Fallbrook Senior Center offers tasty and nutritious lunches

Senior residents can eat a tasty, nutritious lunch, Monday through Friday at 11:15 a.m., courtesy of the Fallbrook Senior Center at the Fallbrook Community Center.

The lunch Oct. 10 was this month's birthday lunch, recognizing center members born in October. There were only two this month, Freda Shade and Jose Melo Rojas, among the 39 diners. "Happy Birthday" was played on the piano by 99-year-old Bud Roberds.

The meal consisted of a green salad, roast beef with gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans and celery, a roll, fruit salad and a cupcake. Everything was delicious and well-cooked, so easy to chew. The wheat rolls were especially flavorful having been baked with oregano, basil and garlic in butter on top.

It is a big meal, but some seniors take home their leftovers for later. Because the meals are subsidized, the cost to those over 60 is a suggested $5 donation; for people under 60, the cost is $7.

Fallbrook Senior Center Executive Director Renae Rasmussen said that each meal costs over $13 to make and the cost is going up every year as the cost of everything, including food, supplies and gas continues to rise.

The center receives funding from the San Diego County's Aging and Independent Services for the congregate meals at the community center as well as the home-delivered meals. Fallbrook Regional Health District also contributes funds to these programs. The center is in need of more funds for this important program and anyone interested in contributing should contact Rasmussen at (760) 728-4498.

Made fresh, warm meals are taken to 60 homebound seniors Monday through Friday. The home-delivered meals service is "a necessary program and the homebound seniors are so appreciative; these seniors can't cook [for themselves]," said Rasmussen said. Those meals are ready to eat, not packaged or frozen although those who need them are also given frozen meals for the weekend.

Chef Rudy Pedroza has been preparing meals for 20 years. Kitchen assistant Sue Di Mino creates the menu as she was recently named nutrition manager after being now credentialed for the job. The county nutritionist checks it for nutrition, including the right amounts of vitamins C and A and maximum amounts of sodium, among other vitamins and minerals. The nutritionist makes changes to the menu if necessary before approving it.

Besides feeding seniors, the senior center also looks out for their health, offering a health fair the second Wednesday of each month starting at 9:45 a.m. Six or seven tables are set up at the community center and screenings are offered for vision, hearing, blood pressure, diabetes, etc., as well as information from SDG&E.

For information about the lunch or all the other activities offered at the senior center, call (760) 728-4498, stop by the center at 399 Heald Lane or visit http://www.fallbrookseniorcenter.com.