Best Menu Planning Service Assisted Living 2026 – Dietitian Approved
The Truth in 2026:
You don’t need to buy expensive software. You do not need to learn how to run another software program. You definitely need to be legal.
You just need compliant, dietitian-approved menus every cycle — without spending 20 hours a month.
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What Small Homes Actually Want
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Grove Menus (Self-Service)
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Hiring a Consultant
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PantryTec (Done-For-You)
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Registered Dietitian approval every cycle
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You run the software
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$4k–$10k per year
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Always included
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Someone else runs the software
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No – you do it
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No
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Yes – we do everything
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Printed menus shipped & ready to post
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No
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No
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Yes – every cycle
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Price for a 6-25 bed home
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$45+/mo
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$500–$1,500+/mo
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$100 or $300 flat
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Weekly shopping lists & inventory
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Add-on
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Rarely included
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Included in $300 plan
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Training & support time required
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8–20 hours per cycle
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Varies
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Zero
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Winner for small facilities in 2026 → PantryTec.
Why Small Homes Switched from Grove Menus to PantryTec
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Grove Menus (what you probably tried first)
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PantryTec (what they switched to)
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You log in, build the menu yourself
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We build it, RD approves it, print it, ship it
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Extra work for the dietitian stamp
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Dietitian approval is always included
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No printed menus – you print them
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Full-color printed menus arrive in the mail
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Shopping lists are basic
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Grocery lists down to the exact ounce, adjusted for your census
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Costs $45–$500+/month
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Starts at only $100/month (most homes pay $300 and save money)
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We actually have Grove Menus software in-house.
If you love the Grove cycle library — great! We can run it for you and still save you hundreds per month. You need a change in the menu. You jsut tell us and we make it for you. We Never get sick and we never go on vacation. Well kind of this — because we have lots of people who do this and can cover you whenever you need. Our people do this every day all day so they are experts at making menu’s and making your life easier.
2026 Top 5 Menu Solutions – Ranked for Small Assisted Living (6–30 beds)
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Rank
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Solution
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Best For
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Monthly Cost (small home)
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Hands-On Time Required
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Real User Rating (2025–2026)
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1
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PantryTec Done-For-You
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Small homes that hate software
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$100 – $300
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Zero
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4.9/5
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2
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Grove Menus (self-service)
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Medium-large buildings with a dietary manager
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$45 – $500+
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10–20 hrs/cycle
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4.2/5
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3
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CBORD / MatrixCare
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100+ bed skilled nursing
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$800+
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High
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N/A for small homes
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4
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MealSuite
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Corporate chains
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$600+
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High
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N/A for small homes
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5
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Local Consultant (one-time)
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Homes that want to DIY forever
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$3,000–$8,000 one-time
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Very high
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3.8/5
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Ready to Fire Your Menu Software (and Save Money)?
Option 1 → $100/month: We create, approve, print, and email you your menus.
Option 2 → $300/month: We also handle the shopping including shopping from your own inventory first.
Zero contracts. Cancel anytime. Most homes never leave.
Call us at (385) 512-4731 or email us [email protected] and we will help you.
“Yes – Sign me up for PantryTec’s $100 Plan”
PantryTec – The #1 menu planning service for small assisted living homes in 2026
Because you went into senior care to care for people… not to become a dietitian.
You have enough software programs you need to use. Just email us if you want changes. You do not need to learn a software progeam to do your Menu’s. Nor do you need to hire an on site dietician. Let us do the work for you. We do it for lots of sites so you get the experience of many years menu’s made for assisted living. You still get say on what you need in your menu. And not only that we can do the shopping for you. Pantrytec is the best Menu Planning Service Assisted Living service.