Food & Mealtimes

Here at Aaban meal times are very important, however we also know many of our young people may not want to have set meal-times with set meals. Therefore we have a flexible approach.

The kitchen is available at all times and young people can generally help themselves to food and drink at any time. Staff prepare meals for young people at dinner time, based on the agreed weekly menu, but they don’t have to have this, they can choose an alternative. For Providence & Moira, the weekly menu is agreed at a community meeting and everyone gets to choose.

Everyone is encouraged to contribute to the weekly shopping lists and young people can add the foods and snacks they like to the list. Our shopping is usually delivered to the unit but sometimes young people like to go with staff to do the food shopping.

Young people can also request their own food shopping money if they’d rather purchase their own food for the week. We also pay for a weekly take-away – usually Friday or Saturday night.

If young people like specific foods, have dietary requirements, allergies or need to eat certain types of food such as halal or kosher they just need to speak with staff who will help them to continue this.