Latest news with #SG60:DoingGoodThroughFood
New Paper
03-05-2025
- Health
- New Paper
Simple, nutritious chicken rice meal kit aims to renew seniors' interest in cooking
To help seniors rekindle their passion for cooking, food services and facilities management company Sodexo, in collaboration with INSEAD and Montfort Care, launched a simple yet nutritious meal kit for the elderly at Goodlife Studio (Bukit Purmei), an Active Ageing Centre by Montfort Care. At a senior engagement event on April 29, volunteers handed out 120 easy-to-cook chicken rice meal kits to 60 Bukit Purmei residents in attendance. The meal can be assembled in a rice cooker in about eight minutes, making it easier for seniors to enjoy home-cooked meals without the hassle of clean-ups. Rather than relying on take-outs that are often high in sugar and salt, this effort aims to promote cooking among seniors and educate them about a balanced diet. Ms Liew Zi Qi, senior programme executive at Goodlife Studio (Bukit Purmei), noted that many seniors, especially those living alone, choose to eat out as they find it inconvenient to cook for one. "Eating out is convenient, but if you have it too often, it's really not good for seniors," Ms Liew said. "This meal kit promotes healthy cooking, and at the same time, improves the convenience of preparing food, especially for seniors with mobility issues who find it challenging to get groceries." The kit includes frozen marinated chicken, rice, and greens. TNP PHOTO: SEAH JUN DE Attendee Mr Pang Puay Sum, 56, agreed that seniors should minimise eating take-outs. He shared that he prefers cooking his meals at home as he is health-conscious and wants to regulate his salt and sugar intake. Another attendee, Madam Tracy Ho, 67, who has cooked for her family for over a decade, has no problems with preparing meals. For her, the kit isn't about learning to cook, but saving time for things that matter - like family. "You just have to put it in your rice cooker, and it's done," she said. SG60: Doing Good Through Food is a pilot initiative under the Servathon programme by Sodexo as part of its efforts to celebrate Singapore's 60th year of independence. Sodexo plans to roll out more of such events throughout the year, continuing its commitment to improving lives through food, health, and human connection. In 2024, Sodexo distributed over 3,000 meals to communities across Singapore through Servathon. While past efforts focused on producing and distributing ready-to-eat meals, this year's Servathon emphasises building connections with the community through meal preparation. The initiative includes a cooking demonstration of the meal kit by Sodexo chefs, a recipe card with nutritional tips, and interactions with seniors to learn about their cooking habits. Mr Abel Ariza, managing director at Sodexo Malaysia and Singapore, explained that this year's approach is focused on the quality of interaction with seniors rather than the quantity of meals handed out. "We're going deeper into the learnings, into what they can take home," Mr Ariza said.
Business Times
30-04-2025
- Health
- Business Times
Sodexo, Insead partner Montfort Care to help seniors eat healthier meals
[SINGAPORE] Armed with a rice cooker and ingredients such as chicken and chopped shiitake mushrooms, a chef from Sodexo conducted a live cooking demonstration for about 60 seniors at Goodlife Studio (Bukit Purmei), an active ageing centre by Montfort Care, on Tuesday (Apr 29). Chef Iskandar Zulkarnain, who is also an account manager at Sodexo Singapore, was a volunteer at the pilot initiative of Sodexo and Insead's community programme, SG60: Doing Good Through Food. The programme aims to teach seniors how to make healthy meals, and meal kits using healthier ingredients were provided. Abel Ariza, managing director at Sodexo Singapore and Malaysia, said: 'One of the main reasons why we wanted to put this initiative together is because we wanted to do something that stays over time and impacts seniors positively. We thought about not just meal delivering – which is what we normally do – but also helping to upskill the ageing population through a cooking class. Hopefully, they can take some of the learnings back home.' Both Sodexo and Insead collectively delivered more than 3,600 meal kits last year to marginalised communities. Ariza stressed the importance of using healthier options that impact seniors' health positively. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Soy chicken rice was chosen because it is a 'staple' in Singapore, he added, and it is 'relatively easy to cook in a setup like this', making it easier for seniors to pick up this skill. Liew Zi Qi, senior programme executive at Goodlife Studio (Bukit Purmei), Montfort Care, said: 'Learning healthy cooking is very important, so that they will be aware of their own condition to (accordingly) match the correct diet.' Supporting seniors' independent living James Middleditch, senior director of operations and campus services at Insead, said this initiative will enable seniors to live more independently. More seniors now live alone – a Ministry of Health report stated that the number grew from 58,000 in 2018 to 79,000 in 2022, and this figure is expected to continue rising. 'Singapore has an ageing population, but also a low fertility rate, so now we're getting this imbalance. You're going to have smaller families taking care of seniors, so more and more seniors will be obliged to live independently. Supporting them in this journey – giving them knowledge and skills – will enable them to live a much more fulfilled... life,' he noted. Liew added that there has been an increased focus on preventive healthcare, especially in Singapore's current ageing society. 'At an early stage, it's important to share with seniors how to keep up a good and healthy lifestyle. At this active ageing centre, we encourage them to live healthily and stay active,' she said. These participatory sessions with Sodexo chefs also help to tackle social isolation – another issue that seniors living alone face. Sodexo and Insead plan to roll out more events to benefit the community throughout the year. SG60: Doing Good Through Food builds on Sodexo and Insead's past community initiatives, which included a waste management programme and farm-to-table demonstrations. It is also part of Montfort Care's Good Makan! initiative, aimed at empowering seniors through food, confidence-building and social connection.
