Improving the nutritional quality of charitable meals for homeless and vulnerable adults. A case study of food provision by a food aid organisation in the UK

• Published in: Appetite Vol. 82; pp. 131 - 137
• Main Authors: Pelham-Burn, Sophie E., Frost, Catherine J., Russell, Jean M., Barker, Margo E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2014
• Subjects: Adult; Charitable meals; Dietary Carbohydrates - analysis; Dietary Fats - analysis; Dietary Fiber - analysis; Dietary Proteins - analysis; Energy Intake; Food Analysis; Food Assistance; Homeless; Homeless Persons; Humans; Meals; Micronutrients - analysis; Nutrient analysis; Nutrition Policy; Nutritional Requirements; Nutritive Value; Poverty; Taste; United Kingdom; Vulnerable adult; Vulnerable Populations; Homeless; Vulnerable adult; Charitable meals; Nutrient analysis
• ISSN: 0195-6663; 1095-8304
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2014.07.011

•Charitable meals were nutritionally important to vulnerable adults.•There was scope to improve energy and nutrient composition of meals.•Menu development was constrained by costs, type of donated food and acceptability.•Changes to menus improved energy and nutrient profile of meals.•Some of the menu changes were acceptable to clients in taste testing. The prevalence of homelessness in the UK is rising, and demand for food aid through charitable meal services has increased. Charitable services make a substantial contribution to the food and nutrient intake of vulnerable people, and thus offer a platform for dietary improvement. This study examined food provision by a large charitable organisation in a major UK city. It had several objectives: Firstly to quantify nutritional composition of breakfast and lunch meals, secondly to understand factors that influence the composition of menus and meals, and thirdly to determine whether, within the context of these influences, improvements to the menu would be possible and whether these would be acceptable to clients. Mixed methods of ethnography, semi-structured interviews, quantitative nutrient analysis, recipe adaptation and taste tests were employed. The research team worked as volunteers in the organisation for a 3-week period and interviews were held with the kitchen staff. Food choice was recorded for 189 clients at breakfast and 251 clients at lunch over a 5-day period and nutrient content of these meals was estimated. Meals were weighted towards fat and sugar energy. Energy, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc and magnesium content of meals were below Dietary Reference Value (DRV) targets for at least 20% of breakfast and lunch meals. Such inadequacies may be addressed by the addition of simple foods to the breakfast menu and adaptation of lunchtime recipes. Twelve lunchtime dishes were proposed and eight of these were seemingly acceptable to clients in taste testing. Barriers to provision of healthier meals include budget, food donations and acceptability of meals.