Senior centers of the Kentucky’s Pennyrile region don’t just randomly create food menus for their elderly visitors.
On the contrary, much goes into statewide dietary planning — often down to the ounce — and wasteful practices are strongly discouraged.
During Monday’s April session of the Pennyrile Area Development District, Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living’s Assistant Director Amanda Stokes offered a brief snapshot on the efforts having recently been taken to make sure everyone gets a great, balanced meal.
She noted that parts of this region is currently being undergoing the “servWELL Food Waste Project,” which is being conducted by The National Foundation to End Senior Hunger — or NFESH — with Christian, Livingston and Trigg counties already observed, and Lyon and Muhlenberg counties beginning this week.
The research, she added, focuses on data analysis to help make good decisions in meeting the nutritional needs of clients, and uses by-the-pound measurements of pan waste vs. plate waste measurements after congregate meals.
For clarity, she offered a small stratified sample of data from Trigg County, which had its observations conducted Summer 2024.
Plate waste, or food remaining on the plate after a meal, came in at just 5% — meaning 95% of all food served was consumed on site.
Pan waste, she added, or the food remaining in the kitchen after the meal, came in at just 3%.
It also means that of 100% of the food prepared, more than 92% was eaten during meal service, and not only does the analysis focus on waste by the pound, but also what particular foods are enjoyed — or less preferred.
The research also looks at milk consumption for senior dairy needs, as well as the reservation and ordering efficiency.
Stokes said all of the data for the Pennyrile is going to vary from county to county, but it allows for that deeper, improved cross-section.
It is the mission of the federation to:
+ Reduce hunger.
+ Nourish older adults, including their physical, emotional and mental health.
+ Report the tremendous costs of senior hunger, and address it.
+ Lead changes in this avenue.
+ Make leadership aware that the United States produces enough food to provide proper nutrition for everyone, daily.
+ And dismiss “willful waste” that “makes woeful want.”
More information is available at https://nfesh.org.
