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MagicMenu
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  • Senior living
  • Skilled nursing
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MagicMenu
  • Our approach
  • Who it's for
    • Senior living
    • Skilled nursing
    • Camps & retreats
    • Distributors & partners
  • Technology
  • Economics
  • Our story
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Who it’s for.

MagicMenu helps institutional and commercial kitchens accommodate the people they serve—connecting individual needs, menus, purchasing, and production.

Find your setting ↓Start a conversation
Senior living — illustrative settingSenior living ↗Skilled nursing — illustrative settingSkilled nursing ↗Camps & retreat centers — illustrative settingCamps & retreat centers ↗Distributors & consultants — illustrative settingDistributors & consultants ↗

Illustrative settings · explore current use in each section.

Senior living

Independent living · Assisted living · Memory care · Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs)

Senior livingSkilled nursingCamps & retreat centersDistributors & consultantsReunions

Keep the hospitality of a shared meal while making room for each resident’s needs.

Explore dietary needs →
A resident and family member talking with a dining director.
Illustrative setting

What you get.

“The operators who win (in senior living) will be the ones who can deliver hospitality-level dining with healthcare-level discipline. MagicMenu is built for exactly that intersection.”
— Hillary Greeneformer VP Operations, Birdcall · Culinary Institute of America valedictorian · MagicMenu advisor
Become a design partnerExplore senior living →

Senior living — current use & development

The accommodated line has been in production at a working camp since August 2, 2026; thirty base recipes, thirteen clinical diet orders, seven IDDSI levels — 840 adapted rows with USDA nutrients are under review by a registered dietitian. We have not yet run a senior-living community — design partners will help shape the care workflow. Modeled time savings are on the Savings page, labeled as projected.

Current company record · projections and illustrative examples are not deployment evidence.

Skilled nursing

Skilled nursing facilities · Long-term nursing care · Short-term rehabilitation · Post-acute care

Connect individual diet orders and textures to preparation, review and service.

Explore dietary needs →
A nurse and dietitian reviewing meal information together.
Illustrative setting

What you get.

“A resident is more than a diet category. The opportunity is to connect each person’s nutrition needs to the meal they actually receive, with clear instructions and organized records—so individual care does not depend on more manual tracking.”
Proposed wording for Edith CloggPending approval · review preview only
Become a design partnerExplore skilled nursing →

Skilled nursing — current use & development

thirty base recipes, thirteen clinical diet orders, seven IDDSI levels — 840 adapted rows with USDA nutrients, under review by a registered dietitian. We have not yet run a skilled-nursing kitchen; design partners will help shape that workflow.

Current company record · projections and illustrative examples are not deployment evidence.

Camps & retreat centers

Overnight & day camps · Faith-based camps · Adaptive camps · Retreat & conference centers

Changing groups, different needs and a crew that needs to serve one shared meal.

Explore dietary needs →
A camp cook preparing vegetables beside the dining hall.
Illustrative setting

What you get.

“A camp kitchen needs a plan the whole crew can run. Accommodating a guest should preserve the meal everyone came to share, with clear preparation and service instructions behind it.”
Proposed wording for Spencer HardenPending approval · review preview only
Talk about your next seasonExplore camps →

Camps & retreat centers — current use & development

In production at Annunciation Heights since August 2, 2026: about 260 Chef's Plate meals in one retreat week, about 30 adapted recipes cooked in service, a substitution caught on the invoice at 12 percent over the item it replaced.

Current company record · projections and illustrative examples are not deployment evidence.

Distributors & consultants

Foodservice distributors · Group purchasing organizations (GPOs) · Foodservice consultants

Distributors, GPOs, contract foodservice teams and consultants can offer MagicMenu to help win new accounts and support existing clients. Connect your products to their dietary needs, menu and daily production — with orders staying in the agreed purchasing channel.

Explore dietary needs →
A distributor and chef reviewing a delivery beside produce crates.
Illustrative setting

What you get.

A competitive advantage for your operation.

Help prospects see how your catalog can support their menu and the people they serve. Give existing clients more useful substitutions, clearer purchasing plans and practical support for dietary accommodations.

Consultants can help broadliners turn that support into a stronger offer: value for the kitchen, a reason to choose your business, and an ongoing customer relationship.

Explore a partnershipExplore distributors →

Distributors & consultants — current use & development

On one camp's own distributor account: more than 2,700 products organized with allergen columns, eight invoices, 156 line items digitized, and a substitution caught at 12 percent over the item it replaced.

Current company record · projections and illustrative examples are not deployment evidence.

Reunions

Family reunions · Group vacations · Shared vacation homes · Club & association gatherings

Plan around who is coming, what they can eat, and who is cooking each meal.

Explore dietary needs →
A multigenerational group sharing an outdoor table at dusk.
Illustrative setting

What you get.

“The point of a reunion is time together. A shared food plan should make room for different needs without making one person manage every meal as a separate project.”
Proposed wording for Hillary GreenePending approval · review preview only
Talk about your gatheringExplore reunions →

Reunions — current use & development

A completed ranch reunion is a transaction test bed in the current company record. The cook sheet and pull list shown here come from the September 2026 reunion. Explore the illustrative FairShare calculator; detailed event figures remain subject to their existing approval gates.

Current company record · projections and illustrative examples are not deployment evidence.

A first conversation.

Tell us how things work today and what you would like to make easier. We’ll explore whether MagicMenu could help. You can come on your own.

If useful, we might talk about:

  • Where dietary accommodations become difficult.
  • Where staff time or coordination gets lost.
  • How menus, purchasing and your systems fit together.
  • What a useful improvement would look like.

Later, we can bring in culinary, nutrition, operations or other colleagues when their perspective helps.

Start a conversationExplore a design partnership

Don’t see your setting? Tell us what kind of kitchen you run.

Two people discussing a kitchen plan informally.
Illustrative conversation

Bring us one kitchen challenge.

Thirty minutes with Dusty. Bring your dining director — and your RD if you can.

Start a conversation

Cook sheet

Page one of a cook sheet: the meal, who leads each dish, the key times, and the overview.

Example from service · September 2026 reunion; demonstrates the workflow, not a care-facility deployment.

Pull list

A pull list for a Sunday dinner: items in delivery order with product photos and quantities, one of them flagged as substituted.

Example from service · September 2026 reunion.

Guest roster

A roster of ten guests with their dietary chips — nut allergy, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian — and the status of each form.

Product interface example · sample names and dietary entries; not evidence of a care-facility deployment.

Printed service cards

Printed service cards for a meal, one per pan.

Camp service-card example · existing naming and asset approval gates apply.

Cardiac / low-sodium diet (2 gm Na)

Medical diets

Cardiac / low-sodium diet (2 gm Na)

What it is

The standard for cardiac care and heart failure: roughly two grams of sodium a day — and sodium is cumulative, so the whole day is the unit.

How kitchens accommodate it

Bread, cheese, cured meats, and stock bases deliver most of a day's sodium before the salt shaker appears; one heavy hand at the pass blows the budget.

Sodium information from recipes and actual products helps the team compare substitutions against documented meal and menu targets.

Medical diets · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Consistent-carbohydrate diet

Medical diets

Consistent-carbohydrate diet

What it is

The modern institutional standard for diabetes: a consistent amount of carbohydrate per meal, rather than a blanket 'no sugar' rule.

How kitchens accommodate it

It lives or dies on portioning discipline — the count is only as good as the plate that leaves the line.

Carbohydrate estimates from recipes and products can be compared with documented meal targets for the team’s review.

Medical diets · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Renal diet (pre-dialysis)

Medical diets

Renal diet (pre-dialysis)

What it is

For people with chronic kidney disease: a clinical diet managing sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and protein — nutrients that healthy menus often celebrate.

How kitchens accommodate it

Tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, dairy, and whole grains all run high in potassium or phosphorus — the risky ingredients look wholesome, which is what makes renal one of the hardest diets to execute.

The care team’s documented nutrient requirements guide recipe and product review; proposed changes remain subject to the required clinical review.

Medical diets · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Liberalized renal diet

Medical diets

Liberalized renal diet

What it is

In long-term care, strict renal restriction can cost an older adult more through malnutrition than it saves — so clinicians often liberalize, individually.

How kitchens accommodate it

Two residents with kidney disease may be on genuinely different lines — one strict, one liberalized — at the same table, from the same kitchen.

Individual diet orders distinguish strict and liberalized requirements so the team can review the appropriate plan for each person.

Medical diets · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

High-protein / high-calorie diet

Medical diets

High-protein / high-calorie diet

What it is

The opposite problem: for wound healing, unintended weight loss, and frailty, the challenge is getting enough in — protein and calories, in small volumes.

How kitchens accommodate it

Fortifying without bulk — enriched purees, added protein — while keeping food that still tastes like dinner.

Fortification options and portion information can be reviewed against individual requirements with the care team.

Medical diets · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

IDDSI Level 7 Easy to Chew (7EC)

Texture (IDDSI)

IDDSI Level 7 Easy to Chew (7EC)

What it is

Everyday foods, but soft and tender only — no hard, crunchy, or chewy textures. For reduced chewing ability without a swallowing impairment.

How kitchens accommodate it

It's menu screening more than transformation: which of tonight's dishes already qualify, and which need a tender variant.

The prescribed level helps identify dishes that may need a variation and the checks required before serving.

Texture (IDDSI) · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

IDDSI Level 6 — Soft & Bite-Sized

Texture (IDDSI)

IDDSI Level 6 — Soft & Bite-Sized

What it is

Soft, tender, moist food in bite-sized pieces (about 1.5cm) — chewable without a knife, nothing hard, crunchy, or stringy.

How kitchens accommodate it

Piece-size discipline under rush: the difference between 1.5cm and 'close enough' is exactly the difference that matters.

The person’s prescribed level informs cut-size instructions, exclusions and checks for the kitchen team.

Texture (IDDSI) · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

IDDSI Level 5 — Minced & Moist

Texture (IDDSI)

IDDSI Level 5 — Minced & Moist

What it is

Soft, moist food in small lumps (about 4mm) that can be mashed with a fork — for people for whom the wrong texture is a choking risk, not a preference.

How kitchens accommodate it

The hard part is consistency: the same dish, prepared the same way, every meal, by whoever is on shift.

Texture requirements inform preparation steps, portioning and the staff checks needed before service.

Texture (IDDSI) · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

IDDSI Level 4 — Pureed / Extremely thick

Texture (IDDSI)

IDDSI Level 4 — Pureed / Extremely thick

What it is

Smooth, cohesive, holds its shape on a spoon, no lumps — eaten with a spoon, no chewing required.

How kitchens accommodate it

Texture drifts between batches and cooks; and dignity matters — moulded, plated purees change how a meal feels.

The prescribed texture level stays connected to recipe preparation and the required checks before service.

Texture (IDDSI) · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Lactose intolerance

Intolerances

Lactose intolerance

What it is

A digestive shortage of lactase, not an immune reaction — most of the world's adults have some degree of it, and dose matters.

How kitchens accommodate it

Cream soups, sauces, and hidden whey are the usual culprits; aged cheeses and butter are often tolerated — a nuance that saves menus.

Lactose intolerance is kept distinct from milk allergy. Individual requirements guide the team’s review of recipes and products.

Intolerances · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

GERD-friendly diet

Medical diets

GERD-friendly diet

What it is

For reflux disease: managing trigger foods — high-fat preparations, tomato, citrus, chocolate, caffeine, mint — along with portion size and meal timing.

How kitchens accommodate it

The usual offenders are the kitchen's favorite tools: frying, rich sauces, tomato bases.

Documented triggers guide the ingredients and variations proposed for the team to consider.

Medical diets · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Vegetarian

Lifestyle

Vegetarian

What it is

No meat, poultry, or fish; eggs and dairy usually included — with personal variations the kitchen should capture, not assume.

How kitchens accommodate it

Chicken stock in the 'vegetable' soup is the classic failure; gelatin and animal rennet in cheese are the quiet ones.

The person’s actual dietary pattern informs review of products, bases and sub-ingredients as recipe variations are developed.

Lifestyle · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Peanut allergy

FDA allergens

Peanut allergy

What it is

One of the nine FDA major allergens, and among the most likely to cause severe, fast-moving reactions — trace exposure can matter.

How kitchens accommodate it

It hides in more than the obvious: sauces, dressings, fried items sharing oil, and 'may contain' supply chains. Being told is not the same as being safe: the check has to reach the pan.

Peanut requirements inform product and recipe checks. Unclear ingredient information and cross-contact controls remain visible for the team to resolve.

FDA allergens · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Tree nut allergy

FDA allergens

Tree nut allergy

What it is

An FDA major allergen class — almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, and more. Distinct from peanut, though the two are often managed together.

How kitchens accommodate it

Pestos, crusts and coatings, dessert lines, nut flours and oils — and shared bakery equipment, where trace carryover is the rule, not the exception.

Declared nut types and the operator’s policy guide the review. Product evidence and cross-contact controls are considered together.

FDA allergens · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Milk allergy

FDA allergens

Milk allergy

What it is

The most common food allergy in young children — an immune reaction to milk proteins, which is not the same thing as lactose intolerance.

How kitchens accommodate it

Butter is in everything, and so are whey and casein: processed meats, some 'non-dairy' creamers (caseinate), breads, and spice blends all carry milk proteins.

Milk allergy and lactose intolerance are recorded separately so the team can apply the appropriate dietary policy to recipes, products and preparation.

FDA allergens · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Wheat allergy

FDA allergens

Wheat allergy

What it is

An FDA major allergen — an immune reaction to wheat proteins, distinct from celiac disease and from gluten sensitivity.

How kitchens accommodate it

Flour dust travels and lingers; roux, dredging stations, soy sauce, and shared fryers spread wheat far beyond the bread basket.

Wheat in purchased products and recipe steps informs variations, with flour handling and separation addressed in preparation instructions.

FDA allergens · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Celiac disease

Clinical conditions

Celiac disease

What it is

An autoimmune disease — gluten damages the small intestine, so the diet is strict, lifelong, and unforgiving of crumbs.

How kitchens accommodate it

Certified oats versus regular oats, a dedicated fryer, flour dust that hangs in the air for hours, the shared toaster: celiac is won or lost on cross-contact.

Gluten requirements are considered alongside actual product evidence and preparation controls, including cleaning and separation for the team to review.

Clinical conditions · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Egg allergy

FDA allergens

Egg allergy

What it is

One of the nine FDA major allergens, common in both children and adults; reactions range from hives to anaphylaxis.

How kitchens accommodate it

Egg hides far beyond breakfast: egg washes and glazes, mayonnaise and aioli, fresh pasta, meatball and crab-cake binders, some clarified stocks and foams.

Egg requirements inform recipe and product review, with ingredient evidence gaps and cross-contact steps flagged for the team.

FDA allergens · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Soy allergy

FDA allergens

Soy allergy

What it is

An FDA major allergen woven through the modern food supply — far past tofu and soy sauce.

How kitchens accommodate it

Soy lecithin, vegetable protein, and oils appear in a remarkable share of processed products; reading every label, every delivery, is the real burden.

Soy information from actual products informs recipe choices. Formulation changes prompt another review of the affected meals.

FDA allergens · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Shellfish allergy

FDA allergens

Shellfish allergy

What it is

Crustacean shellfish is an FDA major allergen and the most common adult-onset food allergy — reactions are frequently severe.

How kitchens accommodate it

Stocks and bases, paella and pan sauces, fryer oil, even steam and splatter on a busy line can carry exposure a menu never mentions.

Shellfish in bases, sauces and shared preparation is part of the review, including evidence gaps that need a team decision.

FDA allergens · Educational information. Your chef and dietitian review what is served.

Food allergies

These categories span the needs of the kitchens and people your customers serve.

  • Egg
  • Fish
  • Milk
  • Peanut
  • Sesame
  • Shellfish
  • Soy
  • Tree nut
  • Wheat
Explore all dietary needs →

Dietary planning categories · individual requirements are reviewed with the kitchen team.

Intolerances

These categories span the needs of the kitchens and people your customers serve.

  • Sulfite
  • Fructose
  • Gluten (non-celiac)
  • Histamine
  • Lactose
  • Low FODMAP
Explore all dietary needs →

Dietary planning categories · individual requirements are reviewed with the kitchen team.

Clinical conditions

These categories span the needs of the kitchens and people your customers serve.

  • Celiac disease
  • Diabetes
  • IBS
Explore all dietary needs →

Dietary planning categories · individual requirements are reviewed with the kitchen team.

Medical diets

These categories span the needs of the kitchens and people your customers serve.

  • Renal
  • Liberalized renal
  • Cardiac / low sodium
  • DASH / hypertension
  • Low fat / low cholesterol
  • Consistent carbohydrate
  • Crohn's / IBD
  • GERD-friendly
  • Calorie-controlled
  • High protein / high cal
Explore all dietary needs →

Dietary planning categories · individual requirements are reviewed with the kitchen team.

Texture (IDDSI)

These categories span the needs of the kitchens and people your customers serve.

  • Level 3 — Liquidised
  • Level 4 — Pureed
  • Level 5 — Minced & moist
  • Level 6 — Soft & bite-sized
  • Level 7 — Regular
  • Level 7EC — Easy to chew
Explore all dietary needs →

Dietary planning categories · individual requirements are reviewed with the kitchen team.

Lifestyle

These categories span the needs of the kitchens and people your customers serve.

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Pescatarian
  • Kosher
  • Halal
  • Keto
  • Paleo
  • Mediterranean-style
  • Whole30
  • Organic only
  • No alcohol
Explore all dietary needs →

Dietary planning categories · individual requirements are reviewed with the kitchen team.

Personal meal instructions

Illustrative portrait of an older resident

Evelyn’s personal meal instructions

Example resident · Dining room 2

The person beyond the chart. Preferences are collected from Evelyn and her family, alongside the clinical information supplied by her care team.

What makes a good meal for Evelyn

  • Likes roast chicken, green beans and warm apple desserts.
  • Dislikes mushrooms; prefers gravy on the side and smaller servings with seconds available.
  • Enjoys an early lunch, warm food and tea in her own cup.
  • Ask before substituting a favorite dish. Reconfirm preferences when appetite changes.

Current dietary instructions

Diet order
Example: regular diet with a clinician-entered sodium target. Confirm the current signed order.
Allergies / intolerances
Example: milk allergy; follow the confirmed ingredient and cross-contact plan. Separate from preferences.
Texture / fluids
Example: regular texture; no prescribed fluid restriction recorded. Verify the latest swallowing and fluid instructions.
Support at service
Offer help opening packages; confirm meal identity and approved substitutions before serving.
Review ownership
Dietitian owns nutrition targets; care team confirms orders; dining team records preferences, intake and exceptions.

Example lunch portions

Kitchen starting portions for this fictional plan: 90 g cooked chicken, ½ cup mashed potatoes, ½ cup green beans, ½ cup fruit and a 240 mL beverage. Use the approved recipe and milk-free products. Individual portions and substitutions require the resident’s actual plan.

Nutrition targets and seven-day planning

Illustrative entries only — these are not recommended targets. The RD sets actual values from the resident’s assessment and current orders.

NutrientExample daily targetSeven-day planning total
Energy2,000 kcal14,000 kcal
Protein80 g560 g
Carbohydrate250 g1,750 g
Fat75 g525 g
Fiber28 g196 g
Fluid2,000 mL14,000 mL
SodiumUp to 2,000 mgUp to 14,000 mg*
Potassium, phosphorus & micronutrientsRecord resident-specific targets when ordered; no default restriction.

*Weekly totals support menu review; they do not replace daily limits or allow unused amounts to be carried forward. Track planned versus consumed intake and route concerns to the care team.

Illustrative workflow only. No real resident data or clinical prescription.

Senior living · illustrative example

Individual meal instructions

Individual meal instructions

Person
Example resident · current order required
Clinical review
Diet and texture instructions await authorized review
Kitchen handoff
Approved recipe, texture, portion and separation instructions
Service check
Match the tray to the person and the current order

Illustrative workflow for discussion. No real resident data or clinical prescription.

Skilled nursing · illustrative example

Clinical review workspace

Clinical review workspace

Change
Menu adaptation proposed
Evidence
Recipe, ingredient statements and current order
Decision
Awaiting RD review — not approved for service
Record
Reviewer, decision, timestamp and version retained

Illustrative workflow for discussion. No real resident data or clinical prescription.

Skilled nursing · in design

Service record

Service record

Meal / person
Illustrative resident and lunch service
Plan version
Reference to the approved instructions
Outcome
Served / held / alternate — recorded by staff
Exception
Reason, responsible reviewer and follow-up

Illustrative workflow for discussion. No real resident data or clinical prescription.

Skilled nursing · in design

Product evidence

Product evidence

Item
Example product · supplier item identifier
Evidence
Ingredient statement and source date
Match
Compare to the recipe and individual requirements
Review
Unknown or changed data stays visible for review

Illustrative workflow for discussion. No real resident data or clinical prescription.

Distributors & consultants · illustrative example

Substitution review

Substitution review

Requested / received
Original item compared with the replacement
Changed evidence
Ingredient, allergen, pack size and price differences
Affected meals
Identify recipes using the item
Next action
Hold for the responsible reviewer before updating the plan

Illustrative workflow for discussion. No real resident data or clinical prescription.

Distributors & consultants · illustrative example

MagicMenu

Complex needs.
Simpler kitchens.

dusty@magicmenu.ai

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MagicMenu provides operational and informational support, not clinical, medical, or nutritional advice. Allergen-screened menus are built from ingredient screens against currently available product data; unknown data never passes a plate. They are subject to verification, and to the operator's own cross-contact controls, which reduce but cannot eliminate risk. Final ingredient, service, and guest-safety decisions rest with the operator. Guest information is handled under written agreements and appropriate privacy safeguards.

Illustrative people, food and kitchen images are concepts. Actual photographs and product outputs are identified in their captions.

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