It's Older Americans Month — a perfect time to challenge tired stereotypes about aging, including what older adults really enjoy on their plates. At WesleyLife, we know that culinary creativity doesn't fade with age; it's a huge misconception that older adults crave only bland and familiar foods.
We're flipping the script on aging — and on what mealtime looks like in our communities for healthy living. WesleyLife's director of culinary excellence, Krista Adams, and talented culinary teams across the organization are serving up bold flavors, fresh ideas, and healthy twists through initiatives like Meatless Monday, which offers new options as well as reimagined takes on the tried-and-true.
Krista, pictured above and in her chef's whites at left, says, "It is imperative we have choices for current residents throughout all our campuses as well as for future residents and clients. While the classics and favorites remain on our menus, we're offering them in healthier forms.
"Overall, providing choices with preferences while considering allergens and preferences is our responsibility in achieving culinary excellence!"
Medical studies have linked high consumption of red and processed meats to increased risks of heart disease, certain cancers, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, so shifting toward more plant-based proteins can lead to improved health by increasing fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats while decreasing saturated fat and cholesterol.
"We're here to demonstrate that eating more healthily can taste great and can also make us feel better in so many ways," Krista says. "We're not here to tell people how to eat, but to offer a better option, including upping our consumption of plant-based foods that are so delicious and so good for us."
Walking the walk
On a recent Monday at WesleyLife's organizational headquarters in Johnston, Krista prepared the following menu to demonstrate just how delicious a Meatless Monday can be:
- Dal & basmati rice with fresh fruit for dessert
- Black bean cakes with avocado crema
- Tomato basil soup made with coconut milk
- Mediterranean Chop - bowl, wrap, or sub with black bean burger, salmon, shrimp, chicken, or lean steak
- Vegan smoothie with flax seed and spinach
- Dark-chocolate-covered strawberries
Lunch was a hit, to put it mildly! Amanda Leinen and Eva Sherman, team members at WesleyLife's organizational headquarters, enthusiastically partook of the buffet meal and say Krista has broadened their culinary horizons with plant-based offerings.
Both identify as "big meat-eaters" and say they likely never would have tried the plant-based options had the foods not been made available at work.
"What surprised me is how flavorful everything was, and that I felt full and satisfied without meat," Amanda says. Eva agrees, adding, "I also know a lot of water is involved in meat production, and as someone who cares about our water supply and the environment, avoiding meat once a week can actually make a real difference."
Thank you, Krista and team, for expanding our taste horizons and reminding us that food represents connection and camaraderie - but that it's also medicine. As a health-and-well-being organization, we are walking the walk!
