How One Senior Living Organization Implements Farm to Table Dining

Farm to table dining has emerged as a transformative approach in senior care, prioritizing fresh, locally sourced ingredients and creating more meaningful dining experiences for residents. Harbor Retirement Associates (HRA) transforms the traditional ‘Farm to Table’ concept into an exceptional dining experience across its 36+ senior living communities. As a Florida-based organization specializing in independent living, assisted living, transitional care, and Alzheimer’s and dementia care, HRA goes beyond mere trend-following by implementing a truly innovative approach to resident dining.

Read on to learn how this senior care organization effectively implements farm to table dining, the benefits of the farm to table approach, and how your community can develop a farm to table program.

Implementing New Farm to Table Practices

Anthony Polito, vice president of Hospitality at Harbor Retirement Associates

Anthony Polito, vice president of Hospitality at Harbor Retirement Associates, explains that around 2016, the organization adopted a hospitality model with a heavy focus on dining and culinary services. “We really wanted to focus on upping the ante and taking it to the next level,” he says. In the second half of 2023, HRA started to build on its relationships as well as finding and partnering with new vendors.

The result is a unique farm to table program that benefits the community as a whole.

“Local whenever and wherever possible, that’s the goal,” he says. To offer farm to table meals, HRA has developed numerous partnerships with local providers. Once the organization switched to using Gordon Food Service, they were instrumental in helping HRA build those relationships.

Through a partnership with Tractor Beverage, an organic drink company, HRA has created a Tonic Elixir Bar, which piggybacks on the mocktail trend. “It’s all organic, with no artificial flavors or colors, but also infuses the drinks with fruits and vegetables,” says Polito. Each drink has a health benefit. For example, lemonade is colored with turmeric for a golden color, but residents also benefit from turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties.

HRA has created social hours within its memory care neighborhoods, featuring the drinks. The social hours resemble a happy hour in a traditional bar setting, incorporating entertainment, hors d‘oeuvres, and snacks. Since the drinks are 85% water content, they’re an excellent way to help keep residents hydrated while creating an engaging social setting.

The partnership with Halperin’s Fine Meats means HRA accesses fresh seafood and meats that are cut and sourced locally. “Fish is so great for brain health and overall health, that we’ve heavily integrated it into our menus,” says Polito. He notes that HRA only serves wild-caught fish and avoids anything that has been farm-raised.

HRA also has a partnership with Produce Alliance. “Produce Alliance partners with local farms and local produce vendors for all of our beautiful fresh produce,” Polito explains. HRA doesn’t use any produce that has been frozen or canned on its menus, and its seasonal menus reflect the produce available throughout the year.

These partnerships and the farm to table offerings they provide are reflected in the menus across every HRA community. Each week, HRA offers a “week at a glance” menu, which is signed by a dietitian. Every community runs the same week at a glance menu, but communities also have the autonomy to create regional and seasonal specials within each meal period. “In Chicago you might see an Italian beef sandwich, since it’s a Chicago staple,” says Polito. “In South Florida, you might see a fish reuben.”

Implementation Challenges

HRA has faced several challenges in implementing the farm to table approach. Change can be a challenge for both the organization’s residents and associates. “I think sometimes you have to navigate any change, even if it’s positive,” Polito says. However, once the value of farm to table was recognized, the organization received amazing feedback on the program.

There have also been operational challenges. “Though we run restaurants, it’s still within a regulatory atmosphere, so we have to work through some of those things,” explains Polito. The menus are proprietary and custom, but creating them involves a large vetting process with a dietitian. “It takes time and is a labor of love, but it’s all worth it when we create that amazing experience for residents and families,” Polito says.

The Benefits of Farm to Table

Polito explains that the farm to table approach has hugely benefitted overall guest satisfaction. “Everybody loves enjoying an amazing meal,” he says. “I think more and more, we’re having more consciousness around how food affects our bodies.”

The farm to table approach also benefits HRA chefs. “I think even still today, there’s a little bit of a stigma when we talk about senior living dining,” Polito explains. “We have several restaurant outlets in our communities, and we run them as such.” Chefs are encouraged to incorporate everything they did while working in hotels and restaurants, and they can bring their knowledge and pride to HRA to create an amazing experience for residents and families. Chefs are also encouraged to collaborate with vendors they’ve previously worked with, and to cultivate relationships with great farm to table providers. “It’s been tremendously received,” says Polito.

In addition to offering numerous positive benefits for residents and HRA chefs, the farm to table approach has operational and financial benefits. Since HRA is a hospitality company, the farm to table approach is a benchmark to their story. “It’s been fantastic from a marketing standpoint,” says Polito.

The farm to table focus has also benefitted the raw food budget. “If you’re bringing in a frozen case of carrots, someone is peeling, slicing, and freezing them; there’s a premium cost attached to that,” Polito notes. “We’re doing that labor in house and in turn, you’re going to get an amazing product, with all the nutritional value because it’s fresh, but that come at a wholesale cost. We’re able to do a lot within a healthy budget and can really achieve a lot with what we have.”

Tips for Implementing Farm to Table Programs

Polito recommends that communities that are ready to explore farm to table start by creating recipes from scratch and encouraging their chefs to create new menus. “Get the chef involved and your culinary team, get them excited about cooking,” he says. He notes that he’s seen some complacency in the senior living industry. “We want to flip that around; we want the young, trendy chef right out of culinary school who’s full of creativity.”

At HRA, chefs are given the opportunity to grow and create, which is integral to the farm to table approach. “Create your vision of how you would open a restaurant here with us, and get excited about it,” Polito poses. “It starts with that — the buy-in, the passion. Everything else falls into place as long as you have the talent.”

Paige Cerulli

Paige Cerulli is a contributing writer to i Advance Senior Care.