To assist you in getting accurate, up-to-date nutrition information, the New Horizon Foods Dietitians will answer questions submitted online. Please keep in mind this Ask-the-Dietitian site is specifically tailored to our dining programs offered to our customers and their residents verse personal nutritional advice.
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Get an answer for your own question here.
Q: How much meat does NHF serve per meal for residents in a long-term care community?
A: A minimum of 2-1/2 oz. to 3 oz. cooked, edible portion of meat, poultry, fish, or equivalents is served per meal which is according to the Minnesota Board on Aging Nutrition Standards Meal Pattern.
Q: Is NHF able to provide mechanically altered diets for residents who need them due to swallowing or chewing issues?
A:Yes! Our clinical Dietitians work closely with the team members and the Speech Therapist at communities to help coordinate the dietary needs of residents with the dietary department.
Q: Is NHF able to provide special diets to clients in residential treatment communities who need them?
A:Yes! We at NHF provide a variety of therapeutic diets to clients who require these diets per physician order/request. Diets provided include: gluten free, low lactose, high protein, diabetic and many others.
Q: We frequently have clients who require additional education on their diets such as diabetic diets. Does your company provide services for diet education?
A: Yes. We have clinical dietitians on staff who visit our locations to provide dietary consultation and education per request.
Q: We are finding our employees prefer to have the nutrition information available for foods beverages they are able to purchase in our cafeteria. Does NHF provide specific nutrition information for their menu and ready to purchase items?
A:Yes. NHF is able to provide specific nutrition information for their menu and ready to purchase items.
Q: Many of our employees and patients have limited time to eat and prefer to have convenient foods available. Does NHF have some convenience food items we can make available to our employees and patients?
A: Yes! NHF’s provides fast and easy boxed meals in our cafeteria settings which provide less than 500 calories per meal. With our “Grab and Go” program customers are able to choose what they would like in their boxed meals which are ready for them to take on the go if needed.
Q: At our establishment we have many healthcare professionals who dine in our cafeteria who are interested in knowing the nutritional information on the foods there are choosing to ensure they are making healthy food choices. Does NHF offer nutrition facts for their entrees and ready made foods served?
A: Yes! NHF provides Nutritional Fact Sheets for their menu items which give details including calorie, fat, and sodium content. We also have a spread sheet of our menu items available on-line for all employee to access.
Q: How does your company plan school menus?
A: Aside from the traditional menu planning system, NHF uses a USDA approved nutritional analysis software. This program assists us in planning the school meals following the USDA guidelines for calories, fat and saturated fat.
Q: Does NHF have qualified professionals on staff to ensure high quality menus are produced which comply with the current nutrition standards of the USDA Natonal School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs?
A: Our menus are developed by registered dietitians and culinary staff who are experts in the federal and state child feeding programs, regulations, dietary guidelines, and menu planning systems to ensure high quality and nourishing meals are served for students of all ages and backgrounds
Q: Children often have very particular likes and dislikes when it comes to food. How does NHF plan their menus to ensure foods will be accepted by kids at various communities?
A: NHF provides meals and service to a variety of child and adolescent based locations. Our menus at these sites are “kid friendly and designed around the food preferences of the children. NHF regularly communicates with staff at these sites and makes adjustments to their menus to meet their client's needs.
Q: We often have children who are struggling with nutritional issues such as poor appetite and weight loss. Do you have professionals on staff who can help our community address these issues?
A: Yes! NHF has clinical dietitians on staff who provide one-on-one, on-site diet education for children with nutritional challenges to help improve nutritional status.
