10.29.19
/ Nutrition
You probably know that our handmade soups have been a significant part of our meal program for many years. But you might be surprised at how much thought goes into every batch of soup that we cook!
In past years, staff cooked all soups in large commercial kettles. Once cooked, soups were then packed into individual containers. Despite the best efforts of our staff and volunteers, we noticed that the proportion of ingredients was not always equal from one serving to the next. Preserving our nutritional standards and quality are essential, which led us to develop a new method of production and pack-out. Our teams are now in the process of transitioning all non-puree soups to this new system.
The effort began with the development and analysis of new soup recipes by the Culinary & Nutrition teams. These new recipes, along with some of our tried and true favorites, make up our current soup menu. The Nutrition team crunched the numbers in an innovative way, creating nutritional templates for pack-out. Next, our Chefs completely revised production so that ingredients are cooked individually or in groups. The desired portion of each is then added to the individual soup containers along the pack-out line by volunteers and staff, resulting in a standard product.
As always, we make sure that our clients enjoy a variety of vegetarian, chicken and beef soups, along with our entrees, breads, and desserts. Each soup provides an excellent portion of vegetables, along with grains and protein.
Communication to our staff and volunteers has been key to this transition. Our Culinary and Nutrition teams introduced the new process along with its benefits to all stakeholders, and as the process is tested and refined, both staff and volunteer input has been extremely helpful.Once fully implemented, following this new soup production and pack-out system will result in a more reliable product. This is not only a benefit to our clients, but it is also a boon for overall efficiency and our ability to serve all who need us.
10.10.24 / Community
Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. If you feel that you need support with your mental health, the first thing to know is that you are not alone.
9.26.24 / Nutrition
This September and throughout the year, we encourage you to follow our food safety guidelines to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
8.28.24 / Nutrition
This August and all year-round, stay healthy and follow the MyPlate guidelines for planning nutritious meals and snacks!
