Team4Foods

More residents taking GLP-1 medications? Use these strategies to manage nutrition

As GLP-1 medications become more common across the population, foodservice teams in senior living and adult care facilities are increasingly serving residents whose appetites and needs are evolving. Nearly 40 percent of U.S. adults age 60 and older are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A 2025 national survey by KFF found that about one in eight U.S. adults currently takes a GLP-1 medication for diabetes, weight loss or another chronic condition. As a result, many foodservice operators in residential facilities can expect these consumers to become more common.

While GLP-1 medications can improve health outcomes, they also suppress appetite. This increases the risk of inadequate protein, calories and key nutrients — particularly for older adults who are already vulnerable to muscle loss and malnutrition. Foodservice teams can adapt by offering smaller, nutrient-dense meals, prioritizing high-quality protein at every meal, incorporating dairy, legumes and fortified foods, and making healthy snacks readily available between meals. Hydration also deserves some attention, as nausea and reduced thirst can contribute to dehydration.

Collaboration is important too. When dietitians, nursing staff and culinary teams communicate regularly about changing appetites, weight trends and meal acceptance, they can adjust menus before nutritional deficiencies affect residents' strength, mobility and quality of life. If you’re already taking steps to personalize residents’ dining experiences, you have a head start: Customization will become an increasingly important part of resident care as use of these medicines persists.

Handle ice safely this summer

When summer temperatures rise, foodservice operators often focus on hot holding and refrigeration — but ice can present its own food safety risks. The FDA classifies ice as a food, meaning it requires the same sanitary handling as any ready-to-eat product. Ice machines, scoops, bins, and employee handling practices can all become contamination points if not properly maintained.

The stakes are high: The CDC estimates that 48 million Americans experience foodborne illness each year. Foodborne infections are significantly more common during the summer, when heat accelerates bacterial growth.

This summer, prioritize routine ice machine cleaning, proper scoop storage, employee training, and regular inspections. Treating ice as food — not merely a beverage addition — can help prevent avoidable contamination and protect vulnerable populations in healthcare and senior living settings.

Benefit from the evolution of QR codes

QR codes are changing. Once limited to connecting guests with simple digital menus, they are becoming versatile guest-engagement and operational tools across foodservice. Operators are now using them to enroll guests in loyalty programs, deliver personalized promotions, collect real-time feedback, enable contactless payment, support nutrition transparency, and manage guest flow during peak periods. According to the National Restaurant Association, 57 percent of consumers scanned a restaurant QR code in the past month, and 72 percent prefer scanning a code over downloading a restaurant app.

Many operators now place QR codes at entrances, pickup shelves, and waiting areas so guests can join virtual queues, receive text alerts when tables are ready, or place orders before reaching the counter. Quick-service and campus dining operators are also using QR systems to stagger pickup times and reduce congestion. In healthcare and senior living environments, QR codes can connect residents and families to allergen information, dining calendars, and satisfaction surveys — helping operators improve communication while easing pressure on frontline staff.