Comparison of Long-Term Care Residents' Food Intake, Body Weight, and Food Costs Between Two Meal Service Styles

The purpose of this study was to determine if residents (n = 26) living in an Iowa long-term care facility had differences in food intake at their noon meal and body weight when served traditional tray meal service for 10 weeks compared to being served restaurant-style meal service for 10 weeks. The study also evaluated the facility’s raw food costs of the two meal service styles. Mean meal intake scale scores improved when residents were served restaurantstyle meal service (0.4±0.3) compared to traditional tray meal service. Residents did not show a significant percent weight (1.1%±3.7%) change or percent BMI (0.9%±3.7%) change between the two styles of meal service; however, 16 residents (62%) lost weight. There was a minimal difference in raw food costs between traditional tray meal service and restaurant-style meal service.