Identification should include
- current dietary guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) (e.g., MyPlate.gov)
- special diets (e.g., soft/liquid diet, gluten-free, dairy-free, low sodium, consistent carbohydrate diabetic diet, vegetarian/vegan)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for food products and additives
- potential food and medication interactions (including warning labels)
- cultural needs of clients
- recipes for people with special dietary needs.
Process/Skill Questions:
Thinking
- What are the difficulties encountered when evaluating specialized dietary plans?
- How can human services professionals ensure that food plans are followed?
- What are the risks associated with not following nutrition principles when creating a food plan?
Communication
- How do clients communicate food preferences?
- How can human service professionals communicate the specialized dietary needs of clients to food service personnel?
- How does the FDA communicate nutrition recommendations to human service professionals?
Leadership
- What responsibility does the federal government have in regulating food ingredients?
- Why is it helpful for a human services agency to have a relationship with the local health department?
- What are the advantages in periodically evaluating the food plans of clients? What are consequences of failing to do so?
Management
- Why is it important to have comprehensive knowledge of the components of nutrition labels when working with clients with specialized dietary needs?
- What are possible obstacles to implementing a food plan for a client with specialized dietary needs?