Community Corner

Modern Meals: Shoreline Chef Seeks to Serve Healthy Meals to Seniors

David LaCroix has been professionally preparing meals and managing kitchens here along the shoreline for the last several years. 

The Branford native most recently served as the director of Dining Services at the Yale Law School. 

And before that, the Culinary Institute of America-trained executive chef worked at various private clubs and restaurants throughout the region.

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But now, LaCroix has started a new food-related business venture, Modern Meals, that will specifically cater to one of the nation's fastest growing population of diners: the senior citizen.

The Branford-based company is a home delivery meal service. 

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And after forging a partnership with MagicKitchen.com, LaCroix is hoping to serve his senior customers — from individuals residing in private homes to large retirement communities — throughout the state. 

Branford Patch recently sent LaCroix a handful of questions about his new business. Those questions and his answers, appear in full below.

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Q:  Tell us about your new business, Modern Meals.

I formed Modern Meals and my partnership with MagicKitchen.com to support the growing senior population in the State of Connecticut." This support is focused towards working with home health care agencies, retirement communities, age in place villages, and those individuals needing healthy and convenient meal options. Modern Meals believes that a healthy, delicious, home-style meals nourishes the mind as well at the body. While I have focused my marketing towards retirement communities and healthcare agencies etc. I would note that I would be happy to speak with anyone reading this article just call or email me.

This value added service is unique and can help address the importance of maintaining good nutrition. As we all know consistent good nutrition plays a key role in the quality of life a senior or anyone for that matter experiences. One key point of this service is that it is delivered to your door and if the person has in home care it frees up valuable time from shopping, cooking, and cleanup for the aide. This gives them more time to deliver additional care and compassion. Best of all this service has no boundaries as it is delivered to all 50 states. Which makes it nice to send as a gift.

With that said about senior meal plans MagicKitchen.com has a second menu option which is referred to as their HomeStyle Meals. These are great for everyday or as fill in meals for anyone. As a professional chef I love to cook but sometimes having these on hand for a fill in meal when I don’t feel like cooking is great. 

You can have delicious meals like Beef Wellington, Crab Cakes, and Chicken Marsala  just to name a few delivered to your door step from the HomeStyle menu.

Other ways to uses this service are:

  • Home late from work or school activity
  • Gift giving to that friend that has everything
  • Send a food package to kids at college
  • Housewarming for a new home
  • Sympathy Food for a friend or loved ones family that has passed
  • Corporate gift to work colleagues
  • Every year many of us get stumped on what to give someone for a holiday gift
  • Sometimes you don’t feel like cooking and you are too tired to go out to a restaurant, chicken strips are cutting it for you, but you want something good! (I’ll have to admit this is me!)

The dessert selection is amazing and you can even have a Turkey Dinner for 6 delivered year round to your doorstep. This meal pack includes:

  • Turkey
  • Gravy
  • Stuffing
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Orange Cranberry Sauce… You can also purchase extra sides as well if you’d like

A very key point to make in describing this service is that all meals are made in small batches and then Flash Frozen to insure quality. All ingredients are always prepared from fresh not frozen and there are no preservatives every used. Organic produced is always the first choice but as we all know not always available. This is a very key point that sets MagicKitchen.com apart.

Q:  Explain the relationship between Modern Meals and MagicKitchen.com. How does it work?

When I saw what I believed to be a need I discovered and negotiated a contract with MagicKitchen.com for the state of CT where I am referred to as a sales partner. All referrals from CT are sent to me and I actively market their products and services. Modern Meals has a website page that links into MagicKitchen.com. The consumer is always purchasing their meals from MagicKitchen.com a nationally recognized provider of health and delicious chef prepared meals. I would also add that they have A+ rating with the BBB and offer a 100% money back guarantee - If anything you receive from MagicKitchen.com arrives spoiled or damaged it will be replaced.  Anything purchased that is not to your satisfaction will either be credited or replaced in your next order

Q:  How does the service work for seniors and your other customers? 

The service couldn’t be easier to use.  There are no minimums or fees, and no contracts. Just purchase what you’d like, if you think about it no one really wants to enter into a contract or be committed to buy minimums, and quite frankly I don’t have it in me to be a pushy salesperson but I can also be passionate about something I believe in. There are advantages to buying more like receiving free shipping which can be a significant savings but by no means are you required.

Caregivers can use this service as well as end users. All items are designed to be reheated in a conventional oven or microwave in the containers they arrive in, so that means minimal cleanup. As a Chef I personal prefer the oven.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner are available as well as soups, breads, and desserts.

Also available with senior meals are the Special Diet Meals. These are meals that are designed for anybody that require special diets meals. For example if you’re on Dialysis or require a Renal Diet theirs a selection for you. If you require a special diet due to Diabetes, or need a low sodium diet theirs a selection for you. If your need Gluten Free there are a number of items available. If you’re on the WeightWatchers PointsPlus program there is also a selection of meals with the WeightWatchersPoints listed next to them. Standard Nutrition labels are listed on the website for every item they offer as well as one on every meal your receive from MagicKitchen.com  

As I mentioned the service is really easy to use. You can either go to my site at www.modernmealsllc.com or www.magickitchen.com.  You can also call MagicKitchen.com at 1-877-516-2442. If you are developing an Auto-Ship program or a Special Diet plan for someone it’s probably best to call for the first order. I think my site might make navigation a little easier the first time someone visits. 

I thought I would use an example of a common scenario with a home healthcare client. This client has an aide come in afternoons Monday through Friday to tend their needs and prepare an evening meal for them. The family members choose to use MagicKitchen.com for dinners only. The family chose one of the seven different meal packs offered each of which contains (7 meals) and choose to have them auto-shipped. The Auto-Ship service is free and now you don’t have to worry about meals being delivered to your loved one. Every Thursday a box is delivered to their door step, their credit card is charged, and the aide unpacks it and simply prepares one every evening for this client. Family stops by on the weekend and fills in with care and meal preparation. Everyone’s situation is different. I’ve found that it’s always good to have a few extra on hand especially this time of year when the possibility of bad weather like hurricanes or blizzards increase.

Auto-Ship can be cancelled at any time with no contracts or commitments. The best news is when people are ordering senior or special diet meal packs and averaging $80 or more per month shipping is free. While MagicKitchen.com offers senior discounts free shipping is typically the best deal as it’s usually worth anywhere from $18-$25. 

I’d like to talk a little about pricing also. It’s important to note that there is nothing more economical than going to the grocery store, shopping, bringing home groceries, unpacking your groceries, and preparing a meal. This is by far the most economical way to feed your family. Some folks have told me the pricing is high and others have said that the prices are very reasonable given that this is a home delivery service and the amount of time they save. Having healthy and delicious frozen prepared meals arrive on your doorstep is a service and convenience. I’ll let the readers decide what they think.

Q:  What types of meals are most popular with seniors?

All are very popular depending on your individual taste however MagicKitchen.com states that the Braised Beef Brisket is their best seller on the senior menu.

Q:  Why was Branford chosen for your business site? What do you like best about doing business in Branford?

I’ve lived in Branford my entire life, my wife and I are raising our two sons here and have no plans to leave. Because of the nature of this work I can really live anywhere in the state but Branford is my home.

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For more information about Modern Meals, visit the company's website at modernmealsllc.com, call LaCroix at 203-444-9382 or email info@ModernMealsLLC.com.


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