Spreading a little joy in care homes
Christmas offers care homes a chance to create joyful, memorable experiences for residents. For many people, this time of year is all about traditions, with food and drink playing a central role in festive celebrations.
The Christmas period is a wonderful time for residents to break from their usual routines and try something new, especially when it comes to food. Whether it's hosting a festive event or introducing seasonal flavours to the menu, there are countless ways to celebrate. No matter their preferences or dietary needs, there's something to bring joy to every resident. Explore our care home Christmas hub below to gather inspiration, recipes and more…
Delivering the latest Christmas inspiration
We've handpicked some of our blogs to help you create a truly special Christmas for your residents. Whether you're looking to accommodate a variety of dietary needs or searching for simple, effective ways to bring festive magic into your home, these blogs are full of inspiration and practical tips to make this Christmas magical.
Chef Wayne’s top tip this Christmas:
“This Christmas, I’ve handpicked a selection of my absolute favourite festive treats, perfect for care homes looking to bring warmth, nostalgia and a little indulgence to their residents.
From the rich, comforting flavours of Yarde Farm’s Christmas pudding and gingerbread ice creams to the classic charm of Cobbs stollen traybake and Ilchester Wensleydale & cranberry cheese, every item brings something special. These products are all about creating moments of joy!”
- Top products
Top products
Ilchester Wensleydale & cranberry cheese
This creamy, crumbly Wensleydale cheese classic comes with a delightfully fruity twist extruded into 1.5kg half moons.-
Cobbs stollen traybake
This gluten-free almond and cinnamon flavoured sponge is packed with juicy sultanas and pieces of marzipan. -
Everyday Favourites tiramisu cheesecake
Two classic desserts are combined into one: a chocolate crumb base and mascarpone flavoured cheesecake. -
We Love Cake individually wrapped fruit slice
This individually wrapped dessert is wheat, gluten and milk-free, but it’s still the classic moist fruit cake we all know and love. -
Yarde Farm Christmas pudding ice cream
Enjoy Christmas with this brandy flavour clotted cream ice cream with Christmas pudding pieces. -
Yarde Farm gingerbread ice cream
This warming gingerbread ice cream is perfect for autumn and winter menus. -
Macphie brandy sauce
This indulgent heat-treated sauce is ideal with Christmas puddings and mince pies.
Looking for more inspiration for your menu?
Explore our latest campaigns and menus to help you create something a little different this Christmas for your care home. From cutlery-free dining ideas, to a royal feast… explore below:
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4 weekly menu cycle
Explore our latest four weekly menu cycle, aligned to the BDA Care Home Digest. Every dish has been carefully created and tested by our Culinary Development Chef, Wayne Wright and our Nutrition Manager, Heather Dolan.
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Interactive Care Home
A unique opportunity for you to embark on a journey room by room to see all our support in action and hear directly from our experts. -
Swinging it back to the 40's
Add a touch of nostalgia to your care home with our 1940s-inspired budget-friendly recipe guide, featuring fortified and cutlery-free options, along with an engaging activity pack for your residents to enjoy. -
Cutlery free dining
Explore our latest ideas for all day dining suitable for cutlery free diets. -
Theme day calendar
Create unforgettable themed mealtimes for your residents all year with our them day inspiration calendar -
Menu Cycle
Explore our latest menu cycle for care homes. From cutlery free dining to fortified dishes, you can explore a full 7 day cycle of inspiration… -
Theme day inspiration
Make your meal times an occasion with our latest theme day packs. -
Catering for dementia
Our expert culinary team have created a guide full of ideas and inspiration to help you create uplifting mealtimes. -
Catering for Diabetes
A detailed look on how to caterer for diabetes in your care home and a weekly menu cycle... -
Catering for dysphagia
Support for your teams to understand how to adapt your service to meet the needs of all residents. -
Spinning it back to the 50’s
Bring some nostalgia to your home with this guide filled with recipes, activities, posters and more. -
A royal inspired feast!
Helping your care home elevate your next celebration -
Care caterers handbook
A guide on everything you need to know about catering for your care home. Including a weekly menu cycle...
Do you offer Christmas menus that include softer foods or modified textures?
Yes, we offer Christmas products which are softer and modified in texture to accommodate guests with specific dietary needs or preferences. Explore or Simply Food Solutions products in this year’s range here. Alternatively, to find out more about our texture modified food, visit the Simply Puree webpage.
Are festive meal options available that meet nutritional standards for care home residents?
As an experienced supplier to the care sector with a team of people that fully understand your challenges, we aim to help you a specialist product range and support tailored to your home. We have a variety of support to help you with innovation, menu planning and much more. Visit the care page to find out more.
Do you offer Christmas desserts and treats that are suitable for residents with swallowing difficulties?
This year we have a texture modified Simply Puree Christmas pudding, perfect served with custard or vanilla ice cream!
Do you offer training or guidance for care home staff on serving Christmas meals safely?
Our free online training hub, Caterers Campus offers training for all kitchen staff on plating, serving, and preparing food in care homes. Get started today.
