Meal Delivery Services for Seniors

How can you ensure the seniors in your life get enough to eat, and a good nutritional balance, if they’re still independent enough to live on their own? For many seniors, grocery shopping and cooking may be taxing, so they’ll turn to less healthy convenience foods or even skip meals to avoid the hassle of preparation. It’s not uncommon for people’s appetites to decrease a bit as they age too, so ensuring adequate nutrition for older adults and the elderly – even if they’re not eating three squares a day – is important. 

Other than heading to their house every day with an armful of groceries and taking the time to cook, where can you turn to ensure your loved ones are getting the meals they need? Luckily, there are food delivery services that were created to help seniors stay healthy as they remain at home. These services can take the pressure off family and caregivers.

Making Meals Stress-Free for Seniors

When you’re ready to explore a delivery service, consider each one’s convenience, price, whether the meals are heat-and-eat or will require some preparation, and your loved one’s dietary restrictions. Ready-to-cook meal services popular with busy working families – like HelloFresh™ and Blue Apron – may be appropriate for the still-energetic senior who enjoys cooking but wants to skip the supermarket. But these recipes still require a lot of slicing, seasoning and careful cooking.

For seniors with mobility issues, arthritis or other issues keeping them out of the kitchen, choosing a meal delivery service with ready-to-eat meals is typically a better choice. If your loved one still cooks from time to time, goes out for a weekly meal with friends or has family around who can stock their freezer with some heat-and-eat options, he or she might not need a daily delivery.

You or your loved one can expect to pay up to $30 per day for home-delivered meals if you’re looking for all meals and snacks, but the cost will be less if a senior just needs dinner delivered, for example. You’ll need to do some research to find the best value, as well as a delivery service that can cater to low-salt, low-fat, low-sugar, allergy-friendly and other dietary needs. Read plenty of reviews and see if the service offers a free trial. Many do.

Some popular meal delivery service options include the following: 

Local Community Centers and Churches: 

Check with your loved one’s place of worship, centers they frequent for Bingo and community classes, and other organizations in their neighborhood. Many offer healthy meals at least a couple of times per week. Some will deliver, and some serve meals on-site. These are often less costly options, because they’re typically supplemented by the organization’s membership fees, donations or grants.

Meals on Wheels: 

The largest national provider of senior meals is made up of 5,000 nutrition programs across the country. Some Meals on Wheels community programs distribute to local senior centers, while others deliver directly to seniors’ or caregivers’ homes. Prices vary by location, and financial assistance is available. Look for available services in a particular area by entering your loved one’s ZIP code.

Personal Chef To Go: 

This nationwide meal delivery service offers plenty of healthy options, meals to fit various lifestyles and many different ethnic flavors. Meal plans start at $70 for a five-meal sampler and go up to $175 for a 16-meal plan. 

Hiring a Personal Chef: 

You can also hire a personal chef to come to your loved one’s home, but this will likely be the most expensive option. These chefs can cater carefully to clients’ dietary restrictions and preferences, but make sure you read lots of reviews and ask for recommendations before allowing a stranger to access your loved one’s home.