Why Nutrition Matters
Good nutrition plays a vital role in health healing and maintaining independence at home. To ensure our meals have a positive impact on our clients, our Nutrition, health, and Impact Department oversees the use of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), a validated nutrition screening instrument, which allows us to determine whether or not our meal program improves the malnourished state of those we serve. We also use this data when reporting program outcomes to funders.
80%
of clients age 65+ demonstrate an
improvement in nutrition status.
Medically Tailored Meals (MTM)
Meals on Wheels Central Texas meals meet the dietary needs of a variety of medical conditions. All our meals are diabetes-friendly, disease-preventative, and whole food-based. Meals are made fresh daily in our Austin Public Health-inspected kitchen.
This meal contains lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and low-fat dairy. An unsweetened tea is available for those with lactose or dairy intolerance.
This meal is designed to support digestive health while restricting certain foods and spices that may irritate the stomach and intestines or cause gas. Examples of restricted items include broccoli, beans, citrus fruits, tomatoes, black and red pepper, and chili powder.
These meals are carefully designed to support individuals with chronic kidney disease or those undergoing dialysis treatment. It restricts potassium, sodium, and phosphorus. Unsweetened tea is provided in place of milk.
This plant-based meal is for those who are interested in a diet that does not include any meat, poultry, or seafood. It meets the same protein and nutrient requirements as our other meals.
This meal is for those with dental concerns or limited ability to slice or chop food. It is similar to the General Health meal type, but substitutions may be made (i.e. apple sauce instead of an apple). The food is always chopped or diced into bite-sized pieces.
This meal is for those who cannot chew or swallow food easily. The entrée and sides are pureed to a pudding-like consistency using broth or water when necessary. If the grain of the day is a dinner roll, a slice of bread, or a similar
product, it will be replaced by an additional pureed starch component.
Available diet combinations include:
• Digestive-Friendly & Soft • Renal-Friendly & Soft • Digestive-Friendly & Pureed • Renal-Friendly & Pureed
Allergen Awareness:
A MOWCTX Allergen Guide is available to clients upon special request which shares important information identifying which food items contain one or more of the top 8 allergens (eggs, fish, shellfish, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, and wheat) in addition to gluten. This serves as a valuable resource to help clients navigate our menu if they are trying to avoid certain ingredients.
SPACER