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To investigate the foodservice, menu and meals in the aged-care residential setting to identify promoters and barriers to achieving optimum nutrition. An observational study conducted by the University of Otago Dietetic Training Programme. Rest home dietitians around New Zealand identified a final convenience sample of 50 facilities. Ten final-year student dietitians each spent two days in their designated rest homes, administering a 19-item questionnaire to ascertain practices relating to staffing, dining environment, menu, meals, snacks, feeding assistance, fluids, special diets, nutrition care, medications, nutrition policy and access to sunlight. Observations describing foodservice and meal-related activities only are reported in this paper. Most rest homes had the ability to provide for the needs of residents. Ninety per cent of facilities offered menu cycles of at least four weeks long. Potential barriers to meeting needs were inadequate amounts of protein-rich food for numbers served and lack of perceived choice in menus and meal service. Lack of foodservice staff training and poor uptake of training opportunities contributed to these barriers. This is the first such study conducted in New Zealand. Results should be of interest to the Ministry of Health and district health boards that are charged with the responsibility to ensure that meals in long-term care facilities meet the nutritional needs of this potentially vulnerable population. Shortcomings identified in the present study require a multidisciplinary approach that should include district health boards, auditing agencies, aged-care organisations, training providers and dietitians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]