Articles and Information from GA Foods

Most older adults want flavorful, convenient, and healthy meals. However, after  hospitalization or managing a chronic illness, it may not be possible to shop and prepare meals. There are a variety of meal services that provide home-delivered meal options. Before making your choice, you may want to consider the benefits of frozen home-delivered meals.

With nutritious, wholesome, and convenient dishes in high demand, frozen meals are the perfect solution. Yet there is still a commonly held belief that they are just processed and filled with preservatives. And while that may have been true 20 years ago, the food industry has evolved with pressure from health-conscious consumers who are looking for healthier frozen meals that are easier to find and prepare.

Many older adults rely on home-delivered meals to help them recover after a hospital stay or manage chronic conditions. Before selecting a home-delivered meal provider, you may want to learn how they prepare their food:

As a caregiver, you have many things to worry about. Food safety shouldn’t be one of them. When choosing a home-delivered meal provider, food safety and quality should be top priorities.  Selecting a provider that uses extensive food preparation safety procedures with a safe delivery model will provide peace of mind. 

Don't Break the Chain

The “cold chain” process is one of the most effective and reliable methods of assuring food safety. This process ensures that food is maintained at temperatures that prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that can make you sick.  

The cold chain process transports perishable foods without using harmful preservatives and additives. This continuous cold chain ensures seniors will receive safe and healthy meals.

Here are some questions to ask when comparing home-delivered meal providers:

• Is the food prepared fresh in an USDA-inspected facility?
• Are the meals flash frozen to -19° F?
• Is the food maintained in a cold storage at -10° F until delivery?
• Is the food delivered to homes in specially-designed freezer trucks?
• Do they have specially-trained drivers unpack meals and store them in freezer until ready to eat?

The most important component of food safety is employee training. Though some foodborne illnesses can be traced to specific suppliers, the manner in which food is handled is usually the culprit. 

When it comes to food preparation, one can never be too safe. As evidenced by Chipotle's norovirus outbreak, foodborne illness has the potential to harm consumers and devastate a business's bottom line. The manner in which food is handled during the preparation process plays a significant part in determining its on-the-plate integrity. Sure, some of the blame for foodborne illnesses can be cast upon food suppliers that fail to grow, cleanse, store and deliver ingredients in the proper manner. Yet the main onus of food safety is on those who actually handle the food immediately before it is served.

Even though the United States has one of the safest food supplies in the world, it is still exposed to environmental hazards. Education and training are among the most important aspects in preventing foodborne illness.

Have you ever wondered how the food you eat was handled before you receive it?