Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - January/February 2024 - 14

THE BRAIN SCIENCE BEHIND
COMFORT FOODS
ways other than eating to cope with stress, it may become a
problem.
Dr. Laurel Mellin, founder of Brain Based Health, uses the
program to assist clients to " spiral up " from emotional
eating (Mellin, 2023). With the aforementioned studies
and resources, it is safe to say that if you suspect a client
is struggling with unhealthy eating behaviors, you can be
a resource for them to seek treatment. I remind clients
who are struggling with their relationship with food that
nutrition therapy must be combined with mental health
therapy for comprehensive treatment. It is not in the
scope of practice for a CDM, CFPP or an RDN to provide
psychological or mental health
counseling.
Now back to that comfort food and
how we can create meaningful
experiences for our clients. We know
that food can be the focus of special
events and generate extremely
meaningful experiences. Partnering
with other departments-such as
recreational, occupational, or speech
therapy-can elevate the experience
even further.
WAYS TO CREATE
NOSTALGIA THROUGH
FOOD EXPERIENCES
Give comfort foods as gifts. Nutrition services can
collaborate with recreational therapy to create gift baskets
full of traditional comfort foods, such as soups and baked
goods. The gift baskets can be distributed to individuals who
are ill, for special occasions, or employment milestones.
Host a monthly cooking class. The cooking classes can
be holiday or seasonally themed. Also consider engaging
intergenerational groups in the activities. I recently polled
my community college students (average age 18) about
comfort foods, and many replied that their favorite comfort
foods are made by a family member and they hope they can
carry on the tradition in generations to come.
Create a memory board with food graphics. Food can be
art and invoke positive emotions just by viewing it. Create
visual interest on a board in the dining room by printing
food photos from blogs or Pinterest. Including a recipe of the
month or taste testing with the display can elevate the food
experience for clients.
Conduct a comfort foods workshop. Use the sample
graphics included in this article to host a trip down memory
food lane!
* Arrange chairs around a table or in a circle.
* Hand out the comfort foods flashcard (at right).
* Ask participants: " What is your favorite comfort food? "
* Do a circle " whip " around to have people speak about their
favorite comfort food and a memory associated with it.
Remind them it is OK to pass.
TRADITIONAL
COMFORT FOODS
such as mashed potatoes,
pasta, and desserts can be
fortified with additional
nutrients to improve
nutrition outcomes for
clients.
* Post the flashcards or write the foods on a poster or
whiteboard for visual learners.
* Act as a facilitator, moving the
conversation along or redirecting
people as needed. This activity
generates a lot of fun conversations!
* You can expand on this activity
by cooking some of the food items or
creating a comfort foods cookbook.
USE COMFORT FOODS
IN YOUR NUTRITION
SERVICES TREATMENT
PLANS
Food first: Fortified comfort foods:
Most likely you have conducted
'make vs. buy' studies as well as food
acceptance CQI projects showing
that clients accept supplemental nutrition in the form of
real food better than commercial supplements. Traditional
comfort foods such as mashed potatoes, pasta, and desserts
can be fortified with additional nutrients to improve
nutrition outcomes for clients.
End-of-life nutrition care: When a client is at the end of
their life, nutrition is palliative and not therapeutic. I have
too many sad stories of individuals not being permitted
to order whatever they want off of the room service menu
when terminally ill. My dear friend, Mike, was not allowed
to order a bagel after a surgery for his pancreatic cancer,
because of his 'diabetic' diet order. When possible, work
with the interdisciplinary team (IDT) to liberalize diets and
provide foods that bring comfort to terminally ill clients.
We can provide important nutritional care by supplying
food items requested by clients who are ill, as long as
consumption is safe for them. Engage your IDT to ensure
documentation and standing orders are set up for these
situations.
14 NUTRITION & FOODSERVICE EDGE | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - January/February 2024

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