Nutrition and hydration are high on the agenda in healthcare settings. They are a vital part of patient care, as high-quality food and drink can help speed up recovery.
Each patient is different, so meal plans must be centred around their needs. Hospitals and care homes must develop multi-functional, flexible menus, which can be adapted and served around the clock, providing food during the day and night.
They also need to consider menus beyond the wards, in on-site restaurants, canteens and cafés, for staff and visitors, where healthy, homecooked food and delicious drinks are key to driving sales.
Sustainability is another important part of healthcare caterers’ food and drink strategy, with many aiming to reduce the environmental impact of their large-scale food production. A large part of this is food waste – both production and plate.
Meals need to be efficient and cost-effective, as well as delicious. From ward trolley snacks, to food at protected mealtimes, nutrient-dense food and drink items, which fit the patient’s dietary requirements, are crucial. Great taste and the right texture are equally as important to encourage consumption.
Our solutions:
Investing in high-quality, multi-functional, cost-effective ingredients, such as vegan friendly Whirl, can help healthcare caterers meet their strategic objectives. Whirl butter alternatives bring you great flavour and convenience and are cost-effective compared to traditional dairy-based butter.
Whirl butter alternatives are 65% lower in saturated fat than butter – making them a great option for hospital kitchens and care settings. Our unsalted version is also great for a low-sodium diet. Therefore, they can be used to replace butter, margarine, and vegetable oils right across your menu. Whether you’re grilling, shallow frying, roasting, glazing or using as an ingredient, Whirl is a great dairy-free butter alternative for the healthcare sector.
Menu ideas:
A tasty substitute for butter, our plant-based Whirl butter alternative makes it easy to create creamy scrambled eggs and tasty hollandaise sauce. Brush it onto a roll before toasting for a delicious breakfast panini, pour into a frying pan to sauté mushrooms, or mix into pancake batter to whip up a batch for morning service.
For lunch and dinner menus, use Whirl butter alternatives to glaze vegetables or meats, during or after cooking, stir it into mash or create creamy cheese sauces.
Whirl doesn’t stop at savoury dishes either. Our butter alternatives can be used across your baking menu items. Simply replace butter or margarine in your pastry, tray bakes and cakes and sauces. Not sure how to use? Check out our handy tips.
Check out our recipes and inspiration pages!
Make sure you see how easy it is to use Whirl by visiting our video demos page!
Every year, the NHS serves more than 140 million meals to patients across the country.
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