Getting take out, ordering delivery…no matter what you call it, meal delivery services are often seen as an indulgence or a luxury. However, for many seniors, meal delivery can be a literal lifesaver. Many seniors suffer from physical or mental disabilities that make it difficult or even impossible to make their own food. Luckily, senior meal delivery is an easy solution.

There are several different types of senior meal delivery options. Whether you’re looking for a solution for an aging loved one, or just being prepared for your eventual aging, use this list as a jumping off point:

• Restaurant To Home – This kind of food delivery is the most classic, and isn’t just for seniors. People of all ages use restaurant to home food delivery by calling, ordering online and even connecting through apps. These ordering apps make it easy for seniors to order food from their favorite restaurants directly. Some reliable, easy to use apps are GrubHub, Seamless and DoorDash. There are also services like Postmates and UberEats that can deliver groceries, alcohol and even coffee in addition to meals. Enter in an address or zip code on any website to see if that service delivers in your area.
• Grocery and Meal Kit Services – These delivery options are ideal for seniors who like cooking but aren’t able to make it to the grocery store, or have trouble measuring ingredients or remembering recipes. There are tons of grocery delivery services that pick up items from a list and bring them to the door. There are also many meal kit delivery services that deliver pre-measured ingredients and step-by-step cooking directions for homemade meals. These programs are almost always subscription based, and send 3 to 4 meals for two every week in pre-measured and safe packaging. HelloFresh and BlueApron are among the most popular meal kit services, while Instacart and FreshDirect deliver groceries, home goods and even drugstore items.
• Meal Programs – There are also a host of meal programs and delivery services specially designed for seniors. Many of these programs offer low-cost or even free services since food delivery can be very pricey. Some mainstream programs are:
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance – SNAP is geared towards elderly, disabled and homeless people, and is only available in some areas.
  • Meals on Wheels – This program offers low cost or healthy meals with optional social visits for seniors.
  • Project Angel Heart – Project Angel Heart delivers free meals to people with serious and life-threatening illnesses in addition to the elderly.

These are just a few of the many senior food delivery options available, and the list grows every day. We’re so fortunate to live in a time when seniors and other people with disabilities have such easy access to food and care.

Looking for senior meal delivery in your area? Keep and eye out for a follow-up article all about finding and choosing the best senior meal delivery program or service.

Don’t forget to share in the comments section. Do you use a delivery service? Which ones do you like or dislike? We’d love to hear from you.