Behind each meal served at PRHC is a team that understands that good, healthy food is about more than nourishment. It’s also about comfort alongside care, or even a reminder of home during what could be a challenging time away from a patient’s regular routine and loved ones.
Every day, PRHC’s Nutrition Services Department prepares three meals for up to 480 patients. For the hardworking staff, including two production cooks, every minute matters in getting nutritious meals out to everyone on time.
The department runs on a carefully planned schedule, with each team dedicated to breakfast, lunch or dinner. In just 90 minutes, they assemble a whole round of meals, while accommodating specialized dietary requirements.
Providing food made from scratch whenever possible is a point of pride, explains Christy Merritt, Manager of Nutrition Services. “It’s really empowering for us to know that we’re able to provide patients with homecooked food, made with care.”
That commitment has been made easier thanks to donor generosity. A new, $32,200 donor-funded commercial mixer has transformed food production in the hospital kitchen. With four speeds and three interchangeable paddles, the mixer has doubled the number of batches that can be prepared at once, cutting production time in half for recipes like mashed potatoes and muffin batter. It’s also eliminated work that would have been done more slowly by hand or in a smaller mixer.
Production cook Molly Lonsberry notices the impact of working with faster, better equipment every day. “It feels like we’re moving forwards,” she says. “We’re so appreciative of having this mixer.”
The time saved means the team can work more efficiently, stay on schedule, spend time on other tasks, and create new recipes to support patient health and healing.
For more information or to donate, please call 705-876-5000 or click here.