Food choice can improve nursing home resident meal service satisfaction and nutritional status.

The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of implementing the Eat Right food delivery system and measure its impact on residents' food satisfaction, food intake, and subsequent nutritional status, including serum prealbumin levels and changes in body weight. Two eastern Washington State nursing homes (NHs) were recruited based on a similar case mix, the number of beds, and management's willingness to participate in the study. A total of 61 residents (NH A = 33, NH B = 28) participated. Intervention group residents (NH A) reported significant overall improvement in food service satisfaction and significant improvement in serum prealbumin levels after the intervention (p = 0.001). Changes in intervention group body weight improved after the intervention (p = 0.029). Use of nutritional interventions such as the multidimensional Eat Right system encourages resident decision making and facilitates overall satisfaction with care and improved health.