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Kitchen manager outlines limits on menu changes; Friends offer funding if given costed requests
Summary
Kitchen Manager Pete Walsh told the Council on Aging Board that menu changes are constrained by nutrition requirements, staffing and storage; board members proposed volunteer‑supported options and the Friends indicated they could fund items if provided specific cost estimates.
Pete Walsh, Kitchen Manager at the Chelmsford Senior Center, told the Council on Aging Board on May 13 that he welcomes suggestions from diners but that making menu improvements is constrained by three main factors: menus must meet nutrition standards (they are scanned by a nutritionist), the kitchen operates with only three full‑time workers, and storage space is limited.
Board members asked questions and offered suggestions. The Friends of the Senior Center indicated a willingness to provide additional funding but asked for specific requests with cost estimates. Suggested changes that could be supported by volunteers included offering coffee at lunchtime, providing water pitchers or larger cups for easier access to water, adding one sweeter dessert option per week (pie or cake), and adding occasional self‑service "bars" such as a taco bar or baked potato bar.
Walsh said staffing and nutrition requirements, not only budget, affect which menu options are feasible. The board did not vote on any menu changes at the meeting; any Friends funding would require a formal request with costs.
