Free sample menu library, RD approved
Dietitian-approved sample menus
for assisted living and senior care.
Preview 21 real sample menus for 12 facility types and 9 therapeutic diets. Every PantryTec cycle is approved by a Registered Dietitian and meets 100% of the DRIs for older adults, and the PDF samples download free with no email required.
10-Week Assisted Living Sample Menu
Approved by a Registered Dietitian
Free download
Free Assisted Living Sample Menus
Download any single week, or the complete 10-week cycle. Each week covers breakfast, lunch, dinner and an evening snack, and is approved by a Registered Dietitian.
Dietitian-approved sample menus are real weeks taken from cycle menus that a Registered Dietitian has reviewed for nutritional adequacy, so assisted living and senior care operators can judge portions, variety and diet coverage before they commit. This library puts every PantryTec sample on one page: 12 facility types, from 6-bed group homes to multi-level CCRCs, and 9 therapeutic diets, including renal, cardiac, diabetic and IDDSI Levels 4 to 6. Each card links to the full menu page, and the PDF samples download with no email required.
TL;DR: PantryTec cycle menus rotate on a 10-week schedule covering breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, meet 100% of the Dietary Reference Intakes for older adults, and ship as print-ready PDFs with a signed RD Approval Letter. Plans start at $15/month flat, and therapeutic diet add-ons cost $5/month each.
Want the rules behind the menus? Read our menu compliance and RD approval guide or compare menu rules by state.
Menus by facility type
Sample Menus by Facility Type 12
Every care setting feeds residents differently. Pick your license type to preview its sample week, see which meals it covers, and open the full dietitian-approved cycle behind it.
Assisted Living
1 week: breakfast, lunch, dinner, evening snack
Survey-ready cycle menus covering every therapeutic diet and IDDSI texture, with weekly PDFs you can download today.
Memory Care
1 week: finger-food breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner
IDDSI-compliant finger foods and altered textures that help residents living with dementia eat independently.
Nursing Homes & SNFs
1 week: breakfast, AM snack, lunch, PM snack, dinner
Cycle menus built to pass state survey, covering every therapeutic diet and IDDSI texture.
Independent Living & 55+
1 week: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack or dessert
Restaurant-style menus with always-available choices and seasonal rotations.
Hospice Care
1 week: breakfast, AM snack, lunch, PM snack, dinner
Comfort-focused menus with liberalized diets, altered textures and small-portion options.
Veterans Homes
1 day: regular, diabetic, cardiac, renal and IDDSI versions
Menus for state veterans homes, built to meet survey and dietary standards.
Personal Care Homes
1 week: breakfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime snack
Survey-ready menus sized for small kitchens, covering every therapeutic diet.
RCFEs (California)
1 day: standard menu plus diet adjustments
Title 22 ready menus for California RCFEs, covering every therapeutic diet and texture.
Board & Care Homes
3 days: breakfast, lunch, dinner, evening snack
Right-sized menus that small teams can cook, with a signed RD Approval Letter.
CCRC Multi-Level
1 day: independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing
One menu system for every level of care, from independent living through skilled nursing.
Adult Day Care
Mon to Fri: breakfast, AM snack, lunch, PM snack
Breakfast, lunch and snack menus for day programs, with every therapeutic diet.
Group Homes (6-16 Beds)
1 day: regular, diabetic and low sodium, soft and pureed
Simple-prep menus for homes with 6 to 16 beds, covering every therapeutic diet.
Therapeutic diets and IDDSI textures
Therapeutic Diet and IDDSI Texture Sample Menus 9
Each therapeutic version is built from the same RD-approved base menu, so residents on special diets eat alongside everyone else instead of receiving a separate tray. Add any diet to your plan for $5 per month. See the therapeutic diet menus overview for how each one works.
Renal (Low K, Low Phos)
1 week: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack
Low potassium, low phosphorus menus portioned for residents on a renal diet.
AHA Cardiac (Low Sodium, Low Fat)
1 week: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Heart-healthy, low sodium and low fat menus aligned to AHA guidance.
Low Sodium (No Added Salt)
1 week: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack
No-added-salt menus that control sodium without losing flavor.
Diabetic / Consistent Carb
1 week: breakfast, AM snack, lunch, PM snack, dinner
Consistent carbohydrate menus with matched carb counts at every meal.
High Calorie Intake
7 days: breakfast, lunch, dinner, 3 snacks
Calorie-dense menus with fortified foods for residents with unintended weight loss.
Finger Foods for Dementia
1 week: breakfast, lunch, dinner, 3 snacks
Hand-held, easy-to-grip meals that support independent eating.
Puree (IDDSI Level 4)
1 week: breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner, dessert
Smooth, fully pureed menus, shaped and portioned for dignity at the table.
Minced & Moist (IDDSI Level 5)
1 week: breakfast, lunch, dinner, 3 snacks
Menus prepared to IDDSI Level 5 particle size and moisture standards.
Soft & Bite-Sized (IDDSI Level 6)
7 days: breakfast, AM snack, lunch, PM snack, dinner
Soft, bite-sized menus tested for fork pressure and portion size.
What’s Included in Every Dietitian-Approved Sample Menu?
Every PantryTec sample comes from a complete 10-week cycle that covers breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, is reviewed by a Registered Dietitian, and is analyzed to meet 100% of the Dietary Reference Intakes for older adults. When you subscribe, your full cycle arrives as a print-ready PDF with a signed RD Approval Letter, usually within one business day of your request.
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for every day of the cycle
- Therapeutic and IDDSI texture versions built from the same base menu
- A signed RD Approval Letter for your survey binder
- Print-ready PDF menus sized for posting and kitchen use
- Seasonal spring and fall rotations
- Flat pricing from $15/month, with no contracts or setup fees
Which Sample Menu Fits Your Facility?
Start with the sample that matches your license type, then review the therapeutic diets your residents are most often prescribed. Use this table as a quick shortcut.
| If you run a… | Start with this sample | Also review |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted living facility (ALF) | Assisted Living | Diabetic, low sodium, soft and bite-sized |
| Memory care community or unit | Memory Care | Finger foods, puree (IDDSI 4) |
| Nursing home or skilled nursing facility | Nursing Homes & SNFs | Renal, AHA cardiac, minced and moist (IDDSI 5) |
| Independent living or 55+ community | Independent Living & 55+ | AHA cardiac, low sodium |
| Hospice | Hospice Care | High calorie, puree (IDDSI 4) |
| State veterans home | Veterans Homes | Renal, AHA cardiac, diabetic |
| Personal care home | Personal Care Homes | Diabetic, high calorie |
| California RCFE | RCFEs (California) | Diabetic, low sodium |
| Board and care home | Board & Care Homes | Soft and bite-sized, diabetic |
| CCRC with several levels of care | CCRC Multi-Level | All three IDDSI textures |
| Adult day program | Adult Day Care | Diabetic, low sodium |
| Group home with 6 to 16 beds | Group Homes (6-16 Beds) | Diabetic, low sodium |
Why Should Senior Care Menus Be Dietitian-Approved?
Senior care menus should be dietitian-approved because licensing surveyors look for documented proof that resident meals are nutritionally adequate and match each resident’s prescribed diet. Assisted living is regulated state by state, while skilled nursing facilities must also meet the federal CMS rule at 42 CFR §483.60, surveyed under F-Tag F803, which expects menus to be prepared in advance, followed as written, and reviewed for nutritional adequacy by a dietitian or other clinically qualified nutrition professional. A signed RD Approval Letter is usually the first document surveyors ask to see.
During a survey, inspectors typically check three things quickly:
- A current, signed RD Approval Letter kept in the compliance binder.
- Nutrient analysis showing the menus meet the Dietary Reference Intakes for seniors.
- Posted weekly menus that match what the kitchen actually serves, including physician-ordered therapeutic diets.
Dig deeper with our guides to F808 and physician-ordered therapeutic diets, dietary management for ALF administrators, and how state ALF menu rules differ.
How Much Do Dietitian-Approved Menus Cost?
PantryTec dietitian-approved menus start at a flat $15 per month regardless of census, with therapeutic diet add-ons at $5 per month each. The Complete plan is $20 per month and the fully customizable Premier plan is $40 per month. By comparison, an external consulting dietitian typically bills $750 to $1,500 per month for menu signatures and quarterly reviews.
| Plan | Price | Best for | Key inclusions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15/mo | Group homes, 6-16 beds | One menu style, RD-approved, weekly PDF, 10-week cycle |
| Complete | $20/mo | Mid-sized ALF, memory care | All 3 styles, common therapeutic diet guidance |
| Premier | $40/mo | Medically complex residents | Custom cycles, renal, cardiac, pureed, dementia finger foods |
| External RD | $750-$1,500/mo | Traditional consulting | Signatures and quarterly reviews only |
FAQs About Dietitian-Approved Sample Menus
Quick answers to the questions assisted living and senior care operators ask most before choosing a menu.
Are these dietitian-approved sample menus free?
Yes. Every sample menu on this page is free to view, and the PDF samples download directly with no email address or sign-up. You only pay if you subscribe to receive the complete cycle and RD Approval Letter for your own facility.
Who approves PantryTec sample menus?
Every PantryTec cycle menu is reviewed and approved by a Registered Dietitian and analyzed to meet 100% of the Dietary Reference Intakes for older adults. Subscribers receive a signed RD Approval Letter to keep in their survey binder.
Can I use a sample menu for my state survey?
A sample shows what a compliant cycle looks like, but surveyors expect the menus your facility actually serves, backed by a current RD Approval Letter. A PantryTec plan gives you the full 10-week cycle and the signed letter, usually within one business day.
How long is a senior care cycle menu?
Senior care cycle menus commonly rotate every 4 to 10 weeks. PantryTec cycles run 10 weeks and cover breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, with seasonal spring and fall versions, so residents enjoy variety before anything repeats.
Which therapeutic diets and IDDSI textures have sample menus?
Samples are available for renal, low sodium, AHA cardiac, diabetic (consistent carbohydrate), high calorie and dementia finger food diets, plus IDDSI Level 4 puree, Level 5 minced and moist, and Level 6 soft and bite-sized textures. Each diet can be added to a plan for $5 per month.
How are assisted living menus different from nursing home menus?
Assisted living menus follow state licensing rules and usually favor a liberalized diet, while nursing homes and SNFs must also meet the federal CMS requirements in 42 CFR §483.60, surveyed under F-Tag F803. Nursing home residents also tend to need more therapeutic and texture-modified diets.
How much do dietitian-approved menus cost?
PantryTec plans start at a flat $15 per month regardless of census, with therapeutic diet add-ons at $5 per month each. An external consulting dietitian typically bills $750 to $1,500 per month for menu signatures and quarterly reviews.
Keep planning
Menu Planning Guides and Next Steps
Compliance and planning guides
Plans and providers
Get Menus Approved for Your Facility
Start with a free sample, then get your full 10-week cycle and signed RD Approval Letter, usually within one business day.