Sik Sik Yuen and VTC Launch Nostalgic Hong Kong Western Food Soft Meals for Elderly
HK01 · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
The Vocational Training Council (VTC) and Sik Sik Yuen have jointly developed six types of nostalgic Hong Kong-style Western food soft meals, allowing elderly people with dysphagia to revisit flavors from the 1980s and 1990s. Students from IVE and the International Culinary Institute spent over half a year perfecting the recipes, applying IDDSI standards and flash-freezing technology to create bite-sized, moist meals that retain the appearance and taste of traditional dishes. Fifty elderly diners enjoyed the elaborately presented three-tier afternoon tea service, with some commenting they were too beautiful to eat .
Key Points
- VTC副執行幹事任影嬋 stated this marks the third consecutive year of collaboration between the two organizations, following successful soft dim sum and soft Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup projects
- The interdisciplinary student team applied International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) standards and flash-freezing technology to adjust ingredient ratios, texture, and moisture content
- The six soft meal varieties recreate signature dishes including nostalgic chicken pie and shrimp toast, with students testing over ten different molds to achieve accurate shapes
- Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology (HKIIT) students contributed AI-generated music videos and 3D-printed animated figures representing each soft meal
- Sik Sik Yuen plans to expand the program with festive soft meals including mooncakes for Mid-Autumn Festival and glutinous rice balls for Lunar New Year
Why It Matters
The initiative addresses a growing need in Hong Kong's aging population, where many elderly residents experience swallowing difficulties yet face social isolation during family gatherings and festive celebrations when they cannot share the same meals. By creating visually appealing and flavorful soft meals that meet medical texture standards, the program enables elderly people to dine together with their families rather than eating separately, promoting both nutrition and social inclusion .
The initiative addresses a growing need in Hong Kong's aging population, where many elderly residents experience swallowing difficulties yet face social isolation during family gatherings and festive celebrations when they cannot share the same meals. By creating visually appealing and flavorful soft meals that meet medical texture standards, the program enables elderly people to dine together with their families rather than eating separately, promoting both nutrition and social inclusion .