Implementing a Food Trialing Workshop Aimed at Increasing Congregate Meal Participation Among Older Adults in a Senior Program in Alexandria, Virginia

Abstract

Older adults, defined as individuals aged 65 and older, are a growing population in the United States. By 2050, this population is predicted to reach 83.7 million. Conditions that can affect this population include malnutrition, a lack of nutrients required by the body. Many efforts have been made by the federal government to improve the nutritional status of older adults, and prevent malnutrition, including the creation of the Congregate Meal Program (CMP) under the Older Americans Act which provide meals to older adults in group settings. Charles Houston Recreation Center (CHRC), located in Alexandria, Virginia, is a facility that provides the CMP to participants of its senior program. Along with the CMP, the senior program offers mentally stimulating social activities plus group exercise classes for older adults aged 60 and over. CHRC has reported chronic low CMP lunch participation among the older adults who attend their senior program daily. A combined nutrition education and taste test workshop was created to increase average congregate lunch participation by 10% via an increase in pre-ordered lunches at CHRC between April and May 2025. Five foods were included in the education and taste test workshop: edamame, mac & cheese, Waldorf salad, Korean beef over quinoa, and barbacoa street tacos. Results found a 29.87% increase in pre-ordered lunches between April 2025 and May 2025 with the average daily pre-ordered lunches increasing from 5.39 to 7.0 between the two months. While promising, repeated food taste testing and education workshops are needed to assess the true impact of these programs on the nutritional status of older adults. This combined education and taste test workshop helps fill a gap in the literature where there is limited research on food trial programs for older adults.