A New Approach to Mealtime: Trialling Family-Style Dining

May 5, 2026

Mealtimes are some of the most meaningful moments of the day.

With support from the Dr. Barrie Strafford Centre for Learning, Innovation, & Quality (CLIQ), BSF’s Clifton House is piloting family-style dining, exploring a different approach centred on a shared, resident-led dining experience.

Research has found that residents participating in family-style dining experience improved quality of life, increased food and fluid intake, better appetite, and more meaningful social interactions (CLIQ, Family-Style Dining Report).

Through this pilot, we are exploring how greater choice, connection, and independence at the table can enhance the dining experience and support residents’ quality of life.