Failure to Follow Menu and Portion Control Procedures During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow its established menu and portion control procedures, resulting in improper serving of vegetables and sweet potato fries to residents. During lunch service, a staff member used a perforated spoon, which was not an approved utensil, to portion carrots and broccoli. This method did not ensure the correct portion size was served, as confirmed by the Dietary Supervisor, who stated that the correct utensil should have been a perforated spoodle. The use of the incorrect utensil meant that residents may have received less than the required amount of vegetables. Additionally, another staff member overfilled a number 8 scoop with sweet potato fries by mashing them in, resulting in servings that exceeded the prescribed 1/2 cup portion size. The Dietary Supervisor acknowledged that this practice was incorrect and could lead to residents receiving more than the intended portion. The facility's policy and procedure on portion control required the use of specific portion control equipment to ensure accurate serving sizes, but these procedures were not followed during the observed meal service.