engAging

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CREATING DELICIOUS, HEALTHY, 

APPEALING MEALS FOR SENIORS

Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND

January 6, 2020
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@NRCNA_engAging

UPCOMING WEBINARS

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UPCOMING TRAINING

Getting Smarter with the NRCNA

• What: 30 Minute Introduction

• When: Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020

• Speaker: Uche Akobundu, PhD, RD

• To Register: Visit Us Online @

www.nutritionandaging.org/training

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UPCOMING TRAINING

Making the Case for Nutrition Therapy: 

the MNT Works for Seniors Toolkit

• Hosts: NRCNA + Academy for Nutrition

and Dietetics

• When : Tuesday, February 18, 2020

• Speakers: Marsha Scofield, MS, RDN,

LD, FADA and Paula Ritter-Gooder, PhD,

RDN, CSG, LMT

• To Register: Visit Us Online @

www.nutritionandaging.org/training

@NRCNA_engAging

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SAVE THE DATE: NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH WEBINAR

• During March 2020, the Administration for Community

Living will kick off, together with the National Resource

Center on Nutrition and Aging, a series of weekly

webinars.

• Date: Wednesday March 4

• Time: 3:30pm – 5pm ET

• Focus: Congregate Nutrition Program

• Details: To Follow!

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www.nutritionandaging.org

THANK YOU!

EVALUATION TO FOLLOW!

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