Nutrition and Various Challenges in the LSH Kitchen

Fríða Rún intended to become a physiotherapist but was lucky enough to take a food-related elective in secondary school that sparked her interest. Fríða Rún says that her teacher was the deciding factor. He made the subject so enjoyable.

The work of a nutritionist at the National University Hospital of Iceland (LSH) is varied. It includes, among other things, communicating with patients and analysing the best possible dietary options for each individual. The approach is always to work with the individual on their own terms. In some cases, the process is relatively easy and involves logging food intake, but it can also be complex, in which case good information is key.

Fríða says that individuals approach food in different ways. Older people, for example, are not used to filling their plates with food, so their portions need to be made more energy-dense with fat and protein. People generally find it difficult to talk about what they eat, and it's not as natural to seek help from a nutritionist as it is to go to the dentist.

Suppliers' quality systems are very important for an institution like LSH. "We need to know exactly what is in the food," says Fríða Rún, adding that at LSH, all ingredients are recorded. Minor changes to the content require a review of calculations and nutritional values. A small change in the amount of salt can make the food completely unsuitable for a large group of patients.

The chefs at LSH design menus and assemble ingredients according to strict procedures. Each recipe is broken down so that there is precise information about ingredients, nutritional value, and allergens. If changes are made to recipes, everything is recorded and the reason is specified, says Fríða Rún. The LSH kitchen offers a wide variety of special diets, and the goal is for everyone to receive the food that is best suited for them at any given time.