adminI’d find the background legislation that tells me all about the “Older Americans Act Nutrition Program”. I found references to the fact that rural meals programs may be less than 5 days a week upon an admin ruling by an Assistant Secretary. What it didn’t say is how few meals can be provided per week… something I’ll be keeping a close eye on, as we’re very rural.
I also found the directive that sets out the nutrition standards. Each meal provided must contain 1/3 of the Daily Nutrition Requirements as set forth in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. It looks like we’re well iside the regulations as we’re allowed 600 to 700 calories per meal. We’ll need to provide 2/3 cup of fruit, 2/3 cup vegetable, 2.6 oz from the Grain Group (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta), 2 oz meat (with at least 1 or 2 meals containing nuts, seeds or beans), 1 cup milk product (could be a cheese instead of milk). Additionally, they’d prefer we stay fairly low fat, and only provide a little additional sugary items.
This Dietary Guide is up for review and revision in 2010. Beyond the insistence of five servings daily of fruits and vegetables, I’ve been able to find precious little real direction.
My own intuition tells me that our meals should be free of trans-fats, and that the type of fats we use should be monosaturated (olive oil) or poly-unsaturated (canola, safflower), and that butter is better than margarine where we use it in cooking. We’ll be serving “Promise” as the preferred table spread.
One thing I’ve been unable to find is a direct requirement for a beverage. I find references to juices in place of fruits, and cheese in place of milk. We may very well take advantage of those changes, as many older people are “lactose intolerant”. The cost/ease of serving an alternative lactose-free product makes it quite a challenge, and I’m not real sure of the acceptance level by our seniors.
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