Failure to Provide Palatable and Properly Tempered Meals
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide food that was consistently palatable, attractive, and served at a safe and appetizing temperature for at least one of three meals reviewed. Multiple residents reported dissatisfaction with the taste and temperature of the food, with specific complaints about food being cold and bland. During a group meeting, residents also noted that the food often contained too many herbs and was served cold. Direct observation and tasting by surveyors and the Dietary Manager confirmed that some meal components, such as the Spanish rice, were bland and not hot, and the churros lacked expected flavor. The Dietary Manager reported tasting foods in the kitchen only once a week and relied on staff to follow recipes by referencing the recipe book, with the last in-service on recipe adherence conducted over a month prior. The Administrator acknowledged receiving frequent food complaints and stated that test trays were ordered only a few times a month due to time constraints. There was no policy on following recipes provided during the survey, and the facility's approach to food complaints was to offer alternative meals. These actions and inactions contributed to the deficiency in providing meals that met palatability, attractiveness, and temperature standards.