Menu System: Diet Spreadsheets and Tray Tickets

Diet spreadsheets tell the servers what items residents are to receive based upon diet orders and the amount of each item (portions). This affects cost control, customer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance.

Portion control is one of the most important aspects of cost control. If portions are too large, it results in waste. If residents receive items they cannot have, this also results in waste when a second tray is prepared.

Portion control also affects customer satisfaction. People can become upset when someone gets larger portions than they do.

Portion control can also affect nutritional status if residents do not receive the amounts necessary. It can also affect survey results because if portion control is not followed, then diet orders from physicians are not followed.

Tray tickets ensure that the correct tray goes to the correct resident. In a manual menu system, diet spreadsheets and tray tickets are separate tools. In an integrated system, if the tray ticket lists exactly what each resident is to receive, based on diet orders, preferences, and selections, then the need for a diet spreadsheet is eliminated.

The important result is that each resident receives the proper meal items, in the proper amounts, based upon his/her diet, food preferences, and selections.