(Left to right): Sarah White, Maggie Beer, and Jane Mussared

By Sarah White, Director, Office for Ageing Well

Food, nutrition and dining is vital for all of us, irrespective of where we live or at what life stage we are at and it is unthinkable that high numbers of older people are at risk of malnutrition.  Good, nutritious food is absolutely fundamental to ageing well.

As a proud attendee of the recent Tasting Australia festival, I had the pleasure of experiencing not only the culinary delights of South Australia but also hearing about the inspiring work of the Maggie Beer Foundation at the "Aged Care - Journey Beyond" event. This intersection of food, community, and care highlighted the importance of quality nutrition and dining experiences in aged care, and for older people living at home.  I have past experiences of visiting my grandma in an aged care home overseas, and the smell, look and whole dining experience was not one that I would wish on anyone – let alone my grandma who I adored greatly.  The work of the Maggie Beer Foundation to transform the food and dining experience for older people means that hopefully people’s experiences in Australia are not like that nor, or into the future.

Tasting Australia: A Feast for the Senses

Tasting Australia, presented by Journey Beyond, is one of the country's premier food and wine festivals, showcasing the best of South Australia's produce and culinary talent. From masterclasses and dining experiences to regional tours and tastings, the festival offers something for every food lover. This year's event running from 2 to 11 May, was no exception, featuring a diverse array of activities that celebrated the rich flavours and innovative spirit of the region. Tasting Australia continues this weekend and more details about what is on is available on their website: Tasting Australia presented by Journey Beyond | 02-11 May 2025 | ...

Aged Care - Journey Beyond: Elevating Dining in Aged Care

The Maggie Beer Foundation, established by the renowned South Australian cook and food author Maggie Beer, is dedicated to improving the quality of food and nutrition in aged care. At the "Aged Care - Journey Beyond" event, the foundation showcased its commitment to transforming the dining experience for older Australians. The event featured a meal served three ways, demonstrating how nutritious and delicious food can be adapted to meet the diverse needs of aged care residents, including people who require texture modified diets.

One of the highlights was a presentation by a Maggie Beer chef, who prepared a sausage roll three ways. This innovative approach ensures that even those requiring texture-modified food don't have to settle for uninspiring meals, with a loss of flavour and lacklustre presentation. Instead, they can enjoy high-quality, nutritious, beautifully presented and appetizing meals and snacks.

The Mushroom and Lentil Sausage Roll, had 5 grams of protein, which is great compared to most snacks prepared and served for morning, afternoon tea or supper in an aged care home. The Level 4 IDDSI level 4 (Pureed) version of the sausage roll, was lifted with umami and tasted better than the sausage roll itself, and could have passed as being served in a 5 star restaurant!

The New Standard 6: A Focus on Food and Nutrition

The Chief Clinical Advisor Division, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, Jessica Zilujko was the part of the panel discussion at the Tasting Australia event, who spoke about the strengthened Standard 6, focuses on food and nutrition, highlighting the need for aged care providers to offer appetising, nutritious meals that cater to the individual preferences of residents. This standard underscores the significance of the dining experience in enhancing the quality of life for older people, ensuring they receive adequate nutrition and enjoy their meals in a supportive and inclusive environment.  I feel reassured that if I can’t age in place and need to move into aged care, that the food and dining experience will be more of that of something I would want to eat, like the Maggie Beer Foundation showed us is possible.  I am also reassured that the Commission has a focus on ensuring the quality food and nutrition options in the aged care sector are lifted now and into the future with the updated Standard.

For more information about the Maggie Beer Foundation and its initiatives, visit their website. To explore the full program of Tasting Australia and the events still available over the weekend, head over to Tasting Australia's official site.

Tasting Australia continues until Sunday 11 May: Tasting Australia presented by Journey Beyond | 02-11 May 2025 | ...