Menu Planning and Grocery Shopping for People Living with Psychiatric Disabilities

Introduction. There is extensive evidence that people living with psychiatric disabilities face higher mortality rates and chronic medical conditions such as obesity and diabetes. Many risk factors for these chronic conditions revolve around nutrition, implying an opportunity to intervene with preventive strategies. Objective. To develop sustainable strategies that can be used to help people with psychiatric disabilities buy groceries, plan, and prepare affordable meals to improve their nutritional status. Methods. A survey was distributed to willing Howard Center clients (n= 34) in order to assess barriers to planning and preparing nutritious meals. The survey addressed barriers, skill level of cooking, appliance availability, familiarity with following a recipe, and desire to improve eating habits. Results. The majority of respondents wanted to spend less than 20 minutes preparing either breakfast or lunch, but were willing to spend more time preparing dinner. The majority (59%) of respondents cited emotional, energetic, logistical, or financial barriers to being able to cook more often. The vast majority of respondents had access to important cooking appliances [i.e., Oven (88%), stove (88%), microwave (82%)]. Conclusion. Based on survey results and literature research, our group produced a simplified recipe book consisting of basic, easy to prepare, affordable meals. The book contains recipes for an entire week's worth of breakfasts, lunches and dinners. We also included educational “tidbits” throughout the book to reinforce simple changes in our target population that promote healthy nutritional habits. Future efforts can measure effectiveness of this practical approach that could be used in other settings.