What a great way to enjoy a little taste of Italy in your aged care facility! Gather everyone together to cook, chat, and create delicious personalised pizzas to share. It’s simple, interactive, and always a favourite with residents.
If you’re planning an Italian-themed day, pair this activity with our Armchair Travel to Italy program or finish with a fun Italian Quiz for Seniors to round out the experience.
What You Will Need
Here is a list of what you will need for this activity:
- Pizza bases – Small to medium size are best as they’re easier to handle and slice.
- Small trays for baking.
- Tomato sauce (passata, pasta sauce, or pizza base sauce in a squeeze bottle).
- Grated cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or a mix).
- Diced meats: bacon, salami, ham, sliced sausage, or cold cooked chicken.
- Vegetables: diced pineapple, bell peppers/capsicum, olives, chopped basil, mushrooms, onion.
- Disposable gloves.
- Garlic bread ingredients (optional): small French sticks, butter, and chopped/crushed garlic.
Encourage residents to make their own favorite combinations—just remind them that less is best so their pizzas cook evenly.
Setting Up
To set the mood, put on some lively Italian music to create a relaxed, festive atmosphere.
- Seat everyone in a circle or around a communal table.
- Provide disposable gloves for hygiene.
- Place bowls of chopped toppings around the room so residents can choose easily.
- (Alternatively, have a small prep group chop ingredients together beforehand).
- Residents can work individually or in pairs, depending on abilities and confidence.
Making the Pizzas
1. Sauce Pass around the bowls, jars, or squeeze bottles and let each person take a few spoons of sauce. Using the back of the spoon, spread the sauce evenly across each base.
2. Cheese Provide bowls of grated cheese for sprinkling—enough to cover the sauce, but not too thick.
3. Toppings Now the fun begins! Encourage creativity and good conversations.
Some popular combinations include:
- Ham, bacon & pineapple
- Chicken and bacon
- Salami, bacon & capsicum
- Vegetarian options: capsicum, mushrooms, onion & basil
Garlic Bread on the Side (Optional)
Garlic bread makes a lovely compliment to your pizza meal.
- Slice small French sticks (not all the way through).
- Mix butter with chopped or crushed garlic.
- Spread between each slice, wrap in foil, and bake until warm and fragrant.
Cooking and Serving
If your facility has a commercial oven, pizzas and garlic bread will bake quickly. Otherwise, cook them in batches—tasting a variety of toppings can be part of the fun!
Serve with:
- A glass of wine for afternoon or evening sessions, or
- Chilled lemon, lime & bitters over ice for a refreshing non-alcoholic drink.
Bon Appétit!
For more themed ideas, finish your session with the Italian Armchair Travel experience or test everyone’s knowledge with our Italian Quiz for Seniors.
