Finger Foods
Nourishing Independence:
Finger Food Solutions for
Every Patient and Resident
Finger foods are small, easy-to-handle portions designed to be enjoyed without utensils – ideal for individuals who face challenges with traditional dining. Bite-sized, convenient, and low-maintenance, they offer dignity, variety, and essential nourishment in every bite.
Why Choose Finger Foods?
Promote Dignity & Independence
Empower individuals to maintain autonomy at mealtimes—ideal for those with cognitive or physical impairments who may struggle with cutlery.
Enhance Mealtime Engagement
Approachable and easy-to-eat, finger foods encourage greater participation in meals, often leading to improved intake and social interaction.
Support Nutritional Goals
An effective strategy to combat malnutrition and unintentional weight loss—especially when paired with calorie-rich dips, spreads, or sauces.
Reduce Mealtime Stress
Simplified eating can ease frustration, promoting a more relaxed and enjoyable dining experience for both residents and caregivers.
Improve Dementia Care Outcomes
Studies show finger foods significantly increase food intake among individuals living with dementia, supporting better nutritional status and quality of life.
Smart Menu Ideas Featuring
Maple Leaf Healthcare Finger Foods
Our fully cooked, high-protein entrées are ideal for creating nutritious, appealing finger food menus in long-term care, senior living, and healthcare environments.
All products are fully cooked, portion-controlled, and easy to heat and serve.
Chicken
| Product Name | Maple Leaf Product Code | Serving Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Premium Thick Carved Chicken Breast Strips | 64313 | N/A |
| Healthy Selections Grilled Chicken Thigh | 21355 | Serve whole or slice into strips |
| Breaded Chicken Tenders | 10831 | N/A |
| Boneless Chicken Bites | 64004 | N/A |
| Tempura Battered Chicken Balls | 41122 | N/A |
| Breaded Chicken Cutlet | 13238 | Serve on a bun or cut into strips and serve with dipping sauces |
| Chicken Burger | 64224 | Serve on a bun or cut into strips and serve with dipping sauces |
Turkey
| Product Name | Maple Leaf Product Code | Serving Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey Burger | 55692 | Tender texture, serve whole or cut into strips |
| Turkey Dinner Sausage | 25191 | Skinless, tender, serve whole or slice diagonally in wraps |
Pork
| Product Name | Maple Leaf Product Code | Serving Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boneless BBQ Pork Patty | 72230 | Rib flavour; serve whole or cut into strips |
| Country Sausage | 64003 | Skinless and tender |
| Precooked Sausage Rounds | 23108 | 50 g fork-tender portions |
| Oktoberfest Sausage (Skinless) | 24563 | No casing, easy to cut and chew |
| Italian Sausage (Skinless) | 63185 | No casing, easy to cut and chew |
| Debrazzini Sausage (Skinless) | 38954 | No casing, easy to cut and chew |
| Breakfast Sausage (Skinless) | 64000 | No casing, easy to cut and chew |
| Ready Link Fully Cooked Breakfast Sausage | 64000 | Serve 2 links (45 g) per serving |
| Breaded Pork Cutlet | 45751 | Serve whole or slice into strips with dipping sauce of applesauce or mustard |
| Pork Wings | 30299 | 2 oz bone-in seasoned shanks, great with sauce |
Beef
| Product Name | Maple Leaf Product Code | Serving Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BBQ Beef Ribette | 41434 | Fork-tender, serve whole or slice into strips |
| Healthy Selections Beef Burger | 41518 | Serve whole or slice into strips |
| Schneiders Broiled Meatballs | 40118 | Soft, bite-sized, ideal on skewers or with sauces |
Deli
| Product Name | Maple Leaf Product Code | Serving Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sure Slice Turkey Breast | 21334 | N/A |
| ML Sure Slice Black Forest Ham | 21440 | N/A |
| ML Sure Slice Roast Beef | 21333 | N/A |
| Schneiders MainStreet Deli Smoked Turkey | 42684 | N/A |
| Schneiders MainStreet Deli Olde Fashioned Ham | 42459 | N/A |
| Schneiders MainStreet Deli Roast Beef | 42706 | N/A |
| Sure Slice Corned Beef | 21444 | N/A |
| Sure Slice Salami | 21440 | N/A |
| Healthy Selections Shaved Beef | 01188 | N/A |
| Schneiders MainStreet Deli ‘Montreal-Style’ Corned Beef | 44938 | N/A |
| Schneiders MainStreet Deli Italian Salami | 42722 | N/A |
Plant-Based
| Product Name | Maple Leaf Product Code | Serving Notes |
|---|---|---|
| LightLife Tempeh | 00237 | Slice, marinate, and grill or pan-fry |
| Field Roast Breakfast Patty | 00222 | Fully cooked, seasoned, vegan |
Creative Finger Food Meal Ideas
Perfect for individuals with limited dexterity, chewing difficulties, or cognitive challenges. Combine with nutrient-rich sides to enhance both flavor and caloric value.
Breakfast or
Snack-on-the-Go
Egg muffins made with eggs, cheese, vegetables, and chopped Maple Leaf precooked meats or plant-based proteins.
Ideal Proteins:
- Diced Chicken (ML #43848)
- Diced Turkey (ML #64364)
- Country Sausage (ML #64003)
- Breakfast Sausage (ML #64000)
- Tempeh (ML #00237)
- Field Roast Crumble (ML #31435)
- Sure Slice Black Forest Ham (ML #21440)
Lunch on-the-Run
Mini sandwiches cut into quarters or strips using sliced deli meats. For soft fillings, chop finely or mince meats and mix with mayonnaise or mustard.
Recommended options:
- Sure Slice Turkey (ML #21334)
- Ham (ML #21440)
- Roast Beef (ML #21333)
- Corned Beef (ML #21444)
- Salami (ML #21447)
Deli Roll-Ups
Wrap Maple Leaf Deli Meats around cheese, and/or add spreads like hummus or mustard; roll and serve.
Suggested varieties:
- Smoked Turkey (ML #42684)
- Turkey Breast (ML #21334)
- Black Forest Ham (ML # 21440)
- Olde Fashioned Ham (ML #42459)
- Roast Beef (ML #42706 or ML # 21333)
- Montreal-Style Corned Beef (ML #44938)
- Corned Beef (ML # 21444)
- Italian Salami (ML #42722 or ML #21447)
Dinner on-the-Move
Place a prepared, precooked burger/sausage or breaded burger on a bun or breaded chicken strips/ boneless chicken bites in a wrap with spreads like mayonnaise, hummus, etc. Add some ethnic inspired sauces like kewpie mayonnaise, guacamole, tahini, etc to kick up the flavour.
Ideal proteins:
Any precooked meats – see our protein options pdf, complete with SKU numbers for ideas.
Pro Tips: Boost Nutrition & Appeal
Enhance each plate with calorie- and protein-rich additions:
Full-fat dips or sauces
hummus, cream cheese, mayonnaise, full fat yogurt, tzatziki
Fruit kabobs
(for safe-to-handle residents)
Soft slices of cucumber or avocado
Fortified purees or gravies
Steamed veggie sticks
(e.g., carrots, zucchini, green beans) and serve with ranch/caesar salad dressing in a portion cup as dipping sauce
Bite-sized soft desserts
like mini muffins or cookies
Ready to Taste the Difference?
Need a customized 7-day finger food menu?
Connect with your Healthcare Mapleleaf Representative today.
- Pouyet, V., Giboreau, A., & Cuvelier, G. (2014). Attractiveness and consumption of finger foods in elderly Alzheimer’s patients. Food Quality and Preference, 34(2), 62-69.
- Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS (2017). High Calorie Finger Foods.
- Ford, G. (1996). Putting Feeding Back Into the Hands of Patients. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 34(5), 35–39.
- Dementia Nutrition Solutions (2022). List of Finger Foods for Dementia Patients.