Dietetics contributes to life-long, sustainable health and optimal life quality of people. The knowledge of the nutritional state can be informative and normative in order to optimize personal care. The aims of this study were to summarize the relevant legislative considerations of nourishing the elderly in different long-term residential social institutions and to screen the nutritional state of those living there. No investigation of this type has ever been carried out in Hungary or in central eastern Europe before. We used the malnutrition universal screening tool (MUST) screening program for the evaluation of nutritional status. Our survey was done in 20 Hungarian nursing homes in 2006. The sample (n=1381) was representative of regional distribution and number of residents. In our study population 38.2% of the patients were endangered in point of malnutrition. The results of our survey call attention to the elevated number of elderly people at risk of malnutrition in nursing homes. As malnutrition has serious consequences regarding also quality of life, nutritional screening of nursing home residents is not only a basic economical interest, but is also in full harmony with the idea "not only to feed, but to nourish" and it is a basic moral duty.