Healthy, Ethnic Cuisines for Our City’s Diverse Older New Yorkers
The City’s older adult centers are open for indoor activities and meal services. Meals served at centers are
healthy, nutritious, and culturally aligned with their neighborhood’s population.
New York City is back in full swing! After
more than a year of a broad shutdown of
businesses and public gatherings, we can
now enjoy the things we love to do such as
going to restaurants, sports events, and even
Broadway shows. And for older adults, the
reopening of older adult centers is certainly
one of the most exciting news to celebrate.
These centers are community hubs that bring
older New Yorkers together for socialization
and engagement.
When centers were physically closed
during the pandemic, we heard from many
older adults that they missed the centers’
fun activities such as chair yoga and music
workshops, seeing their friends, and the
sense of community that dining together
brings.
Congregate meal service at centers not
only provide comradery, they also provide
good, nutritious food. And in many of
our centers, these meals reflect our City’s
diversity.
From traditional Chinese fish congee to the
flavorful Caribbean oxtails, these culturally
aligned dishes are served at centers that are
located in neighborhoods with large ethnic
and immigrant populations. Just to name a
few examples: the Krakus Luncheon Club
Neighborhood Senior Center in Greenpoint,
a traditionally Polish neighborhood, serves
cheese pierogies with sour cream. In Queens,
the Korean Community Services Corona
Neighborhood Senior Center serves bean
sprout and kimchee soup.
New York is a multi-cultural city and, over
the years, our older adult population has
become more diverse. Since 2000, the City’s
Latino population nearly doubled, African
Americans increased by 59%, and the Asian
population nearly tripled – growing more
than 180%. Having services and meals that
reflect these changing demographics is
important for our agency.
Food is an important part of culture and it
also represents who we are. Every culture has
a unique cuisine characterized by distinctive
ingredients and cooking techniques. Being
able to enjoy the food of our cultural heritage
holds a personal value. My mother used to
cook arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican rice
with pigeon peas) on special occasions. That
delicious dish is something that immediately
brings happy memories.
Meals at older adult centers are not only
culturally aligned, but are also healthy and
nutritious. The Department for the Aging’s
Nutrition Unit works closely with centers to
review meal recipes and ensure that they are
nutritious and meet dietary guidelines and
standards, such as filling half of the plate
with fruits and vegetables. Meals are also
certified by registered dietitians and provide
a minimum of one-third of the necessary
daily nutrients of vitamins, minerals,
proteins, fat, and carbohydrates. Today,
nearly all our centers have reopened and
are serving more than 62,000 meals a week.
As many of us know, healthy eating
promotes longevity, vitality, and good
health. To help older adults eat healthy at
home, our dietitians also regularly conduct
a variety of nutrition education workshops
and healthy cooking classes. For those who
enjoy cooking, be sure to watch our healthy
cooking demonstrations on our Facebook
channel. Our recent demonstrations feature
delicious Summer Rolls (presented in
Cantonese) and Avocado Toast.
For older New Yorkers who haven’t visited
an older adult
center since
they reopened,
I invite you to
stop by the
center nearest
you and say
hello. Come
and enjoy a hot
meal and meet
s ome new
friends along
NYC Department for the Aging
the way.
Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
© 2021 Ronald M. Dragoon
Kids Eat For $5.00 In October!
CHICKEN TENDERS
During October, purchase any
sandwich or entrée at regular
price in Ben’s dining
room and select an
item for $5.00
from Ben’s Kids
Menu.*
Visit Ben’s today!
OFFER VALID OCTOBER 1-31, 2021 ONLY.
*Each $5.00 Kid’s Meal requires a separate regular price purchase of sandwich or entée. Offer valid
October 1-31, 2021 for in-store dining only. No takeout. May not be combined with any other Ben’s special,
coupon, discount, offer or Ben’s Friends Reward. Offer applies to children aged 10 and under.
MANHATTAN
209 West 38th Street
(West of 7th Avenue)
PH: (212) 398-BENS (2367)
FAX: (212) 398-DELI (3354)
There’s no better time
to try some of our new
Ben’s Kids Menu items!
GLAZED BBQ
MEATBALLS
NEW!
FRANKS-N-JACKETS
NEW!
Schneps Media October 21, 2021 13