Elizabeth*Hartnett*

GO*#1*
*
I. Summary)of)Organization/Site:)
)
The*St.*Joseph*Community*Services*(SJCS)*Meals*on*Wheel*program*operates*
throughout*Hillsborough*County*in*New*Hampshire.*The*site*that*I*visited*was*at*
the*Senior*Activity*Center*in*Nashua,*New*Hampshire.*The*coordinator*of*the*
program*is*Steve*Ayotte,*603N882N2106.*SJCS*has*been*in*operation*since*1977*and*
has*served*over*12*million*meals*to*the*homebound*population*as*well*as*to*others*
through*the*communityNdining*program.*In*total*there*are*19*different*meal*sites*
that*either*do*deliveries,*community*dining,*or*both.1*The*site*that*I*visited*in*
Nashua*does*both.*They*deliver*about*350*meals*a*day*and*serve*between*30N50*
meals*at*the*center*per*day.*They*offer*community*dining*for*lunch*at*noon*but*
operate*from*8:30am*to*about*2:00pm.*They*run*out*of*the*senior*center*that*is*
attached*to*a*senior*apartment*complex.*The*congregate*clients*come*from*the*
apartment*complex*and*from*the*surrounding*area*of*the*city.**
The*site*is*apart*of*a*centralized*foodservice*system.*A*catering*company,*FitzN
Vogt,*cooks*the*meals*and*delivers*the*food*in*large*pans*that*have*been*held*at*an*
acceptable*temperature.*The*food*temperature*is*taken*before*it*leaves*FitzNVogt,*
and*then*again*once*it*has*arrived*at*the*site*in*Nashua.*If*the*food*is*not*up*to*
temperature,*it*is*placed*into*the*oven*to*make*sure*it*gets*to*the*correct*
temperature.*The*pans*are*kept*in*a*warmer*until*needed.*This*site*is*the*receiving*
kitchen*on*the*centralized*food*system*chart.2*Along*with*the*delivery*of*the*hot*
foods,*cartons*of*milk,*loaves*of*bread,*and*a*fruit*or*other*dessert*is*dropped*off.*
For*the*delivered*meals,*in*the*morning*there*is*basically*an*assembly*line*of*people*
bagging*individual*bread*slices,*milk,*and*desserts*into*a*“cold”*bag*to*go*along*with*
the*hot*delivery.*The*hot*food*is*assembled*into*trays,*sealed*and*out*for*delivery*by*
11am.*The*congregate*meal*is*served*on*Styrofoam*plates*at*noon*in*the*small*
cafeteria.**
* The*meals*are*planned*by*a*dietitian*and*rotate*regularly.*They*are*
nutritionally*balanced.*The*meals*are*seasonal.*In*the*summer,*there*is*more*BBQ*
foods*and*cold*meals*once*or*twice*a*week.*In*the*winter,*they*tend*to*have*more*
stews*and*casseroles.*The*whole*fruits*that*are*given*as*desserts*are*seasonal*when*
available.*At*least*two*days*a*week*there*are*two*choices*for*the*main*menu*item,*
usually*Tuesdays*and*Fridays.*Every*Friday*there*is*a*Fish*or*vegetarian*option.*
Wednesdays*are*salad*bar*or*cold*sandwich*days*during*the*summer.*The*next*page*
is*an*example*of*the*August*menu*that*the*clients*will*be*receiving.**
*
*
References:*
1. About*Us.*SjcsNmealsNonNwheels.*
http://www.mealsonwheelsnh.org/about_us.*Accessed*July*6,*2017.*
*
2. A*guide*to*centralized*foodservice*systems.*Foodservice*systems.*Chapter*
1.**
 St. Joseph Community Services, Inc. For a complete list of our Community Dining & Meals On Wheels sites, please turn page over.
AUGUST 2017 CLIENT MENU
Monday
7/31) Beef w/ Mushroom Sauce
Succotash
Mashed Turnips/Carrots
Oatmeal Bread
Chocolate Chip Cookie
8/7) Chicken Marsala
Penne Pasta
Green Beans
Natural Grain Bread
Rice Pudding w/ Raisins and
Nutmeg
8/14) Stuffed Shells w/ Marinara
Sauce
Garlic Green Beans
Sliced Carrots
Oatmeal Bread
Applesauce Raisin Bran Bar
8/21) Shepherd’s Pie w/ Gravy
Peas and Carrots
Wheat Bread
Warm Scalloped Apples
8/28) Beef Burgundy w/ Gravy
Sautéed Cabbage and
Carrots
Bowtie Pasta
Rye Roll
Seasonal Fruit
LEGEND: SR = Salt Restricted, Ch 1 = Choice 1 meal, Ch 2 = Choice 2 meal
Please return menu to your driver no later than July 12, 2017
Client Name_______________________ Rte#______
Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8/1) Spaghetti and Meatballs 8/2) CH1 Chicken Pasta Salad 8/3) Salisbury Steak 8/4) CH1 Grilled Chicken w/ Pineapple
Peas CH2 Tuna Pasta Salad Sliced Red Bliss Mashed Potatoes Salsa
Cream of Broccoli Soup Cucumber & Tomato Salad Tomatoes w/ Zucchini & Summer CH2 Baked Pollock Fish w/
Tossed Salad Carrot Raisin Salad Squash Pineapple Salsa
Italian Dressing Applesauce Oatmeal Bar French Bread Cauliflower/Broccoli Blend
Italian Roll Sliced Peaches Confetti Brown Rice
Seasonal Fruit Multigrain Bread
Gingerbread w/ Topping
8/8) CH1 Meat Lasagna w/ Sauce 8/9) CH1 Egg Salad on Shredded Lettuce 8/10) AUGUST SPECIAL 8/11) CH1 Broccoli, Tomato &
CH2 Vegetable Lasagna w/ Sauce CH2 Ham Salad on Shredded Lettuce BBQ Chicken Thigh Cheese Frittata
Lima Beans English Pea Salad Cabbage and Carrots CH2 Crab Cake w/ Sweet
Harvard Beets Whole Wheat Pita Half German Potato Salad Pepper Relish
Garlic Roll Fruited Jello Whole Wheat Cinnamon Dinner Roll
Peas
Seasonal Fruit Blueberry/Strawberry Trifle
Potatoes O’Brien
Wheat Bread
Seasonal Fruit
8/15) CH1 Baked Chicken w/ Gravy 8/16) Beef Stew 8/17) Chili Con Carne 8/18) CH1 Chicken Parmesan
CH2 Liver and Onions w/ Gravy Broccoli and Cauliflower Mixed Vegetables CH2 Eggplant Parmesan
Red Bliss Mashed Potato Biscuit White Rice Beets
Stewed Tomatoes and Seasonal Fruit Mini Corn Loaf Garlic Green Beans
Zucchini Pumpkin Chip Cookie Flaxseed Bread
Natural Grain Bread Brownie
Iced Lemon Birthday Cake
8/22) CH1 Sweet and Sour Chicken 8/23) Turkey Salad 8/24) BBQ Pork Riblets 8/25) CH1 Macaroni and Cheese
Breast w/ Pineapple Broccoli and Red Onion Salad Vegetarian Baked Beans CH2 Mediterranean Baked Fish
CH2 Baked Ham w/ Pineapple Spinach Salad w/ Mandarin Oranges Corn Garlic Green Beans
Mixed Vegetable ½ Wheat Pita New England Roll Stewed Tomatoes
Scalloped Potatoes Applesauce Oatmeal Bar Spice Cake w/ Topping Flaxseed Bread
Pumpkin Bread Hermit Cookie
Seasonal Fruit
8/29) CH1 Meatball Stew 8/30) Chicken and Grape Salad 8/31) Boneless Pork Loin Chop w/ 9/1) CH1 Chicken Fajita
CH2 Broccoli Quiche Cold Three Bean Salad Baked Apple CH2 Black Bean and Cheese
Zucchini Cucumber and Tomato Salad Broccoli Fajita
Roasted Diced Butternut 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Roll Mashed Sweet Potato Wheat Soft Tortilla
Squash Pineapple and Mandarin Orange Fruit Oatmeal Bread Peppers and Onions
Natural Grain Bread Cup Pumpkin Chip Cookie Sour Cream
Chocolate Chip Cookie Spanish Rice
Pineapple Tidbits
 Guided Observations
Instructions & Template for GO reports

These Guided Observations are hopefully going to allow you get a look “behind the scenes” to see
how different types of food service establishments operate. This form is to be used for both Guid-
ed Observation assignments: GO 1 and GO2 (Institutional & Retail) to complete your report.

For your reports, please include information and comments on the three parts:
I. Summary of the site
II. Observation notes- All cells of the table should be filled in. If there is no information on that
particular characteristic, please note that with N/A.
III. Comments on your overall experience.

I. Summary of the Organization/Site:

· Provide the name of the facility, as well as contact information for your facility coordinator
(name, title, phone and email).
· Describe the type, size, location and brief history of the facility
· Describe why the type of foodservice is considered conventional (traditional), ready-
prepared, commissary or assembly/serve
· How many meals are served in a given time period
· Hours of operation
· Menus: Provide a copy of at least one menu used by the facility (obtain online if available)

II. Observation Notes: complete the checklist

This should be completed in your own handwriting; typed afterward if your handwriting is com-
pletely illegible. If you do type this, please scan the original handwritten copy and include it with
your typed copy. Each item needs to be filled in with notes on what you saw. If an item does not
apply, please note that with N/A or other appropriate notation

Menu & Menu planning

Describe Menu Characteristics Observations/Comments

Cycle, static or single-use
Degree of choice
Nutrition
Aesthetic factors
Cycle, the dietitian prepares the menu a few months in
advance and rotates several meals throughout the
months
2x/ week there are 2 choices, 3x/week there is only 1
choice
Some choices are “not for salt free” diets. A dietitian
plans the meals according to standards of nutrition for
older adults.
Most of the time the employees try to make it look
nice on the plates and in the trays. Sometimes the meat
foods such as sauces have a fat layer that is unappeal-
ing. The vegetables are sometimes very mushy.
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 Popularity of menu items
Food variety
Production issues
Service issues
Seasonality and food
availability
The items that are most popular are desserts, most soft
foods such as pasta, hard fruit are not popular. The
number one popular meal is American Chopped Suey.
Good variety. Some complain of too many chicken
meals
Sometimes caterer delivers incorrect numbers. Some-
times the menu items change with very short notice
Employees are scooping veggies, sauces etc so some
people might get more than others and may differ than
the actual portion it should be.
“seasonal fruit” is often on the menu. Summer meals
include cold food or salad bar 1-2x a week.

Any other special menu They offer fat-free and 2% milk.

considerations for the facil- They will “chop” food if needed for specific diet con-
ity? sistency. They used to puree but do not anymore

Describe the relationship to

menu planning for the facility:

Available production
equipment, work space,
and storage
Food cost and meal plan
price
Clientele preferences
Service method
The delivery trays hold only 3 different things so that
needs to be considered when meal planning.
There is not a lot of freezer storage so production
numbers need to be accurate.
Suggested $2 a meal
Participants tell the managers when they like a meal or
when they hate it and they report to the dietitian and
the main office personnel.
Clients are served lunch.
Deliveries can include breakfast, lunch, or both

Storage and Inventory Control

Observations/Comments

How often does the facili- 1x/ week

ty take a physical inven-
tory?
What are the procedures On Wednesdays they look at the next weeks menu to
for taking and computing determine if they need more Styrofoam plates, plastic
inventory? utensils, cups, bowls, trays, wax or plastic bags, cleaning
products, and paper towels,
2

Who has access to the
storage areas and how
are they secured?
What is the procedure for There isn’t really a procedure for this. If the item is
issuing products? needed it is taken out of the storage room and used.
Food Production
How does the facility fore-
cast how much food to
produce?
Does the facility use forms
such as production sched-
ules or worksheets?
How often are production
meetings held?
Do the food service staff
members use thermome-
ters to check food tempera-
tures?
Is the quantity listed on the
production schedule the
amount that was actually
prepared?
What happens if the facility
underproduces or overpro-
duces a menu item?
Are amounts served rec-
orded for future forecast-
ing?
Does the facility have an
ingredient room?
and order if needed. The order sheet (xcel) is sent to the
main office for them to order from the catering compa-
ny.
Anyone who works there can go into the storage area. It
is locked before they leave in the afternoon.
Observations/Comments
Clients have to fill out a menu- circle what meals they
want. These need to be back in a certain amount of time.
They are given about a month to hand in their menu.
Once the filled out menu is returned it is recorded.
Yes there are several different forms used to keep track
of deliveries and the congregate meals.
1x/ month the managers have a meeting to discuss which
foods were popular and any issues that were seen with
the meals. They talk about fluctuation of participants.
Yes. Once the food arrives at the facility it is temped.
Before the food is trayed and plated it is temped again.
For deliveries the last meal is temped and recorded be-
fore being given away.
Sometimes the caterer overproduces. Leftovers are
trayed and frozen to give extra meals to delivery clients
when they need them. (some will ask for extra weekend
meals) sometimes extra will be given to congregate cli-
ents. Underproducing rarely ever happens. If it does
meats and veggies may be given in smaller portions.
Yes only if the food was not well received. If many peo-
ple refused the meal or if many complaints are made
about a particular meal it will be recorded and discussed
at the managers meeting.
No, all food comes in prepared.
3
 Based on the menu, are Not in this facility
standardized recipes avail-
able for all menu items?

What are the advantages N/A

of using standardized reci-
pes?

How are the standardized N/A

recipes tied to purchasing
those foods?

How does portion control of N/A

a menu item affect the yield
of the recipe?

Distribution and Service

Observations/Comments

Describe whether the facili- It is the receiving kitchen in a centralized service. The
ty uses centralized or de- foods are delivered hot to the meal site and then distrib-
centralized service uted from there, either home deliveries or served at the
meal site to congregates.
Describe whether the facili- Congregate meals- table set us in senior center cafeteria,
ty offers table, counter, meals are served to clients
self, tray, take-out and/or Delivery- 5x/week
delivery services

What kinds of service con-
trols are in place at the fa-
cility?
Are the actual amounts of
food served and leftovers
recorded?
Managers always have to go through the personnel at the
main office for any issues with the catering service.
Managers oversee all aspects of the deliveries and con-
gregate meals.
Yes, meals served are counted and recorded.
Leftovers- put into trays and frozen for extra to be deliv-
ered

Safety, Sanitation and Maintenance

Sanitation Issues Observations/Comments

• Does the facility have a cleaning
schedule (daily, weekly, month-
ly, etc) and is it followed?
• What is cleaned and how often?
Clean as you go. At the end of the day everything is
wiped down and floors are cleaned and trash is taken
out.
Tables, pans, utensils are all cleaned as needed
throughout the day.

4
 Sanitation Issues Observations/Comments

What methods, cleeaning Paper towels, disposable wash cloths, dish soap, and
compounds and equipment are Certo Sanitizing Solution is used
needed?

Is a pest control program in
place?
Is the facility left clean and or-
derly at the end of each day
How clean are the toilets and
hand washing facilities?
• Are the staff members clean
and healthy?
• Do they wash their hands fre-
quently?
Do staff members clean up af-
ter themselves or leave it for
someone else?
They have never had an issue but if there was one
they would let main office know and they will hire
pest control specialists if needed.
Yes. They make sure everything is clean before they
leave because it is a facility that they rent they make
sure it looks good.
Very clean. Hand washing stations throughout the
kitchen that have electric soap dispensers and electric
paper towel machines
Yes, all look healthy, no sneezing or coughing ob-
served.
Hand washing was seen with all employees several
times throughout the day. Gloves are used at all times
when handling foods.
Yes, they were all really good at cleaning up after
themselves.

Are adequate sanitation buckets Yes, next to the 3 basin sink a few buckets with sani-
with towels available for wiping up tizing solution are available for all employees to use
spills?
Are the garbage cans adequate Yes, there are several in the kitchen and in the cafete-
and in the right locations? Are ria. Emptied at the end if the day
they emptied often?

• How many staff members work Usually there is only one person at the sink at a time.
in the dish room area? It is a tight space. There will be one person at the
• How is the work organized? three basin sink washing pans/ utensils as they get
used
Are there instructions on the dish There is no dish machine, everything is hand washed
machine for set-up, use, and
cleanup?
What are the correct washing and At least 180F but no higher than 194F
sanitizing temperatures for com-
mercial dishwashing?

5
 Sanitation Issues Observations/Comments

What cleaning compounds are N/A

used and the purpose of each?

Are clean pots, pans, dishes, They are just put on the counter until pick up the next
glassware, etc. stored in a way to day. The caterer rewashes before use again.
keep them clean?

What if the dish machine breaks N/A

down in the middle of meal ser-
vice?
Usually staff members in the dish No, plates used in the facility are sytrofoam and are
room area can tell when the food thrown away by the clients so no plate studies are
served is not popular - are plate done by dishwashers.
waste studies done at the facility?

Maintenance Observations/Comments

In what condition are the walls, ceil- The facility is very clean. It was noted that
ings, and floors of the facility when I was there someone spilled food on the
floor. It was quickly cleaned up and they
made sure that the floor was dry so that no
one could slip and fall.
• Is the lighting adequate? Light is great, no lights out. There are several
• Are there missing lights and dark are- windows for sunlight as well.
as?
Is the ventilation adequate? Yes, it is a standard kitchen with good venti-
lation.
• Are the fire extinguishers adequate, ap- Yes there are several throughout the kitchen
propriate and in the right locations? near the stove/ oven and in the cafeteria area.
• When were they last tested? * I forgot to check the date on the fire extin-
guishers
Is equipment maintained and repaired Yes, if there is a problem main office is called
when needed? and maintenance is scheduled.

6
 Safety Comments

What is the procedure for notifying Dial 911 for all emergencies. If it is a client
professional emergency care person- that needs medical attention once they are
nel? taken in the ambulance the emergency family
contact is called to notify.
What information is needed on the ac- Date and time of accident
cident report? What exactly happens
Actions taken after the incident
Anything put into place to prevent it from
happening again
Have you observed any accidents or The only issue I saw was with the “sealer”
accidents waiting to happen? Exam- machine. I could see someone getting burned
ples: cuts, falls, burns, improper lift- easily on that machine because it is extremely
ing, eye splashes? hot. Improper lifting of the coolers is a possi-
bility as well.

III. Overall Comments of Experience: a brief description of your experience doing the ob-
servation- how did it go? what did you learn? Be concise- @ 250-400 words should be sufficient.

7
 !
III.!! This!guided!observation!taught!me!a!lot!about!the!Meals!on!Wheels!service!in!
Nashua,!New!Hampshire.!I!spend!two!days!at!the!meal!site!following!the!
coordinator,!Steve!and!the!Assisant!coordinator!Michelle.!There!is!a!large!mix!of!
paid!employees!and!volunteers!but!you!really!cant!tell!that!only!some!of!the!people!
get!paid.!They!all!look!like!they!are!enjoying!their!job!there.!What!I!did!notice!is!that!
there!were!no!younger!adults!working!at!the!meal!site,!everyone!was!retirement!age!
or!older!except!for!the!coordinator.!!
I!noticed!that!making!sure!the!temperature!of!the!food!was!correct!was!a!
very!high!priority!to!them.!The!food!is!delivered!around!8:30am!and!doesn’t!go!out!
for!delivery!until!10:30J11!so!there!is!a!period!of!time!that!the!food!could!harbor!
bad!bacteria!if!stored!at!an!incorrect!temperature.!The!food!that!I!saw!was!
appetizing!but!they!did!tell!me!sometimes!the!food!doesn’t!look!all!that!good.!When!
this!happens!they!usually!tell!the!main!office!of!the!problem!and!they!notify!the!
catering!service.!I!was!interested!to!see!that!there!is!really!no!contact!between!the!
coordinator!and!the!catering!service!except!at!food!drop!off!time.!They!have!to!go!
through!the!Program!Manager!for!any!issues.!!
The!coordinator!actually!put!me!to!work!as!a!volunteer!on!the!second!day.!I!
have!volunteered!with!another!site!before!so!he!knew!I!was!comfortable!doing!it.!I!
was!one!of!the!tray!sealers!at!the!end!of!the!food!line.!Once!all!sections!of!the!plastic!
tray!were!filled!the!tray!was!passed!to!me.!I!used!the!machine!to!seal!plastic!over!the!
tray.!As!I!noted!in!my!GO!list,!the!machine!gets!extremely!hot!so!you!have!to!pay!
attention!to!what!your!doing!so!that!you!don’t!accidentally!burn!yourself.!As!I!did!
my!job!I!was!able!to!get!good!insight!to!different!aspects!of!the!program.!I!asked!
employees/volunteers!in!my!assembly!line!clients!food!preferences,!aesthetic!
factors,!food!variety,!production!issues!and!several!other!questions!from!the!GO!
template.!Both!Steve!and!Michelle!were!happy!to!answer!any!questions!that!I!had!
for!them!as!well.!Overall!I!really!enjoyed!exploring!this!Meals!on!Wheels!program!
and!hope!that!I!get!to!work!with!them!again!soon.!!