Texture modified meals have undergone significant advancement in the last few years, providing patients that require pureed food as a result of various medical conditions, high nutritional value while also supporting their dignity and self-confidence during their stay in hospital.

Traditionally, modified meals appear unappetising and are often described as “like baby food”.

To overcome this challenge, St Andrew’s Toowoomba Hospital has proudly partnered with Smooth Dining and implemented national and international industry standard texture modified meals to strengthen patient meal requirements. This includes providing pureed meals prepared using moulds to recreate the look of the food components and standardising recipes to help promote consistency.

This partnership, led by Catering Services Manager Simon Whelan, has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback from patients and families, and also meant St Andrew’s Chefs feel confident when serving meals to patients with Dysphagia or other oral complications.

Meals are pure with no allergens and are gluten free, and are served on coloured plates matching the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) framework to ensure patient safety -> orange for minced and moist, green for puree.

This investment has further strengthened St Andrew’s Toowoomba Hospital’s patient-centred approach to catering and foodservices, following more-than $100,000 of investment in this vital service in the last 12-months.

To learn more about Catering Services and Dining Options available at St Andrew’s Toowoomba Hospital, contact Simon Whelan, Catering Services Manager.

P: 07 4646 3132
E: whelans@sath.org.au