Chef McEwan (centre) says the quality, taste and presentation of food is equally important for seniors as the rest of the population.Elaine Fancy
Canada’s senior population is on the rise – as is its desire to maintain an exceptional quality of life deep into retirement.
This is especially true when it comes to eating. Simply put, seniors want their golden years to remain their gourmet years.
Amica Senior Lifestyles chefs know that they need to give residents the opportunity to enjoy the same quality of food they did in the past, from premium ingredients to fine dining experiences. That’s why Amica has a team of Red Seal certified chefs to design and prepare delicious, nutritious and senior-friendly meals at residences across the country.
And now, residents are set to dine like royalty under a partnership between Amica and one of Canada’s most celebrated chefs, Mark McEwan. A head judge on Top Chef Canada, McEwan recently opened his third upscale gourmet grocery store and has been a star of the restaurant scene in Toronto for many years.
In collaboration with Amica’s in-house culinary services, McEwan is creating a menu that shows how the unique dietary and nutritional requirements of seniors can be incorporated into premium cooking.
Developed in collaboration with Amica’s national director of culinary, chef Gary McBlain, the menu will be served at Amica residences across the country for a two-week period in the fall. It will include fresh and seasonal ingredients such as trout, duck and grilled artichokes, building on the menus currently served at Amica residences.
“It’s important for people to know that just because our dietary and nutritional requirements change as we age, it doesn’t mean we need to compromise on the taste or quality of the food we’re eating,” says McEwan. It was the personal experience of caring for his aging parents that opened his eyes to the need for better crafted food for seniors.
“With a few additional considerations we can ensure these dishes are suitable for their current needs, while also meeting their quality of life expectations.”
McEwan uses spice rubs, fresh herbs and citrus, and sautés proteins with a small amount of olive oil to bring flavour to meals without adding additional sodium or unhealthy fats. Other hacks up his sleeve include adding a rainbow of colour to plates through fresh fruits and vegetables.
“This ensures we are properly feeding our bodies with desirable foods,” he says. “A useful way to measure is to cover half a plate with veggies, limit starches to half a cup and fill up the rest of the plate with lean protein.”
McEwan notes that as we age, our sense of smell and taste may wane, making it more important to make dishes look aesthetically pleasing and desirable to eat.
The most notable difference with seniors, he says, is their decreasing level of appetite as their metabolism slows down and they use less energy for daily activities. “As a result, seniors tend to eat smaller portions, yet they need to ensure they are still consuming plenty of fibre, vitamins and minerals (including calcium for bone health), and healthy protein for muscle retention, at every meal.”
That means packing more nutrition into smaller dishes – but fewer calories doesn't mean having to compromise on quality, says McEwan.
“Healthy carbs, such as sweet potato, rice or corn, and lean proteins are a key element in a seniors' diet to help fill out their smaller meals and keep them full. The easiest thing to do is to make sure you have a colourful plate. For example, a green vegetable, a red vegetable, a healthy carb and four ounces of lean protein.”
Amica’s McBlain was delighted to collaborate with McEwan on this menu. “Chef McEwan is one of the best chefs in Canada, highly successful at what he does and possesses an absolute wealth of knowledge when it comes to food,” he says. “When you factor in his personal motivation in wanting to make food better for seniors, he was just a natural fit for Amica to work with.”
He adds: “When people think of the food at Amica, we want them to think of delicious, high-quality dining that has been curated by experts in the field.”
Chef Mark McEwan is partnering with Amica Senior Lifestyles on creating a menu of delicious and nutritious meals.Elaine Fancy
Mark McEwan’s tips on cooking for seniors
- Pack more goodness into small portions Seniors eat smaller portions, so we need to ensure they’re getting the most out of them. Packing more protein and nutrients into one meal through lean meats and other foods such as nuts and cheese also helps to limit unhealthy fats in a diet.
- Try foods with healthy fats Incorporate fatty fish, such as salmon or rainbow trout, into the diet twice a week. Consider adding flaxseed or walnuts to cereal or muffins; avocado to salads; or flaxseed oil to a salad dressing, adding heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
- Add flavour with smart cooking Spice rubs, fresh herbs and citrus, or sautéing proteins with a small amount of olive oil, can bring a lot to a dish without adding additional sodium or unhealthy fats. Removing the salt shaker from the dinner table alleviates the temptation to salt food post-cooking.
- Eat a rainbow of colours Adding colour to the plate through fruits and vegetables ensures both good nutrition and a delicious-looking plate. A useful trick is to cover half a plate with veggies, limit starches to half a cup and fill the rest of the plate with lean protein.
As seniors' sense of taste and smell wane, aesthetically pleasing presentation becomes even more important.Elaine Fancy
What’s on the menu?
A sample Amica menu developed with chef Mark McEwan
Salad Course
- Roasted Butternut Squash & Burrata Salad
- Charred radicchio, endive, spiced walnuts, frisée, watercress, burrata, and sherry wine vinaigrette
Main Course
- Pan Seared Rainbow Trout
- Chanterelle mushroom and sweet corn risotto with citrus beurre blanc
Dessert
- Cinnamon Apple Crostata
- Vanilla bean ice cream with pistacchio praline and hot toffee sauce
Advertising feature produced by Globe Content Studio. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.