Questions mount over Maggie Beer Foundation’s aged care food projects

Maggie Beer has become synonymous with comfort food and advocacy for better meals in aged care. Through her Maggie Beer Foundation (MBF), she has been promoted as the solution to widespread malnutrition highlighted by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Her enthusiasm and profile have attracted millions in public funding, including a $5 million grant in 2023 to lift standards in aged care dining. Since 2019, government support has totalled more than $7.5 million, justified by her reputation for homestyle food and tireless advocacy.

But as she seeks a further $15.3 million, questions are being asked about whether her initiatives have delivered meaningful improvements – or whether they amount to an expensive but symbolic campaign.

Gourmet funding, modest results

Since 2014, the MBF has received more than $7.1 million from taxpayers. This has funded everything from online training modules and instructional videos to a two-day food congress and, most recently, the $5 million “Improving Food in Aged Care through Education and Training” program.

That program promised to reach thousands of kitchens across Australia’s 2,700 residential homes. By mid-2025, however, only 135 homes – or around 5% – had participated. Beer’s proposal to extend the reach to 216 more homes by 2029 still leaves most of the sector untouched.

The reality: boutique projects dressed up as systemic reform.

The bittersweet truth

There is no doubt about Beer’s message: nutritious meals improve health, dignity, and enjoyment of life. Her foundation works with dietitians and speech pathologists to give programs a layer of credibility.

But problems remain. Training videos developed in 2019 with $600,000 in funding came at a cost of $480 for access, restricting uptake by small providers. Some content has also been labelled impractical, featuring recipes and techniques unsuitable for the realities of most aged care kitchens.

While the Trainer Mentor Program has been better received, it remains accessible to only a fraction of the sector. Meanwhile, malnutrition continues to be a serious issue despite billions spent system-wide, including the $10 per resident daily food supplement introduced in 2021.

Food expenditure has risen on paper-from $12.40 to $15.49 per resident per day in the last two years – yet residents still too often face unappealing plates of fried or processed food.

Advocacy versus outcomes

Much of Beer’s impact has been promotional rather than transformational. Her 2024 ABC series, Maggie Beer’s Big Mission, showcased one Perth facility, offering more inspiration than evidence of broad change.

Critics note that the government has leaned heavily on her celebrity to give the appearance of reform while deeper issues remain. Dietitians Australia, for instance, argued that the 2023 grant would have been better directed to employing dietitians in facilities rather than funding workshops and videos.

Questions also linger over governance and accountability. The Maggie Beer Foundation declined to answer direct questions by Hello Care about funding and outcomes, instead providing a link to their website. Their explanation – “Apologies for the delay, we’ve been very busy with training” – only reinforced concerns about transparency.

A new menu for aged care

Maggie Beer’s passion for food is unquestionable, but her foundation’s record after a decade and millions of dollars remains underwhelming. Government initiatives like the Food, Nutrition and Dining Unit and dietitian-led menu reviews show more promise than another round of glossy pilots.

The sector now needs scalable solutions: dietitians embedded within services, enforceable nutrition standards, transparent reporting, and training that is affordable and relevant to every aged care kitchen.

Maggie Beer’s intentions are heartfelt – but aged care residents deserve more than boutique programs and celebrity endorsement. It’s time to invest in changes that truly nourish older Australians.