April 19, 2023 | By Sophia Goulette
The sky is still dark, the roads are yet to be filled with cars, and only the birds dare break the silence of the early morning. Every day before the sun rises over the valley, Copper Country Senior Meals staff are in the kitchen cooking homemade meals for hundreds of people.
Not only does Copper Country Senior Meals (CCSM) have a team of dedicated delivery drivers who trudge through the snow and rain to bring food to seniors, but they also have a team of cooks who wake up every day before the sun to make homemade meals for local residents.
There is a dedicated team of people preparing food in the kitchen every morning at 6 a.m. It is vital for them to start early, allowing them enough time to cook for around 150 people.
“Home cooked meals are a cornerstone of what Copper Country Senior Meals offers everyday,” said Executive Director, Kathleen Harter. “In addition to the daily check-ins with our seniors, kitchen staff prepare each day’s meals from 6 to 9:30 a.m. All of the meals are prepared with love, planning, and care.”
CCSM believes it is important to offer home cooked meals, made fresh every day. This is not true of all Meals on Wheels programs, and thus a point of pride for CCSM.
“Staff work hard to make sure the meal is presented in the best way possible and is as full of flavor while still being low in sodium and sugar,” explained Harter. “Most of our meals are home made and take one-to-two days to prepare.”
The cooks research and test every recipe before serving it to seniors. After finding a good recipe, they adjust it to serve 300 people. It’s not just about taste, distributing proper nutritional health is also a large focus for CCSM.
“Menus are reviewed by our in-house nutritionist to ensure they meet the recommended dietary allowance for seniors,” said Harter. “All of these steps take time, but it’s something the kitchen staff take pride in. It’s vital to ensure that area seniors receive nutritious, home-cooked meals.”
If you would like to see what else Copper Country Senior Meals has to offer, visit us online and subscribe to our monthly email newsletter.