Introduction
Thanks in part to the COVID pandemic, there has been a surge in meal delivery services. During the pandemic, people of course stayed home and significantly reduced their patronage of restaurants and even grocery stores. This phenomenon was probably even more prevalent with seniors.
There are basically two variants on meal delivery services for seniors, both usually based upon a subscription service.
- Meal kits: A complete uncooked, but prepped meal which you cook at home.
- Meal Delivery: fully prepared meals that arrive to your home either piping hot or frozen.
Both of these options will be delivered to the subscriber’s home based upon your selection from the provider’s menu of meals and services.
Meal Delivery Services for Seniors
Meal Delivery Kits
A meal kit is a subscription service–food service business model where a company sends customers pre-portioned and sometimes partially-prepared food ingredients and recipes to prepare home-cooked meals. This subscription model has been cited as an example of the personalization of the food and beverage industry.
A meal kit is not to be confused with a meal delivery service, which is cooked and “prepared” at a kitchen facility before shipment—typically in a refrigerated container.
Meal delivery kits promise to take the hassle out of cooking by providing everything you need to make a meal, including step-by-step instructions and all the ingredients pre-measured and prepared for you.
Meal kit delivery services have seen a recent surge in popularity due to pandemic-related shutdowns, stay-at-home orders, and a general trend of people preferring to stay in. Most meal kit subscriptions cover just four to six meals a week, which means customers still need to grocery shop for their remaining meals for the week.
What Makes Meal Kits Popular
Especially for seniors that can’t “get out” of the house or find it difficult to grocery shop, the convenience of having pre-portioned ingredients delivered can be a huge blessing. For others, a break from the normal routine and the occasional but consistent convenience of everything brought together in one box can be a treat. The delivered ingredients are pre-measured and reduce food waste to nearly zero. For seniors cooking for just 1-2 people, this can be a savings as when cooking small quantities, groceries often spoil or get wasted. Meal kits also offer the opportunity to try new meals, with recipes that teach you how to cook without a lot of mess. However, depending upon the service you choose, they can be expensive. Some people can find the limited detail found in the menu recipes tough to follow as well.
- Cost Effective: Meal kits can be cost-effective in other ways as well. They reduce the time and energy needed to plan meals and shop for groceries, which can then provide more opportunity for learning and being creative in the kitchen.
- Exposure to new foods: Home cooking an elaborate meal that is new or unique, you will often purchase groceries that you wouldn’t be using otherwise. Given the “one-off” nature of these ingredients, they might go to waste. With meal kits, you can order that new, adventurous meal and get the exact amount of ingredients you need. This can be a big benefit for seniors.
The Pros of Meal Kit Delivery
Convenience: Instead of rummaging through the fridge or making a trip to the store for missing ingredients, everything you need is conveniently packed in one box. It’s akin to being on a cooking show, where all the prep work and measurements are already taken care of for you. In addition, meal kits greatly reduce the need for meal planning. You select your meals from a menu, order and wait for your kits to arrive!
Can Make Cooking Fun: Meal kits also provide an opportunity for learn new things in the kitchen. If you lack experience when it comes to cooking, these kits can help you learn new techniques and feel a sense of accomplishment by creating something new and delicious on your own.
Family Time: They’re also a great way for children and grandchildren to explore the kitchen and experience a sense of pride, without the need for excessive and messy prep work.
Improved Diet: It’s very impressive to see the preponderance of healthy choices available through meal kit companies. They offer a wide range of options, with a focus on fresh vegetables and plant-based meals, as well as some ethnic (Mediterranean) and new diet (Keto, etc.) options. Whether you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, or have specific dietary patterns, it’s easy to find meals that cater to your needs.
Expanded Food Horizon: Lastly, meal kits can be a source of inspiration for new meal types and recipes. I’ve heard some customers keep some of the recipe cards from meal kits to recreate the meals again using their own store-bought ingredients as well as seasonings to their liking.
The Cons of Meal Kit Delivery
Packaging: Each delivery box comes with a large quantity of disposable items that end up going to the landfill. Some delivery companies strive to use recyclable materials and provide recycling resources. However, the overall amount of waste generated is still considerable. Purchasing meal kits directly from local grocery stores instead of ordering them online can help reduce this waste.
Cost: Meal kits can become expensive, typically ranging from $5 to $12 per serving, and sometimes even more. Although this is cheaper than dining out at a restaurant, it is generally more costly compared to cooking meals from your grocery store purchases. As a result, meal kits might not be an affordable option for some, particularly on a regular basis. However, it is possible to save money by taking advantage of special promotions and comparing prices.
Limited Menu Options: Meal kits often have limited menus and may not cater to the preferences of every individual, especially those who are picky eaters. Some services offer customization options, which can extend the menus and add variety. It is important to review the details of the service before committing to a subscription. In addition, most services are typically providing plans that include just a few meals a week. They are intended to either provide you a break from cooking or a healthy, affordable respite from eating out. There are exceptions, such as Hungryroot, which can offer more robust plans.
Prepared Meal Delivery Services
As mentioned before, largely as a result of the COVID pandemic, meal delivery services have grown in popularity among all demographic populations. This development has proven helpful to seniors who require assistance with food, as they now have a multitude of prepared meal options. These are services that send pre-cooked meals directly to your home. They likely will need to be reheated, but otherwise are completely prepared and nutritious.
The Pros of Prepared Meal Delivery
Like the with meal kits, the primary advantages of prepared (already cooked) meal delivery are convenience, meal quality, and nutrition. However, for seniors who just aren’t capable of shopping or cooking for themselves, meal delivery can be more than a treat or convenience. It can help older adults maintain their health and reduce the likelihood of many health issues related to poor nutrition.
Convenience: When you subscribe for prepared meals delivered to seniors, most of the communication takes place online. Even many rural residents can subscribe to these services.
Meals delivered to your home for seniors are usually freezer-friendly and can be kept for up to a week. For lunch and dinner, just pop one of the dishes in the microwave. It’s that easy.
Healthy and Nutritious: Poor nutrition and related health issues are a common problem among the elderly. This is especially true since preparing a truly nutritious meal can take a lot of planning. Prepared meal delivery helps to ensure meals are healthy and help maintain a balanced diet. Prepared meal delivery is a welcome alternative to frozen dinners and fast food, which can be unhealthy, high in salt, sugar and fat. Most service can provide meals that adhere to almost any dietary restrictions.
Can promote weight loss: Meal delivery services can improve calorie and nutrient intake. Every meal shows calories count and nutritional values. In addition, the portions are right-sized and provide a complete meal, preventing overeating or reliance on junk food as well as waste.
Can reduce food waste: When shopping at the grocery store, purchasing in the exact proper quantities is nearly impossible. You will either have left over ingredients that can be used for subsequent meals, or it is likely they will go to waste. Cooked meals delivered to customers can minimize food waste. You only get what you need in individual portions. In the long run, this can be both cheaper and less wasteful.
The Cons of Prepared Meal Delivery
Lacks variety: Meal delivery services have various dishes to offer, some of course more than others. However, the selection can be less than you would like. From a business perspective, his is understandable, as it allows the providers to strategically buy ingredients and reduce waste, while also maintaining a high level of food quality. This means you may grow tired of your choices. Be sure to look for providers that change or update their menus.
Packaging Waste: Each portion is packed individually, which increases convenience and reduces food waste. The packaging can include vacuum-sealed plastic to protect your food and keep it fresh. However, the packing materials end up in the landfill. If this is important to you, some providers do their best to use recycled materials and minimize the use of plastics in the packaging.
It’s expensive upfront: Making your own food means only having to spend money on groceries. But when you order ready-made meals for seniors, you also need to consider the labor of love that goes into the cooking process. Ingredients are also fresher and better quality, which increases their cost. This might be a good reason to start slowly with a small or inexpensive subscription to see how you like it and if it fits your budget.
The Best Meal Delivery Services for Seniors
As you may have read in About Mike, I am a retired engineer who enjoys cooking and the great outdoors. Despite my affinity for cooking, I don’t have the time and resources to conduct a thorough testing and survey of all the meal kit or delivery companies available. However, I do believe I can still provide a service to my readers, by scouring the internet for sources of information that can sometimes be hard to find. Below is one such resource. After reviewing many articles on meal kits, I found two below from health oriented websites. It is coincidental that they both list “the 9 best”, but I think this is a manageable number for you to investigate. You can follow the links below for an in-depth look at their findings.
- The 9 Best Meal Delivery Services for Older Adults in 2023 – Healthline
- 9 Best Meal Delivery Services for Seniors – Medical News Today
Additional Meal Delivery Service Resources
- Best Eco-Friendly Meal Delivery Services
- The Cheapest Meal Delivery Services
- The Best Gourmet Meal Delivery Services
A Tragic Reality
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians’ research, there are around 3.7 million malnourished seniors in the United States. For many older adults, putting a delicious, nutritious meal on the table every day can prove very difficult. A senior may have health or mobility issues that make going to the grocery store or spending time in the kitchen challenging. As a result, far too many elders go hungry and their bodies do not get the nutrients they require to survive. Rather than leaving them to suffer and struggle in the kitchen, a food delivery service can make a significant and positive impact.
If you know of someone that is experiencing food deprivation or would like to contribute to a cause, please go to my post titled “Charitable Meal Delivery Organizations”.