Centers providing meals to the senior citizens of Donley County this month are struggling to follow new regulations impacting what food they serve and how it is prepared.
“We have to comply; that’s all we can do,” said Mary Shields, Director of the Donley County Senior Citizens Center in Clarendon. “We’re going to do this as best we can as long as we can.”
In the past, Shields, with the assistance of a nutritionist, prepared the menus for the 145 plates she serves each week either at the center or through Meals on Wheels. But now a nutritionist from the state is providing a fall/winter menu and a spring/summer menu consisting of 20 meals each, and Shields is not allowed to vary from what has been planned for each meal.
“I can substitute an entire meal for another, but I’m not allowed to change items specifically in each menu,” Sheilds said.
The menus are provided by the Area Agency on Aging, which Shields said is funded by the state and federal funds. The agency funds the senior citizens centers in Clarendon and Hedley, which serve meals to the elderly free of charge but ask for a suggested donation.
The new guidelines are federal standards and are meant to be more nutritious, cutting out fried foods and canned foods. Pies and cakes for desserts are also out, Shields said.
Seniors in Clarendon have met the new menus with an open mind, Shields said, and so far most have been complimentary of the meals. But Shields worries about costs associated with the changes.
“The main thing is that everything has to be homemade and we can’t use canned vegetables anymore. Everything has to be baked in the oven, and veggies have to be either fresh or frozen.”
Shields says she worries about space constraints, the need for additional equipment, and that it will cost her more to purchase everything fresh. She figures she needs about $5,000 right away for additional ovens and a stand-up mixer.
Shields says she’s trying to keep a positive attitude and is busy working on grants to help purchase equipment. And she’s also preparing to take suggestions to meeting of other senior centers with the Agency in December.
Joseph and Mary Giesler , who have eaten at the Donley County Senior Citizens Center for 18 years, say the new food has been good so far, but they don’t like the way the government has imposed new guidelines on the center.
“We haven’t been on it very long, but ain’t nobody gonna do better than Mary (Sheilds),” Joseph said of the new menu.
Mary Giesler said the ban on cakes and pies is “not fair” and also said, “It’s not good when the government sticks its nose in.”
The couple did agree that value of the meal was still excellent, and they plan to continue eating at the center five days a week and making the suggested donations.
“There’s no way you can prepare a meal like this for $4,” Joseph said.
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