Choosing The Best Meal Delivery Service For The Elderly
When choosing the right meal delivery service for seniors, there are several factors to consider. Home-delivered meals should help meet the nutrition needs of the elderly while still supporting their independence.
When reviewing senior meal delivery service companies, we considered the nutritional content per serving, the availability of dietary accommodations, the meal cost per week, the variety of recipes, and the ease of preparation. Lastly, we consider the meal delivery service reviews based on customers actual experiences.
Everyone has their own unique dietary needs and may benefit from one company more than another. Therefore, its important to consider all factors before signing up for senior meal delivery. Your doctor-referred registered dietitian can help you navigate your individualized needs based on your health history.
Best Low Prep Meal Kit
- Price: starts at $8.99 per serving
- Shipping: varies depending on order size
- Availability: most of the United States
- Meals per week: 26 meals per week, with 2, 4, or 6 servings each
- Menus: Fresh & Easy, Calorie-Conscious, Carb-Conscious
Home Chef provides prepped and portioned ingredients, and many of the meals are ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.
The company also makes full salads, grill-ready meals, and oven-ready meals that come in oven-safe tins and require no prep work, so its a good option for older adults who want to save time in the kitchen.
If you only want to browse recipes that require little or no prep, you can select Fresh & Easy during the sign-up process.
Home Chef offers a variety of recipes each week and provides low carb, low calorie, and vegetarian options. Recipes vary in skill level, but most are appropriate for beginners.
Some of the recipes you can choose from are:
- Steak with Herb Butter Shrimp
- Goat Cheese and Herb Stuffed Chicken
- Honey Walnut Crusted Salmon
What our tester says
I tried the Chicken Lorraine and Turkey Burrito Skillet from Home Chef, and both meals took about 30 minutes to prepare. Once the vegetables were chopped, the meals came together pretty quickly. I also appreciated that the Chicken Lorraine recipe called for some flavor-boosting ingredients like fresh lemon and almonds.
To read more about my experience trying Home Chef, you can check out our comparison of Home Chef and HelloFresh.
Why Should Seniors Use Meal Delivery
Many seniors struggle to cook healthy meals for themselves. There are a host of challenges associated with meal planning and preparation. Getting to the grocery store or carrying groceries home is difficult for people with mobility issues. Additionally, food preparation is challenging for seniors who struggle with issues such as vision or balance problems or arthritic hands.
As a result of these challenges, its not always easy for seniors to eat regular, healthy meals. This is a cause for concern among careers who want to be sure their senior eats well but dont have the time and resources to see all their meals.
For many, a senior meal delivery service is the answer to these problems.
Amie Clark
Amie has been writing about senior care products and services for the last decade. She is particularly passionate about new technologies that help improve the quality of life for seniors and their families. Seeing her parents and grandparents age made Amie ask herself, Would this be good enough for my loved ones? In her spare time, Amie enjoys outdoor adventures and spontaneous road trips. Learn more about Amie here
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Customized Meal Preparation For Seniors
Our meals for seniors services ensure clients can enjoy healthy, well-prepared meals every day.
Our meals can be catered to specific dietary restrictions and food preferences. Menus can be planned to accommodate the following dietary needs:
- Religious Dietary Restrictions: Kosher, Jhatka, Christian Orthodox, Halal, and more
- Personal Choice and Allergy Restrictions: Vegetarian, Vegan, Organic, Celiac, and more
- Disease or Allergy Restrictions: Diabetes, Heart Disease, Obesity, Celiac, Lactose Free, Crohns Disease, and more
Whether you want to eat the way you always have with the recipes you love, or branch out and try something new, we can accomodate your needs! Feel free to reach out and ask us to design a customized meal plan.
Does Medicare Pay For Food Delivery
Unless the senior is a hospital or nursing facility inpatient, the original Medicare plan won’t cover home grocery delivery and meal delivery services. If you’re a homebound senior who needs regular meal delivery options, you can opt to upgrade to a Medicare Advantage plan.
The original Medicare policy consists of Part A and Part B. The latter provides medical coverage and does not cover any type of meal delivery service plan for senior patients. Meanwhile, Part A only covers senior meal delivery for seniors currently staying as an inpatient at a nursing facility or hospital.
Upgrading to a Medicare Advantage plan gives you access to Part C. This provides extra coverage for hearing, dental, vision, and lifestyle treatmentsincluding meal and grocery delivery service coverage.
Note, however, that not all Medicare Advantage plans cover meal delivery options. You’ll have to look for a third-party private insurance company to boost your policy and cover delivery services.
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How To Choose The Best Meal Delivery Service For Seniors
When choosing a meal delivery service, its important for older adults to consider the type of service that works best for them.
Individuals who dont have a lot of energy or who live with a disability that makes cooking difficult may prefer services offering fully prepared meals.
For those who enjoy cooking, a meal kit delivery service can provide ingredients to make nutritious meals without the need for shopping.
Older adults with dietary restrictions should find a meal delivery company that caters to their diet. For example, Magic Kitchen offers low sodium and dialysis- and renal-friendly meals.
Additionally, those who live alone may prefer a meal service that offers fully prepared, one-person meals that can be frozen for future use.
Note that some older adults may qualify for a home-delivered meals benefit through their health insurance plans. Contact your health insurance company for more information.
Summary
When choosing a meal plan, consider your dietary restrictions and ability to cook. Plenty of meal delivery services offer recipe kits or fully prepared meals.
Affordable Senior Meals Delivered To Your Door
Most Affordable Senior Meals Delivered: By selling only on the web we eliminate retail costs and restaurant overhead. Also, we have streamlined the farm-to-fork supply chain.Sourcing ingredients directly from farmers cuts out the distribution middle men – we deliver straight to you. The lead time from farm to table is the fastest, has fewer middle men, so our company offers the most affordable senior meal service on the market. We pass the savings on to you.
Prepackaged Senior Meals Ready in 5 min: Your healthy and delicious premade senior meals arrive individually portioned and vacuum sealed in meal prep containers. Simply heat and enjoy. No cooking nor cleanup required.
Delivered in Special Thermal Boxes: Your healthy and tasty meals are delivered in special thermal boxes designed for thermal retention.
- EPS liner for optimal temperature retention
- Meals individually vacuum sealed to be leak proof
- Dry ice to keep your meals chilled and safe
Our affordable senior meal service works by eliminating the middle man. Ingredients go from the farm to our kitchen to your table. Your healthy senior meals are delivered to your door in a corrugated box with a special thermal liner. Place your ready-to-eat meals directly in the fridge.
Say hello to flavor…
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Meal Delivery Service: Would It Work For Your Loved One
Having meals delivered makes life easier for seniors and their caregivers and ensures seniors get a good, balanced diet. When preparing to age in place, you should look into signing up for a meal delivery service, helping you avoid malnutrition or comparably costly takeout.
There are many senior meal delivery options, but most fall into two main categories: ready-to-cook and ready-to-heat. Lets compare them.
Bottom Line: Are Meal Delivery Services Worth It For Seniors
Meal delivery services and meal kits can be a great option for people of all ages especially older adults looking to save time and energy and make meal planning easier. For seniors, we recommend looking for a plan tailored to your specific dietary needs to help take even the guesswork out of selecting meals. If you still enjoy cooking and preparing food, there are plenty of options that deliver ingredients instead of pre-prepared meals.
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Surrey/delta Meals On Wheels
Surrey-North Delta Meals on Wheels is a Non-Profit Volunteer Community Service that delivers hot, nutritious meals to recipients homes between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, Monday through Friday. This service is available to anyone who, by reason of age, physical or mental handicap or illness, cannot prepare adequate meals for themselves.
All of our meals meet the Canadian Food Guidelines and are low fat and low sodium. We are able to accommodate special dietary requirements such as food allergies, diabetics, renal diets and pureed diets. Meals are prepared by Red Seal Chef Tony at Amenida Seniors Community. No minimum order. More than one meal may be ordered per delivery day. Menu provided.
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Best Variety: Magic Kitchen
- Starting Price: $10 per serving
- Delivery Area: 50 states
- Products Arrive: Frozen
With plenty of meals for different health concerns, Magic Kitchen lets you build a meal with full entrées and à la carte options.
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Accommodates a variety of dietary restrictions
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Option to order complete meals or à la carte options
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Meals without gluten are not made in a certified gluten-free facility
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Many meals are listed as out of stock
Magic Kitchen offers easy-to-reheat meals for people with heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, kidney disease, and other health conditions. It makes ordering easy with complete meal bundles, as well as the option to order à la carte entrées, soups, sides, and desserts. With the ability to place single orders or sign up for a three-, six-, or nine- month subscription, Magic Kitchen provides a convenient option for homestyle food delivery.
- 7 days : $82$90
- 7 days : $164$180
- 7 days : $246$275
- Vegetable caponata with orzo and spinach
- Beef and broccoli over noodles and vegetable blend
- Balsamic glazed chicken with roasted potatoes and green beans
- Chili with beans with carrots and broccoli florets
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Nutritious Meals For Seniors: Delivered To Your Home
Seniors know good food. They’ve refined that keen sense of taste over a lifetime. That’s why any senior meal plan should include a variety of healthy, tasty foods bursting with flavor. At MagicKitchen.com, we’re passionate about food, and our team of chefs put that passion on display in every menu we create. All of our meals are homemade and chef-prepared. They’re free of preservatives, and cooked with only the finest ingredients, including hormone-free chicken and beef and fresh produce. Our menus and meals are:
Benefits Of Meal Delivery Services For Seniors
Meal delivery services are a great choice for older adults for a variety of reasons.
Choosing a meal delivery service ensures that there will always be a balanced and filling meal option available, which is important for older adults who do not want to cook or cannot do so.
Signing up for a meal delivery service can also help improve calorie and nutrient intake and could help older adults with health conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease manage their symptoms.
It also takes away the stress of grocery shopping, which can be difficult for older adults with certain health conditions or mobility issues.
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More Than Just Caregiving
You can leave the grocery shopping and dishes to us. All our clients are responsible for is enjoying their home-cooked meal. When you receive care from Harmony Caregiving, you get much more than a meal delivery service. You receive a range of care and support that is suited to your specific needs. Whether your loved one needs help with meal prep, a ride to the grocery store, or for their fridge to be cleaned out, were here to provide the support they need.
Our team aims to provide more than just the basics. We want your caregiver to be more than a caregiver we want them to be your friend and companion. Thats why we make sure your caregiver is matched specifically to you. We look at your individual personality, beliefs, and needs of you and your loved one before we match you with a caregiver.
Citymeals On Wheels Delivers 16000 Turkeys To Home
Organizers say more than 500 volunteers helped prepare meals in East Harlem, before going door to door to deliver them.Organizers say more than 500 volunteers helped prepare meals
NEW YORK CITY — Some volunteers made this Thanksgiving extra special for home-bound seniors living in the city.
Volunteers with Citymeals on Wheels delivered more than 16,000 Thanksgiving meals to seniors across the five boroughs.
Organizers say more than 500 volunteers helped prepare meals in East Harlem, before going door to door to deliver them.
Citymeals partners with more than 30 community-based organizations and senior centers across the city.
The nonprofit has delivered more than 67 million meals and is the largest nonprofit meals-on-wheels program in the country.
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What Kind Of Food Is Suitable For The Elderly
Whether you’re ordering a meal kit for yourself or a loved one, seniors should be extra careful with what they eat. You don’t necessarily need to have chef-prepared healthy meals home delivered every day. At least make an effort, however, to choose meal options that are good for older adults.
6 Food Options for Seniors: What to Add to Your Meals
These are the best food choices for seniors and older adults who want to start eating healthier prepared meals:
1. Leafy Green Vegetables
Leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, arugula, and dandelion greens should be a part of all regular senior meal kits. They are nutrient-dense foods that offer an array of physiological and cognitive benefits.
The high vitamin K content in leafy green vegetables helps improve coagulation to speed up blood clotting and prevent major blood loss. This is especially important for senior patients who suffer from hemophilia and platelet dysfunction.
Research also shows that vitamin K may support bone health. Experts believe that vitamin K not only boosts bone mineral density among senior patients suffering from osteoporosis, but that it also reduces bone fragility and susceptibility to fractures.
Pro Tip: There are plenty of leafy green veggie meal options to choose from. Seniors and older adults won’t get bored of these quickly as long as their meal delivery service team rotates among alternatives regularly.
2. Eggs
3. Apples
4. Shellfish
5. Coffee
6. Greek Yoghurt
Can I Give A Meal As A Gift
Many meal delivery services offer gift certificates. Plus, many of those aimed at seniors also make it easy for caregivers to manage the meal plan accounts. Services that are subscription-based will require the recipient to set up an account to redeem their gift certificate, and the recipient will have to cancel the subscription if they no longer want to receive meals.
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A Trusted Meal Service For Elderly Loved Ones
Imagine, your loved one waking up in their home to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and a freshly cooked, hot breakfast waiting for them as they come into the kitchen. Its your dream for them, and its ours, too.
Our meal services help seniors stay in their homes longer. We provide nutritious food and caring support so your loved one can age where theyre most comfortable. Your senior service caregiver can visit your loved one to provide meals as often or as little as they need. We can also prep meals for the entire week in just one visit.
Your Harmony Caregiver will work with you, your loved one, and your loved ones doctor to tailor a meal plan that will meet all your dietary needs. Contact us to learn how home meals for seniors can make your loved one feel healthier and younger!
Whether your loved one is physically unable to prepare the meals they once enjoyed, or that they are starting to lose the mental capability to finish preparation, well ensure he or she is fed with the care they deserve. Caregivers will provide cooking and cleaning services for you or your loved ones. Theyll ensure all of the home-cooked meals are prepared within the dietary restrictions you require. Youll have fresh, homemade meals prepared for you, leaving only a spotless kitchen behind.
How To Choose A Food Delivery Service For Seniors
There are many delivery services on the market, but not all are geared towards older adults. As you evaluate your options, first consider the frequency with which youll receive meals. Most services provide weekly meal deliveries with either a preselected list of recipes or fully customizable meal plans. In many cases, you can adjust or pause deliveries if you need them more or less frequently.
There are a few types of meal delivery plans available:
- Grocery deliveries from your written lists
- Fresh ingredient delivery for preselected recipes
- Fully prepared meals that just need to be reheated
For seniors who enjoy cooking, meal kit deliveries provide fresh ingredients and printed recipes that can be adjusted to your dietary needs. Meal deliveries, on the other hand, provide pre-made meals that are refrigerated or frozen and reheated at home. Both types of meal services are delivered in coolers with ice packs to keep your food fresh.
You can find options that account for dietary restrictions, including plans designed for vegans, those on low-sodium diets, vegetarians or people with diabetes or food allergies. Some low-cost options are available, including plans with reduced costs for those on a fixed income.
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