Lakeland Dairies Launches New Report, The Care Kitchen Reset, Revealing Concerning Data on the Delivery of Nutrition in Care Homes
A new report from leading dairy co-operative Lakeland Dairies, supported by Consultant Dietitian Rachael Masters (MSc, BSc), reveals the care sector at a tipping point, with nearly three quarters (74%) of operators concerned about their ability to meet residents’ nutrition and hydration needs over the next five years. Care kitchens are under growing pressure as residents’ needs grow more complex, resources stay tight, and smaller portions mean every mouthful must be nutrient-dense.
The report, The Care Kitchen Reset: The Future of Care Catering, sets out a shift towards enriched cooking and stronger base ingredients that make everyday dishes work harder. It calls for care operators to protect quality nutrition under mounting pressure not by adding complexity, but by strengthening core ingredients from the outset to improve calorie and protein density without increasing portion size.
It launches as part of Nutrition & Hydration Week (16–22 March), which shines a spotlight on the UK care home sector and the critical role food and drink play in supporting resident health and wellbeing.
Care sector under mounting nutritional pressure
The findings reveal rising clinical complexity is a key driver, with almost half (43%) reporting an increase in nutritional needs over the past five years. At the same time, 71% say rising ingredient costs are making it harder to maintain food quality despite 90% refusing to compromise on standards.
For operators, the stakes are both clinical and commercial. Nine in ten resident respondents (90%) cite food as a key factor when choosing a care home, while 87% of residents say mealtimes are the most important part of their day.
Dairy-based ingredients play a central role: over nine in ten operators say products such as cream and milk powder enhance food and drink experiences for residents with smaller appetites or specialist diets, while 88% believe they effectively support resident nutrition. This underlines the value of enriched cooking approaches that boost nutrition in the foods residents already enjoy, without relying on bigger portions.
Ingredient strategy offers practical solution
Responding to these pressures, the report highlights that one of the most practical, operationally efficient levers is ingredient strategy. Rather than layering on additional processes, the report argues the solution lies not in short-term cost cutting alone but in strengthening menu foundations. By embedding fortified nutrition into everyday base ingredients, kitchens can improve calorie and protein density without increasing portion size, labour or waste – safeguarding the sector’s future.
Rachael Masters, Consultant Dietitian and contributor to the report said: “With an ageing population driving increased demand for care home places, and residents presenting with more complex health and nutritional needs, care catering teams are being asked to deliver not just meals, but meaningful nutritional support in increasingly complex environments.”
“The solution doesn’t lie in adding more processes, but in making smarter use of core ingredients to maximise nutritional value. By fortifying everyday dishes, kitchens can enhance protein, energy and key nutrients in ways that are practical, cost-aware and, most importantly, enjoyable for residents. Dairy-based ingredients offer a particularly effective and versatile way to achieve this.”
“This report explores these growing pressures and highlights practical, nutrition-led approaches that support both care teams and residents – helping deliver better operational efficiency while improving health, wellbeing and dining satisfaction.”
The research also highlights opportunities to refine delivery. While 90% of residents rate meals positively overall, 77% report struggling to finish meals due to taste or presentation challenges, and 38% say higher quality ingredients would improve their experience. This reinforces the case for ingredient optimisation over short-term cost cutting.
Paul Jennings, Head of Food UK & International at Lakeland Dairies, adds: “Care operators are under pressure to do more with less – more nutrition, more quality and more resilience – while also meeting rising expectations from residents around mealtimes. This creates a real tension in care kitchens, where teams are balancing increasingly complex needs with limited time, staff and budgets.
Ingredient strategy is a practical way forward. By using hard-working bases such as Millac Gold Double and Lakeland Dairies Skimmed Milk Powder, kitchens can build richness, consistency and added nutrition into everyday dishes without adding complexity.
In a sector balancing tight budgets and staffing pressures, this timely report explores immediate solutions to support care kitchens.”
The report draws on a survey of care operators, residents and their families, alongside insight from Consultant Dietitian Rachael Masters, founder of Focus on Undernutrition, which provides specialist special diet training to care homes.
Lakeland Dairies is committed to supporting the sector through menu guidance, product innovation and training designed to help kitchens build resilience through stronger foundations and long-term supplier partnerships.
The full report is available: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sP61V0
