Enjoyment of food and adequate nutrition are essential contributors to a good quality of life as people age (American Dietetic Association 2005). Older adults participate in various food activities, such as grocery shopping, preparing simple and complex meals, and managing their diet, in order to both enjoy their food and eat well. Yet one in ten community-living adults aged over 65 years in the United Kingdom (UK) is at risk of malnutrition (European Nutrition for Health Alliance 2006), while at least four in ten older adults admitted to hospital in the UK are malnourished (Age Concern 2007, Age UK 2010, European Nutrition for Health Alliance 2005). When nutritional risk is not improved, resulting malnutrition may lead to further dependence and disability, increased length of hospital stay and costs of treatment, and an increased risk of death (Bartali et al 2006, Feldblum et al 2009). The occupational performance of food activities is, therefore, a key domain of concern for occupational therapists. Occupational performance includes both the objective ability to perform an activity and the subjective level of satisfaction with this performance (Creek 2003, Law et al 1997, Law and Baum 2001). For this study, we defined the occupational performance of food activities as: An individual's ability to do the food activities that are meaningful to them, in a way that satisfies their life needs, within the context of their environment, life stage, and life roles.