veganism in care homes

The popularity of veganism has increased in the past few years and it’s a healthy practice that’s shown a positive impact on many who have recently changed their diet. Fun initiatives like Veganuary (eating plant based diets every day of January) encouraged a new vision in exploring inventive foods and learning more about how foods like bananas, sweet potatoes, nuts, and kale contain vitamin B6, magnesium, and tryptophan which increase melatonin levels and promote a healthy sleep cycle.

Supermarkets always supplied certain alternatives for those with allergies and diet restrictions but numerous meat based brands have added substitutes to stay on top of this trend. New and old restaurants have adjusted their menus for to accommodate diverse eating habits; Signature has done the same. Two popular substitutes for meats are jackfruit and tofu. These food are for eaters that are new to this diet change may still be looking for food that hold the same texture at meat; jackfruit resembles pulled pork when cooked the same way and tofu scramble looks similar to eggs scramble when seasoned with the right amount of turmeric.

Signature’s care homes place a strong emphasis on the provision of training and development opportunities, and each year we look to deliver dedicated days towards honing these skills and their understanding of dietary needs. We know that offering choice and variety is fundamental to ensure residents fully enjoy their dining experience. It is always essential that food is prepared using high-quality ingredients for a well-balanced and nutritious diet for all. Doing so requires an awareness of up-to-date lifestyle choices, dietary requirements, including our own research which has identified 3-5% of our residents are vegetarian, while 10% will actively choose a vegetarian or vegan option.

We encourage our chefs to think differently and bring fresh ideas to the table that hit all three of our targets, not only in terms of nutrition, but taste, and quality for our residents. There are many considerations when developing vegetarian and vegan options. One of the most fundamental is meeting vital protein requirements and other key nutritional needs. Veganism can come with a regular boost of energy and can help with digestion issues and keeping a healthy weight balance which also means you get a good amount of fibre and antioxidants in your body.

Some major benefits include reducing your risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels. Find out more about Signature’s dining and nutrition here.