Brakes, the UK’s leading foodservice wholesaler, has announced the launch of its new “Essential Guide To Care Home Catering”, a unique resource for care sector caterers which is free to download from the Brakes website. Featuring a range of expertly curated products, recipes, and innovative solutions, the Guide is tailored to meet the needs of caterers in care homes, hospitals, and other healthcare environments.

At the heart of creating content for the Guide is the Brakes Care team, which boasts a wealth of industry expertise. The team includes specialist development chefs and nutritionists, who are dedicated to creating nutritionally balanced meals that meet the complex dietary requirements of care home residents. This group is complemented by a customer marketing team with decades of experience working within the care sector, ensuring that all solutions are both effective and accessible.

“Our new Guide is the culmination of lots of hard work and dedication to the care sector,” says Brakes’ Head of Customer Marketing, Cathy Amos. “Our team understands the unique challenges faced by care caterers better than anyone, and we are committed to helping them provide nutritious, high-quality meals that support the health and wellbeing of those in their care. With input from chefs, nutritionists, and marketing experts, our Guide is designed to make a real difference.”

The Guide provides practical tips and guidance for care homes on how to use the Brakes product range to save money and manage skill shortages in their kitchens, whilst maintaining high-quality meals. Advice includes using pre-cooked meats, cheaper cuts, and individually quick-frozen products to reduce cooking time, energy costs, and wastage, whilst for fish it recommends choosing lower-cost species and varieties of smoked fish because their strong flavours go a long way and allow caterers to buy in smaller quantities. In terms of fresh produce, buying Class 2 bulk items for soups and casseroles is encouraged, while frozen vegetables and base mixes offer flexibility and cost savings.

The Guide also addresses managing skills shortages in the kitchen, offering simplified menu cycles and multi-portion meal solutions that can be prepared by anyone, regardless of their skill level. It promotes using ready-made components and texture-modified meals for residents with specific needs, such as those with dysphagia.

Support for kitchen teams is also emphasised, including free accredited nutrition training, factsheets on important health conditions, and a menu checking service from Brakes own nutritionist, Ruth O’Sullivan. This comprehensive approach ensures care homes can manage their kitchens efficiently whilst catering to the complex nutritional needs of residents.

Brakes’ “Essential Guide To Care Home Catering” highlights the company’s commitment to delivering high standards of food safety, quality, and sustainability. From menu planning to practical support, Brakes provides its care customers with a full-service solution tailored to their specific needs.

Brakes customers can download the “Essential Guide To Care Home Catering” by visiting www.brake.co.uk/why-brakes/care/showcase/interactive