Making Meals Memorable: Food

Food starts with the menu. The menu must have a variety of food items. It must also have variety in color, flavor, texture, and shape. This is necessary each meal, each day, and each week. This also applies to therapeutic and texture modified diets.

The food must be attractive. This includes, of course, that the food itself must look good. Plate arrangement is also important. If the food is attractively arranged on the plate it will be more appealing. Appropriate dishes affect the attractiveness. Bread on a separate bread plate is more appealing than bread put on top of the potatoes and gravy. Garnishes also improve the appearance of the food as it is served.

The food must also be appetizing. Recipes must be followed for this to occur. The food must be properly cooked, flavorful, the appropriate texture for the product, and served at the appropriate temperatures.

All this applies to the cold food items as well. Sometimes we focus in on the hot food and do not pay as much attention as we should to the cold salads, desserts, fruits, and beverages.

What do you do to improve the quality and appearance of the food?