Hello and welcome to living in the Lehigh Valley, where our focus is your health and wellness.

I'm your host, Brittany Sweeney.

Access to a warm meal can become few and far between as some people get older.

But a local health system is offering a low cost option for seniors, and those looking to grab a bite are coming from across the area to take part in that program.

In the early evenings, sounds of laughter and chatter fill the dining room of the St Luke's Anderson Campus cafeteria.

Did you watch the Grammys, the whole thing last night?

Sometimes we come five days a week.

Dorothy Midash and her husband Gary of Bethlehem, are part of a group of regulars who come here nearly every day for the older adult meal program.

You can't beat $3.99.

St Luke's University Health Network offers the low cost healthy meal to people across the Lehigh Valley from 4 to 6 p.m..

The food's like, very good.

Do you want extra gravy?

Please.

You get like a nice entree and dessert.

Ok, here’s your one Thank you.

Welcome.

Robert Samra is the general manager of food and nutrition at the Anderson Campus Cafeteria.

He says the program offers people who may not otherwise have a reason to get out, a chance to socialize and enjoy a nutritious meal.

All of our meals, we run through a program called Nutritive so we know that it's healthy for people and portion sizes.

You know, obviously, you can't have a huge portion and be healthy, you know, the right sized portion with the right sides of my plate.

You know, different vegetables and starches and grains helps them out.

And it's also it's mentally healthy to be able to socialize.

We have one gentleman that comes down from Saylorsburg every day.

He’s in his nineties and he looks forward to it every day.

What do you call a creature of the night that eats a lot?

What do you call it?

A creature of the night that eats a lot?

I don't know.

A snack o’lantern!

I mean, we met a lot of really nice people here and built relationship friendships.

St. Luke’s is a big partner within the community and they know that people need to get out and socialize.

It's it's healthier for them to to meet new people and interact with people.

It's not just the camaraderie that seems to be enjoyable, but the food is the talk of the dining room as well.

I like the salmon.

They have salmon quite often.

And it's it's good.

What's the favorite meal?

If you had to pick one.

I'd have to pick two either the salmon or the turkey.

The culinary team even takes dietary restrictions into consideration.

I'm diabetic, so they always have, like, fresh fruit that they allow us to, like, swap out for the dessert.

And they also have a vegan meal every day, too, that, you know, a lot of people take advantage of that.

During the pandemic, dinner was not served, but now it's up and running.

Once again for the older population to come together, save on dinner and socialize with friends.

We came here for like a long time, and then the pandemic hit and then they didn't have it.

And now we're back.

People age 65 and over, as well as veterans, are welcome to take advantage of the meal program Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m.. That'll do it for this edition of Living in the Lehigh Valley.

I'm Brittany Sweeney, hoping you stay happy and healthy.