Good and healthy food is crucial for people of any age. This is particularly vital as people reach their later years. Meals that offer plenty of vegetables and fruits, starches (including whole grain pasta and brown rice), fish, and lean meat help provide elderly people with all the nutrients that they need for sustenance.
However, there are various challenges that need to be addressed. For one thing, seniors won't always be motivated or inspired to cook for themselves, especially if they suffer from fatigue, depression, or another health issue. Some seniors may simply not want to cook, especially if they are only cooking for themselves. After all, cooking for one isn't the most exciting process.
Health issues can also make cooking unsafe for some older people. For example, memory issues or poor coordination could increase the chance of starting a fire or of having a fall. Lifting items in and out of the oven, managing a hot pan, or chopping meat and vegetables may also be difficult for seniors with balance or physical mobility challenges.
In some cases, caregivers or senior care services will provide meal support. But, this can still be challenging, especially for caregivers with very little time to spare. To make matters worse, seniors can have complex nutritional requirements, especially if they have a health condition. Senior meal delivery kits are one way around this challenge. The kits can make life less stressful and they offer a range of other advantages.
In this article:
- 13 Benefits of Meal Delivery for Seniors
- Meal “Kits” VS Prepared Meal Delivery
- Brand Comparison
- Which Service Is Best For You?
Benefits Of Senior Meal Delivery Kits And Services For Elderly People:
1. One great advantage of using a prepared meal delivery service is that it will always help you save money. Studies have revealed that meal delivery services or kits often pay off in the long run. A key reason is that you're getting the amount of each item that you need for the recipe. In contrast, when you shop normally, you would have to buy a whole container of baking soda or jug of milk when you only need a little bit of each. This is particularly frustrating for people who live on their own, as they often only need small quantities.
This pattern means that regular shopping forces people to purchase things that they don't really want or need. In contrast, a meal delivery kit just provides what is needed. Some companies don't even charge for delivery.
2. Meal delivery kits or services often provide access to access to items that aren't easy to find locally. Many local outlets will be limited in their selection, especially when people are looking for more unusual items. Food delivery companies have the ability to provide customers with a wider range of ingredients and fresher products overall.
3. Foods from a meal delivery kit are also great for weight loss. Many people find that counting calories is a complicated and stressful process. It can also be difficult to follow some nutrition schedules when you're planning and preparing your meals yourself. A meal service makes it easy to know exactly how many calories are in your meals, along with the other nutrients present. This makes it much easier to lose weight. Some companies even offer specific weight loss plans, including healthy dinners, lunches, and snacks.
4. Meal delivery kits help to make cooking simple, easy, and enjoyable. The ingredients are ready for you and all you need to do is follow the recipe. This is much easier than having to do all of the planning, shopping, and making sure you actually have all the right components. Meals that are ready to heat make the process easier still, which is perfect for busy nights or for when no one wants to cook.
5. Ready to cook meal services are also great for inspiration. The recipes are often unusual, including ones that you may not have tried previously. You'll often find yourself learning new ideas and skills along the way, even if you're mostly focusing on conservative recipes.
In many cases, meal kit services allow you to choose the recipes that you receive beforehand. This gives you the chance to select the complexity that you want. Perhaps you might get some simple and some complex dishes each week, giving you the change to learn and experiment as you go.
6. The food from meal services is portioned, which is fantastic for health and weight loss. It can often be difficult to get portion sizes right with regular cooking. Many people find this process confusing, especially when they're looking at portion sizes for multiple components of the meal, like chicken, vegetables, and grains. This issue makes it easy to eat too much and gain weight. The portioning with a meal service gets around the problem entirely, ensuring that you're always getting the right amount to eat.
7. Another important thing is that meal kit delivery companies usually care about client’s health. Every service is different, but many do have an emphasis on areas like non-GMO products, sustainable meat, and organic produce. Companies also focus on high-quality ingredients. As a result, the meals end up being nutritious and tasty. Some companies will also tailor towards specific health conditions and needs, such as gluten-free and heart-friendly food plans.
8. There are also significant cost and time savings. It's easy to think that meal kits are expensive. But, in practice, they're often very cost effective. If nothing else, you're getting exactly what you need. In contrast, grocery shopping takes considerable time and energy – and you almost always come home with some items that weren't on the list, while forgetting others that were. This is particularly relevant for people who don't live very close to a grocery store or face transportation challenges. Meal kit services also help to eliminate daily or weekly food planning. This means that you don't need to sit down and think up new meals each week. Instead, the company does all of this for you.
9. Ordering a meal kit delivery service is a great way to care for your elderly family members, children, and even yourself. Finding healthy meals that will suit everyone is always a significant challenge, especially for people who are busy. Meal kit services take this difficulty away. Some are specifically designed to feed entire families, while others may be targeted at specific needs. They also heavily rely on healthy ingredients and lead to meals that are too good to resist.
What's not to love?
10. Another advantage is the lack of waste. If you're preparing meals from a recipe book, you're likely to end up with too much of some ingredients. You might use many of those ingredients later, but probably not all of them. Most of us find that we regularly end up throwing food out because of this issue. With a meal kit delivery service, you're getting the right amount of all ingredients. This means no more waste, which is better for you and for the environment.
11. Meal kit delivery services provide you with a wide range of options. Whether you are a pescetarian, a vegetarian, a carnivore, or a paleo enthusiast, you’ll find many different choices that suit your needs. Some companies provide various nutrition plans to choose from, often catering for a range of diets. Other companies take a different approach, allowing you to choose the meals individually instead. Either way, the selection is vast and you're bound to find some meals and plans that are perfect for you. Since expert chefs develop the meals, you're certain to find some unusual dishes in the mix too.
12. Using a meal kit delivery company will also help teach you how to cook for seniors and other family members. Planning, shopping, and cooking can be challenging processes, especially when family members have complex dietary requirements. A meal delivery service gives you the chance to create masterpieces from raw ingredients without any hassle. The kits also help you to learn over time. Before long, you may be able to make many of the meals yourself. You might find that you get more adventurous in the kitchen as well.
Meal “Kits” VS Prepared Meal Delivery:
1. A prepared meal delivery service will provide you with meals that are already made. They simply need to be heated up, either in the microwave or in the oven. The meals may be fresh or frozen, depending on the company. These meals take away all of the stress of grocery shopping, meal prep, and cooking. They're particularly relevant to seniors who live on their own, who make not be able to cook for themselves. All the senior needs to do is heat up the meal. This dramatically reduces the stress for family members.
In contrast, meal kit delivery companies send packages of tasty and fresh ingredients. These packages also come with easy-to-use instructions that can help you turn ingredients into delicious and nutritious food. Some companies send the ingredients as-is. But, many also prepare the ingredients, to minimize the work that you need to do.
2. Both types of companies vary in how you can order. With some, you can choose to receive a certain number of meals per week. You may also be able to get multiple meals per day and even snacks. Some companies will allow you to select the specific meals, while others will make those decisions for you. The other style is a la carte ordering, where members select the individual meals that they want.
Meal kit services typically focus on dinners only, while prepared meal services are more likely to offer other types of meals as well. But, there is considerable variation from one company to the next.
3. Prepared meal delivery services are great for elderly people who may be unable to prepare and source a well-balanced diet without assistance. Even older people who cannot cook, shop, or remain safe in the kitchen can make use of a prepared meal delivery company. This is a simple way to ensure that seniors get the nutrition they need. Many companies also allow users to choose the specific meals that they receive.
Meal kit services work well for seniors who are still able to cook and handle their own needs. They're also suitable for seniors who live with others and those who like to stay active. Meal kit services ensure that seniors are able to actively participate in their own meals, without having to go through the hassle and challenges of grocery shopping.
4. Prepared meal delivery services may not be the best choice for seniors who can still shop or enjoy cooking. Likewise, prepared meals can be expensive, so they may not suit seniors on a limited budget.
On the other hand, a meal kit service will always require some degree of meal prep and cooking. This makes them unsuitable for anyone who struggles with cooking. Most meal kit services aren't a complete service either. Instead, they'll just provide between three and four meals per week, often focusing on dinners only.
5. The costs of a prepared meal delivery vary. However, the service may cost $30 or more per day. This often comes with 3 meals and one snack.
For a meal kit delivery service, the cost will also vary. Nevertheless, it isn't unusual to pay around $12 or so per serving, with many meals providing two servings.
Meal Kits & Meal Delivery Brands Compared
Comparison 1: Hello Fresh Vs Munchery (Meal Kits)
Munchery is designed to provide fast and easy meals, ones that can be prepared in 15 minutes or so. The company works with local farmers, who provide organic, seasonal and natural ingredients. Their menu changes regularly and customers are able to order meals individually. The company is also unusual in that they provide meal kits and delivered meals. However, their meal kit selection isn't that impressive and there are only a handful of meals to choose from. Customers are provided with free shipping and meals cost around $69.95 dollars for a delivery. The meals are certainly fast and easy, although they're not the most exciting options out there.
Hello Fresh is a large meal kit service that serves both Canada and the United States. Hello Fresh supports multiple dietary needs and includes some dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegetarian options. It is also an inexpensive service, with meals averaging around $9.99 per serving. Most of the ingredients from Hello Fresh aren’t organic, but there is still a focus on high-quality ingredients.
Comparison 2: Magic Kitchen Vs MamaSezz (Prepared Meals)
MamaSezz remains an exceptional choice for elderly people. The prepared meals service is vegan, so the meals avoid several common allergens. The meals tend to be a great source of vegetables and plant-based nutrients. There are also some options targeted at seniors specifically, such as the Heart Healthy Bundle and the Healthy Senior Bundle. Those meal bundles cost $89 to $99 each.
For over thirteen years, Magic Kitchen has been in the business of delivery well-prepared meals to both seniors and families. One thing that makes Magic Kitchen unique is the nutritional and high-quality meals it provides to customers. There is also a strong emphasis on different dietary needs. In fact, Magic Kitchen is one of the best companies for senior needs, as they tackle areas like renal diets and dialysis-friendly meals. Magic Kitchen allows customers to order complete meals, which contain one entree and two sides. Or, customers can order meal components individually. Prices vary but most meals cost somewhere between $10 and $25.
Which Service Is Best For You?
If your senior cannot cook without the help of someone else, is not safe in the kitchen, or is unable to shop, then prepared meal delivery services are an ideal choice.
For seniors who are still strong enough to cook or have a partner and remain healthy, meal kit delivery services will always be the best choice. If your senior cannot withstand the stress attached to shopping, then a meal kit will resolve the problem, while still offering independence.
Will senior meal delivery kits work well for your elderly loved one? Delivering meals to older people will make their life easier. It will help elderly people get balanced and good diet. Both prepared and kit meal delivery services will provide you a ton of comfort, fun recipes, and fresh ingredients.
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