Caterers Urged to Give Menus a Sunshine Boost

For this year’s Vitamin D Day (2nd November 2016) Pritchitts is calling on care home caterers to give their menus a boost of the sunshine supplement, helping residents get more of the essential nutrient needed for healthy bones and to control calcium levels.

Vitamin D deficiency can mean serious repercussions for the elderly, including osteomalacia which can cause bone pain and tenderness. Studies have also shown it contributes to heart disease, bowel and breast cancer, as well as type 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Getting the right levels of vitamin D however can be a challenge, as Simon Muschamp, Head of Marketing at Pritchitts explains:
“We rely on sunlight to get vitamin D but during winter it can be difficult for the elderly to get the amount they need thanks to the UK climate, as well as some residents being housebound or confined indoors for long periods. Poor diet is also a contributing factor; low appetites, a special diet or difficulties swallowing, all mean that sometimes the elderly don’t get the vitamin D you can find in foods such as eggs, oily fish and red meat.

“Experts recommend taking a daily supplement over the winter months^, but caterers can play their part too by looking at ways to add vitamin D to menus this awareness day and beyond.”

New Recipe Booklet
To help caterers take care of their residents, Pritchitts has released a new recipe booklet containing 12 delicious dishes using Millac Gold Double with added vitamin D, to help them give menus a sunshine boost.

Working in conjunction with respected registered dietician, Dr. Mabel Blades and Development Chef, Wayne Child, the recipes have been carefully developed to ensure residents get the nutrients they need and to help inspire chefs.

The booklet contains a host of sweet and savoury recipes including ‘Stuffed Roasted Pimento’; ‘Pulled Ham Hock with Cider, Mustard & Black Onion Seed Sauce’; ‘Butter Chicken Layer’; ‘Bread & Butter Pudding with Basil, Orange & Coconut’ and the super quick ‘One Minute Pineapple Ice Cream’. Each recipe also comes with a handy nutritional breakdown per serving. 

Simon adds; “With 328 kcal per 100ml, Millac Gold Double has long been a trusted partner in care home kitchens when it comes to boosting the number of calories in dishes. Now that it’s been improved even further with added vitamin D, caterers can help keep residents healthy over the winter months and throughout the year.”

Claim Your FREE Recipe Booklet
Caterers can claim their FREE recipe booklet and 1 litre Millac Gold Double with added vitamin D sample - simply click here
Packed with calories and now with the added benefit of 15% of your recommended daily requirement of vitamin D per 100ml, Millac Gold Double is the high performance cream alternative. Its versatility means it can be used for cooking, pouring and whipping – it whips up to three times its volume providing superior yield – and is ideal for both sweet and savoury dishes. Developed by chefs for chefs, Millac Gold Double is also approved by the Craft Guild of Chefs. 

Millac Gold Double is sold in 12 x 1 litre packs and has a long, ambient shelf life offering care chefs an easy and hassle-free option to boost the diet of ‘at risk’ residents.

*ISCD ^NHS