Failure to Provide Palatable and Properly Prepared Meals
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that meals were prepared and served in a manner that maintained palatability, attractiveness, and safe, appetizing temperatures for six of nine residents reviewed. Multiple residents reported dissatisfaction with the food, describing it as unpalatable, repetitive, bland, and visually unappealing. Observations confirmed that residents were supplementing their diets with outside food, and some were seen attempting to modify their meals to improve taste. Specific complaints included mushy vegetables, unidentifiable dishes, lack of condiments, and food that was often turned away. Residents also noted that the menu was repetitive and that alternative options were not satisfactory. A test tray observation further substantiated these concerns, revealing food items that were visually unappealing, served at improper temperatures, and described as unappetizing by surveyors. The roast turkey had an unappealing color and was overly salty, the green beans had an unpleasant aftertaste, the bread dressing was gelatinous and unidentifiable, and the milk and dessert were served at temperatures that made them unpalatable. The Food and Nutrition Service Manager acknowledged the use of a long-standing menu cycle and indicated that budget constraints affected ingredient quality. These findings were based on resident interviews, direct meal observations, and review of facility policies.