Nutrition & Food Safety Skills for Caregivers: Closing the Gap

Caregivers play a vital role in ensuring seniors receive meals that are not only nutritious but also safe to eat. Yet many caregivers lack the training in food safety, special diets, and cooking techniques needed to meet older adults’ unique health needs. This article explores the nutrition and food safety skills gap, practical kitchen tips, and caregiver training opportunities that can improve mealtime quality and dignity for seniors.

Why this matters

Older adults face a higher risk from foodborne illness and nutrition gaps. Caregivers say one of the biggest physical needs for clients is a tasty meal that meets nutrition and hydration needs. In a nationwide snapshot:

97% of caregivers plan, shop, cook, serve, and keep the kitchen clean.
Nearly 90% of administrators report cooking-related complaints from clients.
88% of caregivers admit they need more training when making meals for elders with chronic diseases.
Caregivers specifically want help with cooking skills, nutrition knowledge, food safety, understanding labels, seasoning, reducing salt, and planning meals that improve health. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

Common diet requests you’ll encounter

Expect to see these orders frequently: low-sodium, diabetic, low-fat, low-cholesterol, restricted fluids, and modified textures (for chewing or swallowing challenges). Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

Quick self-check: can you spot the risks?

The Nutrition, Cooking & Safety Skills Gap Challenge highlights everyday decisions that protect elders.

Key takeaways from the challenge & answer guide:

Prevent cross-contamination. Keep raw meats on a separate cutting board from produce/ready-to-eat foods. Don’t wash raw meats (it spreads germs), and never put cooked food back on the raw platter. Review the “Core Four” basics: clean, separate, cook, chill. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…
Learn mealtime preferences. Ask about favorites and dislikes, cultural/religious foods, timing and location of meals, special diets, allergies, choking risk, and texture needs. Use a Mealtime Preferences Profile with clients/families. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…
Flavor without salt. Build taste with onion, garlic, ginger, herbs and spices, salt-free blends, vinegar, citrus juice, Dijon or mustard, low-sodium soy sauce, plus small amounts of honey or low-calorie sweeteners. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…
Protect dignity with dementia. If clients can self-feed, support independence (finger foods, texture changes, calm environment) rather than automatically feeding them. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…
Diabetes: watch carbs and alcohol. Cookies, milkshakes, beer, and wine affect blood glucose and should be moderated. (All listed items in the challenge influence control; moderation and a balanced plan matter.) Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…
Sodium is everywhere. The challenge flags all of these as high-sodium risks: bread/rolls/tortillas; pork and chicken; pasta sauce & pasta/rice mixes; pizza; canned soup; deli/cured meats; cheese; frozen meals; restaurant meals. For adults 55+, many ethnic groups, and people with hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, COPD, and other conditions, sodium reduction is essential. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

Note: The Skills Gap Challenge is informational only and not valid for CE credit. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

22 kitchen tips caregivers can use right now

Before you cook

Tie back hair, remove hand/wrist jewelry, wash hands, wear an apron.
Clear and clean your workspace.
Prepare a sink with hot, soapy water; wipe and rinse surfaces.
Gather the right pots, pans, and tools.
Measure ingredients with the proper tools (dry vs. liquid cups).
Set ingredients within easy reach.
Prep first (chop, slice, dice, mince, peel) for smoother cooking.
Use a garbage bowl—don’t work over the trash.
Start dishes that take the longest first so everything finishes together. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

Prevent cross-contamination

Use one board for raw meat/poultry/seafood and another for produce/RTE foods—and still wash between uses.
Wash knives, spatulas, and spoons between raw and ready-to-eat foods.
Wipe raw meat juices with disposable towels, then wash and rinse the area.
Don’t reuse marinades from raw foods unless you’ve boiled them.
Do not wash raw meats (it spreads bacteria).
Never return cooked food to the raw platter.
Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate in your cart.
Wash dishcloths/kitchen towels on hot with a sanitizing detergent. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

Make-ahead, safely

Most casseroles can be made 1–2 days ahead; some freeze well.
Casseroles with eggs/milk-based sauces don’t freeze well (they separate).
Casseroles with pasta, rice, poultry, or meat can be frozen up to 6 months.
Label, date, and add cooking instructions to every dish.
Thaw in the refrigerator and cook to an internal 165°F. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

Food safety basics to review with families

Handwashing and clean surfaces reduce illness risk for elders whose immune systems are less robust.
Cook, cool, and store correctly (mind the danger zone).
Separate raw from ready-to-eat foods at every step—shopping cart to refrigerator.
Check dates and use-by labels; when in doubt, throw it out. (And remember: washing poultry/meat increases spread—don’t do it.) Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

Building weekly menus that actually help clients

Match meals to any prescribed diet (low-sodium, diabetic, low-fat, etc.).
Plan for hydration and nutritious snacks if needed.
Use salt-free flavor builders (herbs, spices, citrus, vinegar).
For sodium reduction, rethink “hidden” sources (breads, sauces, deli meats, frozen and restaurant items).
For diabetes, pace carbohydrates and beverages that spike glucose; emphasize balanced plates. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

Learning paths & courses you can assign

Basic Cooking Skills

Principles of Cooking
Keeping Kitchens Clean and Food Safe
Get Ready, Get Set, Cook
Planning Balanced Meals
Feeding Your Clients (ITK course)

Cooking for Chronic Conditions

Mealtime with Diabetes
Mealtime with COPD
Mealtime with Alzheimer’s & Dementia
Mealtime with Food Allergies & Celiac Disease
Mealtime with Cardiovascular Disease

Caregivers who complete a path can earn Food Safety and Nutrition Specialist badges—great for marketing your team’s expertise. (These courses are available to intheknow subscribers and as a separate library.) Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

About the expert behind this program

Chef Beth Scholer, CC, CDM, CFPP—founder of Caregivers Kitchen—is a nationally recognized author, speaker, and educator focused on nutrition care for older adults. She holds a BS in Food Science (Purdue University) and a Culinary Certificate (École Ferrandi, Paris), with professional certifications in nutrition, food safety, and culinary arts. She created the Culinary Skills for Caregivers training series and partners with home care companies nationwide to enhance client and staff wellness. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

Ready to raise the bar?

Run the Skills Gap Challenge with your team.
Assign the courses above based on client needs.
Share the 22 tips in your next in-service.
Point families to consumer-friendly food-safety resources (e.g., “Core Four” basics). Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

This article distills content from the “Skills Gap Challenge: Nutrition, Food Safety, and Cooking Skills” resource and its answer key, including training paths and practical kitchen tips. Nutrition-and-Food-Safety-Skill…

References mentioned in the resource: FightBac Core Four basics; Mealtime Preferences Profile; topic PDFs on obesity and the effects of smoking; knowingmore.com; info@knowingmore.com; 877-809-5515.

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or dietary advice. Caregivers and families should always follow the guidance of licensed healthcare providers, registered dietitians, or physicians when making nutrition or food safety decisions for older adults. Information provided here may not reflect individual needs or circumstances. Clare Senior Care AFC | GAFC Inc. does not assume responsibility for actions taken based on this content.

Daily Living Tips, Senior Education

Caregivers’ Guide to Nutrition, Food Safety & Cooking Skills