January Promotional Ideas

Monthly Ideas

Apricot Month: Recipes from EatingWell
California Dried Plum Digestive Month: http://www.californiadriedplums.org/
Get a Balanced Life Month
International Brain Teaser Month

National Hot Tea Month: 10 Healthy Tea Recipes

National Mentoring Month
National Soup Month
Dried Fruit Month

Weekly Ideas
Resolution Week 1st to 4th
National Fresh Squeezed Juice Week 17th to 23rd: http://www.simplejuicerecipes.com/

Daily Ideas
1st - New Years Day: Fun Recipes
2nd - National Buffet Day
3rd - Drinking Straw Day

3rd - Chocolate Covered Cherry Day

4th - Trivia Day: http://www.triviacafe.com/
6th - Bean Day: Why Bean Day?
7th - Orthodox Christmas: Info and Recipes
7th - National Tempura Day: Tempura Recipes
8th - National English Toffee Day: Foodimentary
8th - Show and Tell Day at Work
11th - Cigarettes are Hazardous to your health Day: Quit Smoking Guide
11th - Fruitcake Toss Day: http://www.nationalwhateverday.com/whatever-days/january/fruitcake-toss-day/
13th - National Clean off your desk Day
19th - Humanitarian Day: http://www.un.org/en/events/humanitarianday/
16th - Tu B'shuvat: FAQ
20th - Martin Luther King Day
19th - Popcorn Day: 40 Perfect Popcorn Recipes
23rd - National Pie Day: http://www.piecouncil.org/Events/NationalPieDay/
24th - Peanut Butter Day: http://nationalpeanutboard.org/the-facts/fun-facts/
25th - Irish Coffee Day

26th - Peanut Brittle Day

28th - National Kazoo Day: http://www.nationalkazooday.com/
31st - Chinese New Year: Info and Ideas

November Celebration Dinner at Hoosier

For Celebration Dinner this month we decided to change things up a bit in our Health Center! 

For the first time, we offered sparkling grape juice, displayed unique napkin folds, pre-set salads and bread baskets. We definitely lifted up our dining experience this month and are thrilled about the new things we will come up with and do for the months ahead! 

We received lots of positive feedback from our residents, guests and even other members of our facility!

November Celebration Dinner Menu: 

Drink-

White Sparkling Grape Juice

Appetizers-

Apple, Cranberry and Walnut Bread with Honey Vanilla Butter

Fall Harvest Salad- Mixed Greens, Pecans, Grape Tomatoes, Shaved Red Onion and Feta Cheese served with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Entree-

Airline Chicken Breast with Sage Cream Sauce

Accompaniments- 

Roasted Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Risotto

Roasted Root Vegetable Hash with Chard

Dessert-

Individual Southern Sweet Potato Cake with Maple Buttercream Icing

Krista Montgomery | Hospitality Experience Regional Champion | Assistant Director of Dining Services | Morrison Community Living | Hoosier Village Retirement Community

December Promotional Ideas

Monthly

Worldwide Food Service Safety Month

World Aids Month

Bingo's Birthday Month: History of Bingo

National Tie Month: if your servers wear ties, allow them to wear different colors or patterns, maybe if have a tie decorating contest

Weekly
1-7: Cookie Cutter Week
4-10: National Hand Washing Awareness Week
4-10: Recipe Greetings for the Holidays Week

Daily
4: National Cookie Day
10: Gingerbread Decorating Day
12: National Cocoa Day - facts and ideas to celebrate
12: Poinsettia Day - decorate cupcakes in celebration
12 - 20: Hanukkah
15: National Cupcake Day
16: National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
20: National Sangria Day - easy, fun recipes
21: Crossword Puzzle Day - make your own crossword puzzle
24: Christmas Eve
24: Egg Nog Day
25: Christmas Day
25: Christmas Pudding Day
26: National Candy Cane Day
26-1/1: Kwanzaa
27: Free Balloon Day
30: Bacon Day
31: National Champagne Day
31: New Years Eve
31: World Peace Meditation Day

Getting into the Halloween Spirit at EHM Seniors - Saline

Residents at EHM Senior Solutions Saline hosted kids from local schools to trick or treat! The Halloween spirit had definitely begun that night. In addition to enjoying bags of candy, decorated donuts and spiced apple cider was a huge hit.

A Big thank you to Nicole for helping with this party!!

Jason Hein

Director of Hospitality Services

EHM Senior Solutions

Encore at The Fountains at Franklin

The new Encore theme Opera was a big hit at The Fountains at Franklin.  The residents loved listen to opera music while enjoying the menu of Turkey Tetrazzini and Peach Melba as they learned the origins of these dishes.  We were all surprised to learn that they were named after opera singers. 

Cheryl Naftel, CDM| Director Dining Services | Morrison Community Living| The Fountains at Franklin

Fall Dining Delights

For Dining Delights on Thursday, we celebrated the cooler weather with some fall favorites! Katie made Homemade Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes and served Apple Cider Mimosas!

Homemade Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes

Ingredients

For the donuts:

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¾ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

½ cup brown sugar

⅓ cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup milk

For the cinnamon sugar coating:

1 stick of unsalted butter, melted

⅔ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with nonstick spray.

2.      Sift flour into medium mixing bowl, add in baking powder, salt, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice.

3.      In a separate large bowl, scoop in the pumpkin puree and mix in brown sugar.

4.      Mix in the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and add an egg. Pour in milk, and mix until smooth.

5.      Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.

6.      Scoop the batter into a 24-cup mini muffin pan, about ¾ full each cup, and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

7.      Remove the donuts from the oven and allow to cool just enough to handle.

8.      Place melted butter in one bowl and the sugar and cinnamon in another.

9.      Dip the donuts into the melted butter, and coat, coat, coat in cinnamon sugar.

10.  Serve warm, and enjoy

Katie VanderStraaten

Dining Services Director I NorthPointe Woods

November Promotional Ideas

Monthly
National Diabetes Month - CDC Feature
Banana Pudding Lovers Month
Diabetic Eye Disease Month
Gluten Free Diet Awareness Month
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
National Alzheimer's Disease
National COPD Month - Marketing Kit
National Georgia Pecan Month - Pecan Recipes
National Peanut Butter Lovers Month - Fun Facts about PB
National Pomegranate Month - Recipes and Handouts
Native American Heritage Month - Useful Info
Sweet Potato Awareness Month - Marketing Kit
Vegan Month - Recipes and Techniques

Daily
1 - World Vegan Day - Recipes and Techniques
2 - Cookie Monster Day
3 - Sandwich Day
4 - Punkin Chunkin Day
5 - Sadie Hawkins Day
5 - Stout Day - Recipes with Stout
6 - Nachos Day
7 - International Merlot Day
7 - Bittersweet Chocolate and Almonds Day: **great day for your RD to do a health talk**
8 - Election Day
11 - Veteran's Day
13 - World Kindness Day
14 - Spicy Guacamole Day
14 - National Pickle Day - Recipes using pickles
14 - World Diabetes Day - Theme: Eyes on Diabetes
17 - Great American Smoke Out - Tools and Resources for Employees or Residents
17 - Homemade Bread Day
18 - National Apple Cider Day - Cider Recipes
20 - National Peanut Butter Fudge Day
23 - National Espresso Day - Dessert Recipes using espresso
24 - Thanksgiving
25 - International Hat Day
25 - National Native American Heritage Day

Masonic Pathways in Alma, Michigan recently celebrated Oktoberfest!

The meal highlighted traditional German fare including:

                                                                               Beef Roast

                                        (Topped with mustard, onion, bacon, and pickle)

                                                                    Roasted Red Potatoes

                                                    Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash

                                                                               Pretzel Roll

                                                            German Apple Streusel Cake

All 10 dining rooms were decorated to resemble Oktoberfest to complete the experience for residents. We had centerpieces, fun facts, and “Learn to Speak German” cards for the residents to read at each table. Overall, the meal was successful and fully enjoyed by the residents.

Danielle Cataline, RD | Director of Dining Services

Happy Hour at Four Seasons

 Every Friday we have Happy Hour and all of the residents are able to attend. Each week we provide 4 different kinds of wine, sparkling grape juice and beer. We also provide a different snack each week. 

 This week we served fried shrimp with a Coconut Butter Sauce. All of the residents look forward to Happy hour each week and we always get a great turn-out.

 Bailey Deckard | Assistant Director of Dining Services | Morrison Community Living | Four Seasons Retirement Center

September Promotional Ideas

Monthly
All American Breakfast Month: Olympic Breakfast Facts, Cereal Fun Facts, 311 Pancakes Recipes
Bourbon Heritage Month: Bourbon Month Facts, Recipes with Bourbon
Cholesterol Education Month: NIH Cholesterol Education Program, CDC Cholesterol Month Info
Go Wild During California Wild Rice Month: Recipes and Rice Info
National Chicken Month: Database, Pictures and Logo
National Coupon Month: display a basket with coupons for employees (or IL residents) to add to, take, share
National Honey Month: Health Benefits, Recipes and Tools/Resources
National Mushroom Month: Nutrition Info and Recipes
National Prime Beef Month
Whole Grains Month: Resources from the Whole Grain Council 
National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month: CDC Fact Sheet,  NHO Toolkit
Fruits and Veggies - More Matters Month: CDC Fact Sheet,  Toolkit

Weekly
4-10: National Waffle Week
8-10: National Popcorn Days
18-24: National Clean Hands Week

Daily
3 Bacon Day
4 National Buffalo Chicken Wing Day
5 Labor Day
7 Salami Day
9 Banana Day
11 Grandparent's Day
11 Patriot Day
13 National Celiac Awareness Day
13 National Peanut Day
14 National Kreme Filled Donut Day
17 National Monte Cristo Day
17 Apple Dumpling Day
18 National Cheeseburger Day
22 Ice Cream Cone Day
22 National White Chocolate Day
26 National Dumpling Day
29 National Biscotti Day
29 International Coffee Day
30 National Mulled Cider Day
30 Vegan Baking Day

National S'mores Day

Dining Services partnered with the Activities for National S'mores Day. Residents were allowed to roast their marshmallows as well as assemble their own s'mores. This is a fun activity that all of the residents look forward to each year. In addition to this activity we also served a s'mores bar for our special dessert of the day.

Bailey Deckard | Assistant Director of Dining Services | Morrison Community Living | Four Seasons Retirement Center

National S’Mores Day at Huron County Medical Care Facility

We celebrated S’Mores today at HCMCF! The residents were treated with a Golden Grahams Cereal Bar treat and for those who are on a soft diet we prepared a S’Mores pudding parfait. Dining Services even prepared enough for staff to join in on the celebration. Everyone really enjoyed eating their gooey treats!

Andra Shier| Assistant Director of Dining Services | Huron County Medical Care Facility |

From Twitter: Villa St Benedict

Yale Michigan Bologna Festival

Sanilac Medical Care Facility enjoyed some Yale Bologna. The Yale bologna festival is in its 29th year, and is always the last weekend in July.  The residents sampled Yale ring bologna, along with some pickled bologna, cheese and crackers.  We read about the history of Yale bologna and the special recipe that has been passed down the generations of bologna makers.

Billie A. Duvall, CDM, CFPP |

August Promotion Ideas

Monthly
American Artists Appreciation Month
American Indian Heritage Month
Happiness Happens Month
National Catfish Month
National Goat Cheese Month
National Panini Month: click the link for healthier paninis

Daily
1st - US Air Force Day
2nd - National Coloring Book Day: click he link for a free coloring book download for your residents
3rd - Watermelon Day: click the link for unique recipes
4th - Coast Guard Day
4th - Chocolate Chip Day
5th - Mustard Day: Info Link
5th - Oyster Day: Info about oysters
6th - Fresh Breath Day
6th - Root Beer Float Day
10th - S'more Day
11th - Kool Aid Day: Info Link and a Recipe Link
12th - Sewing Machine Day
19th - Cupcake Day
20th - National Honey Bee Day: Fun recipes with honey
24th - Waffle Day: Link to cool info
26th - Women's Equality Day
29th - More Herbs, Less Salt Day: 10 awesome recipes
30th - Toasted Marshmallow Day
30th - International Cabernet Sauvignon Day



 

Wine Tasting at Villa St Benedict

Since we are having perfect weather, why not throw an Italian Aperitivo Wine Tasting for residents and employees outside on our beautiful Lounge patio. Residents tasted 4 Italian wines paired with cheese, meats, and chocolates which Chef Jeremy explained each wine and the flavor profiles. Afterwards each guest chose their favorite wine from the evening to enjoy a full glass of it to end the night talking amongst their friends. Everyone had a great Italian experience and a night filled with laughter with their friends and favorite employees!

Liz Blume  |  Hospitality Manager

Villa St. Benedict

French Cafe at Oakwood Common

In May a new concept was put in place in the main dining room at Oakwood Common. We sectioned off a portion of the dining room and converted it to a French themed restaurant with a French menu. The room was decorated and the food was authentic, serving French Onion Soup, Nicoise Salad, Cordon Bleu, Beef Bourgignon, Duchess Potatoes, and Strawberry filled Crepes. 

The program was a major success serving 349 meals in 17 days. Work has already begun on our next stop, China in June.

Steve Berry, Community Director of Dining Services
Morrison Senior Living
Oakwood Common

Villa St. Benedict French Farmers Market

This year at Villa St. Benedict the Culinary Department hosted a French Farmers Market in the Piazza for residents, guests, and employees. Our produce vendor provided beautiful local produce that everyone enjoyed purchasing for their meals ahead! 

The culinary team spent days baking fresh breads, cookies, muffins, macaroons, and truffles that people with a sweet tooth could not pass up. The team had a blast throwing this event that everyone is still raving about and cannot wait until our next one!

Liz Blume  |  Hospitality Manager

Villa St. Benedict