Case Study: Food and Meal Experiences (F&Mxp)

Case Study Overview

Food and meal experiences (F&Mxp) in residential aged care services are more than just nutrition. It also emphasises the importance of choice, comfort, culture, variety, and connection through the dining environment. In this case study, we explore how enhancing the food and meal experience can positively influence satisfaction, well-being, and overall engagement, particularly in aged care and community settings. This aligns with Standard 6: Food and Nutrition — Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, which highlights the role meal experiences play in enhancing the quality of life for elderly individuals by supporting their cultural identity, emotional well-being, and social connection. Four main outcomes under Standard 6 are required to be achieved (ACQ&S Commission, 2025):

Partnering with individuals on food and drink: Providers must partner with individuals to deliver a quality meal and refreshment service that includes appealing and varied food and drinks and an enjoyable dining experience.
Assessment of nutritional needs and preferences: Providers must understand the specific nutritional needs of individuals and assess the current needs, abilities and preferences of individuals in relation to what and how they eat and drink.
Provision of food and drinks: Providers must provide individuals with food and drinks that meet their nutritional needs and are appetising and flavoursome, have variation and choice about what they eat and drink and choice about how much they eat and drink.
Dining experience: Providers must ensure that the dining experience meets the needs and preferences of individuals to support social engagement, function and quality of life.

Hence, the core concepts of the Food and Meal Experience Study in aged care are ‘appealing’, ‘variety’, ’empowered choice’, ‘quality’, and ‘experience’.

New Aged Care Act and Strengthened Quality Standards
Source: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/resource-library/standard-6-food-and-nutrition

How Significant Is Personal Food Preference?

According to the previous study, residents (care recipients) prefer to select and control their meal choices and nutritional intake, including what, when, where, and how they eat, as part of person-centred dining to promote well-being. Food also serves as a means of maintaining long-standing traditions, practices, and preferences, helping residents preserve their identity and a sense of normality (ACQ&S Commission, 2025), linking to family traditions, cultural background, and attitudes. However, health conditions such as oral problems or age-related physiological changes can diminish food enjoyment and satisfaction. The dining environment further influences nutritional outcomes.

Evidence shows that both bulk food services (cafeteria-style) and home-like settings (family-style or homelike dining) can enhance energy intake among residents, highlighting the importance of tailoring meal experiences to individual preferences (ACQ&S Commission, 2022). Ultimately, personal food preferences are not merely about taste—they are integral to emotional well-being, nutritional health, and quality of life for residents in care.

So, what is the issue? – Balancing Nutritional Needs and Personal Dining Experience in Residential Aged Care

While residents’ good health, well-being, and proper nutrition and hydration are essential, maintaining a home-like, enjoyable dining environment that respects individual dietary needs and personal preferences can be difficult. Conflicting objectives between the organisation, residents, and families may introduce tensions. For example, organisations may prioritise mealtimes primarily as a means to provide adequate nutrition, whereas residents may value mealtimes as a source of daily pleasure, comfort, and social connection.

What Was Approach Our Research Through This Study?

A mixed-methods design was employed to capture both measurable outcomes and lived experiences, providing a comprehensive understanding of customer experience and the impact of service changes. Key research methods included:

Standardised Surveys: A range of question types is used to assess factors such as food and meal experience (F&MxP), overall satisfaction, Net Promoter Score (NPS), awareness of service changes, and perceived impact on daily life.
In-depth/Selective Interviews: Conducted with residents, families, staff, and managers to gather rich qualitative insights into personal experiences, challenges, and perceptions of care.
Thematic Analysis: Applied to identify common patterns, recurring themes, and nuanced insights, uncovering the underlying factors that influence participant satisfaction and outcomes.

This methodology ensures a balanced approach, combining quantitative measurement with qualitative depth to evaluate the effectiveness of service changes and inform continuous improvement.

There are currently four main aspects of Food & Meal Experience in the study, including ‘Like the food’, ‘Types of Food’, Choice, and ‘Dining Experience’.

What Did We Find?

Most residents and next of kin are satisfied with the food and meal options, but about a quarter state that the food lacks flavour, lacks variation in taste and texture, and lacks variation in meal style. To address this, a more dynamic meal design is needed, a few times per week, with different ingredients, cooking styles, flavours, textures, seasoning profiles, and perhaps presentation methods.
For the variety of food, the perception remains that the same styles and flavors of food are being served repeatedly, despite the menu claiming to offer variety, showing a lack of genuine variety issue like “We don’t get the variety of foods that we want – it is a lot of the same dishes or style of dishes”.
Most residents are unaware of the alternative options available and lack the confidence or agency to request them without substantial support from staff. Evidence was accumualted to support a recommendation to ‘show’ the options to the residents to allow choice at the time of consumption.
Ultimately, the dining experience is limited and varied due to uncontrollable factors such as the residents misbehaving, and controllable ones such as empowering residents to make choices and encouraging staff to engage rather than rush through meals. Dining rooms, table settings, self-service, serving process, and more are all important components in delivering a flexible, responsive dining experience.

So, what should we do next?

Gaps remain for most providers – it is a big change to deliver food and meal experiences that meet resident preferences, enhance enjoyment, and support overall well-being. Addressing these gaps requires a strategic approach that combines dynamic meal design, clear communication of options, empowerment of resident choice, and a supportive dining environment.

If your organisation is committed to delivering person-centred care and elevating the dining experience, and would like to assess what is working, then please contact us. Our expertise and tailored solutions can help improve resident satisfaction, wellbeing, and nutritional outcomes. Helping to ensure that every mealtime is not only nourishing but also meaningful and enjoyable. Together, we can transform dining into a key component of quality care.

Disclaimer
The information and insights presented in this article are provided for general informational purposes only. They reflect the views of the author(s) at the time of writing and should not be relied upon as professional or other expert advice. Readers are encouraged to seek independent, qualified assistance before making any decisions or taking action based on this material.

Reference

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. (2022). Residential aged care food services discussion paper. https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/resource-library/residential-aged-care-food-services-discussion-paper (Accessed September 15, 2025)
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. (2025). Food and nutrition. https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/strengthened-quality-standards/food-and-nutrition/ (Accessed September 15, 2025)

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