As your parents get older, cooking tasty and nutritious meals can become more of a challenge. You may find yourself travelling to your loved one’s home each day to cook meals for them or freezing meals that can then be heated up when you aren’t available.
A great way to relieve some of this burden is through our very own in-home care service where we can prepare, serve and keep your loved one company during meal times.
Another alternative to you preparing meals in advance is to hire a food delivery service. Receiving ready-made meals delivered right to your family member or friends’ doors can increase their independence and ensure they are eating nutritionally-sound meals.
Many meal delivery services are operating across the UK but here are a few to start. Please be aware that we cannot guarantee the quality of these services and that you should always thoroughly research any meal delivery service before committing.
The Benefits of Meal Deliveries for Older People
Receiving meals directly to your door, as opposed to having to cook your own meals from scratch, can be beneficial in any phase of life. Ready-made meals can save valuable time on shopping and preparing food and they may even work out cheaper than if you were to buy all the ingredients separately. For older people that may find it challenging to cook meals for themselves, meal delivery services can help encourage independence.
There are many different types of meal delivery services operating across the UK and each offers a variety of dishes and recipes to suit your tastebuds. Many meal services also ensure that their meals are nutritionally-balanced and the correct portion size.
Depending on the service, you may also find meals for special dietary restrictions such as vegetarian, gluten-free and low-sugar options.
It’s up to you how often you wish your meals to be delivered with plenty of options to suit your situation. You can choose to have hot meals delivered daily or to receive frozen foods or dry foods meant to be stored in the cupboard.
5 Options for Meal Delivery Services
Appetito
Appetito offers a ‘Meals on Wheels’ delivery service in partnership with Wiltshire Farm Foods. By working with Local Authorities and charities, Appetito provides customers with hot and frozen meals through Meals on Wheels, lunch clubs and day centres.
To learn if you are eligible for Appetito meal delivery, contact your local day centre or council. You can receive hot meals up to 7 days a week, 365 days per year. There is a wide range of nutritious options available including easy-to-swallow dysphagia-friendly meals and options for those who have smaller appetites.
Parsley Box
Parsley Box offers a variety of high-quality meals that don’t require a freezer or refrigeration. They deliver cupboard-stored meals that can be easily prepared in a matter of minutes.
Each meal is slow-cooked to ensure flavour and can be easily reheated at home in the microwave or oven. Free delivery is available on all orders over £35 and a UK-based customer service team is available Monday to Saturday to help with any enquiries.
ICare Cuisine
ICare Cuisine has delivered ready-made meals to customers across the UK for over two decades. Options available include main meals, desserts and teatime sandwiches.
Depending on your location, you can even have hot meals delivered daily in time for lunch. They can also cater to a variety of dietary requirements such as low-sugar, gluten-free and vegetarian. All ICare Cuisine hot and frozen meals are delivered to your door at no additional charge.
Oakhouse Foods
Oakhouse Foods offers nutritious and easy-to-prepare frozen meals that can be enjoyed at home. What started as a family-run operation in 1994, has since grown into one of the UK’s leading meal delivery services.
There are over 350 frozen meal options to choose from, each of which is flash-frozen to lock in nutrients and flavour. Every frozen meal can simply be popped into the oven or microwave to enjoy. There are options available for every personal preference including suitable choices for food allergies or intolerances.
Wiltshire Farm Foods
Wiltshire Farm Foods offers a wide range of over 340 ready-made meals that can be heated up in the microwave or oven. When selecting their high-quality ingredients, they work closely with trusted suppliers in the UK and across Europe. Meals come in mini, standard and hearty servings to suit your preferred portion sizes.
There is no contract or subscription required to receive these meals and delivery is offered throughout the UK. They offer several different options for people with dietary restrictions including pureed, minced and bite-sized portions.
Wiltshire Farm Foods are also partnered with Apetito to deliver ready-to-eat hot meals. Contact your local council to see if they offer this service.
Make Mealtimes Enjoyable
On top of having a healthy, well-balanced selection of food, it’s crucial to keep in mind that meal times are an important social part of the day. Preparing a meal, whether home-cooked or delivered and enjoying food with someone is a great opportunity for interaction with an older person.
Whether you decide to have food delivered to your elderly loved one’s home or to cook and freeze meals in advance, consider a home care service where a professional care worker can provide in-home essential care and services such as meal preparation, serving, and companionship. Care workers help to regulate meal times and they can become great moments older people look forward to in a day.
Once you find a service both you and your loved one find suitable for their selection of food and the customer experience on offer, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that your parent is eating a healthy and nutritious meal seven days a week.
How Our Professional In-home Care Service Can Help
If you feel that a meal delivery service doesn’t quite meet the personal touch you need or your loved one could do with an extra helping hand at home, then our bespoke and highly-personalised in-home care service may be better suited to you.
Our competent and experienced carers can help your loved ones prepare nutritionally-balanced and tasty meals at home. They can also provide additional support with any of the daily tasks of living, including discreet personal care, light housekeeping duties or simply companionship and emotional support.
Contact us to learn how our competent and compassionate in-home care service can improve the quality of life and well-being of your loved ones.
