Each of us has unique nutritional needs, based on our genetics, lifestyle, age and gender. How well we meet these needs greatly affects our health and well-being.

Foodnet participants often tell us that they feel better when eating our nutritionally balanced meals, including fruits and vegetables that they may not otherwise get. The meals help people better manage illnesses, like diabetes and heart disease. The menus are planned to meet at least a third of the estimated nutritional needs of persons age 70+. We also try to have enough variety to satisfy “most of the people, most of the time”, while keeping salt and animal fats to a minimum.

We recently began purchasing 1% milk instead of 2%, to further reduce saturated fats and cholesterol. Taste tests show that many people are unable to tell the difference, so we were surprised by how much this upset some participants. To better understand this, we sent out a questionnaire; the response so far has been mixed, with some liking the 1% and others wanting 2% (or whole milk). Since it is not practical for us to carry more types of milk, we will carry only skim milk, 1% lowfat milk, and Lactaid.