Delivery, Subscription, or Make-at-Home? SoCal Seniors Have Many Options
Southern California has a reputation for healthy eating, whole foods and farm-fresh produce available at stores and restaurants everywhere. Yet it’s also quite easy to skip these wholesome options in favor of convenient, quick and not-so-healthy meals. Happily, there’s a way for seniors to get fresh, healthy food without leaving home and totally change the way you approach three square daily meals. The solution is food delivery services that bring meals to your doorstep.
There are two kinds: Those that deliver already cooked restaurant meals and those that deliver “heat and serve” meals or ingredients that often require some home preparation.
Among the first group are the ubiquitous specialized and appbased companies that deliver from restaurants. However, this is an ad hoc service that requires a fair bit of sleuthing to find the right restaurant with the right menu and nutritional value. The alternative is “heat and serve” food delivery services that help reduce dinner-time stress by focusing on healthy eating options and enough variety to fulfill most people’s taste, budget and dietary restrictions as well as how much prep they want to do, from receiving just the ingredients and a recipe card to microwave ready.
Two things to keep in mind. While traditional TV dinners might come to mind, heat and serve is nothing like those vintage mealtime standbys sold at supermarkets. And most of these delivery services offer discounted trials, so feel free to sample a few - just make sure you remember when your trial period is up.
For those who like to cook, Hungryroot requires full meal prep. When you first sign up, you’re asked to take a short quiz about culinary likes and dislikes, dietary restrictions, etc. That information is then used to develop personalized recipes, create a grocery plan, and fill your online editable cart with the fixings to cook those recipes. The groceries are delivered to your door. From the feedback you give them, Hungryroot hones your future choices. Small boxes start at $69 a week.
Every Plate, the lower-cost alternative from owner Hello Fresh, prides itself on being an economical service that delivers preportioned ingredients. Participants can choose from 21, six-step meals delivered to your door for $4.99 a meal. However, to keep costs low, Every Plate doesn’t allow dietary restrictions.
Home Chef delivers pre-portioned ingredients for meals that can be ready in half an hour, or easier express meal kits that take just 15 minutes to serve, as well as oven, grill or microwave ready kits that don’t require any prep. Prices average around $10 per serving.
One of the more forward-leaning food delivery services, Factor offers a choice of 29 precooked fresh, non-frozen meals each week, all made with organic ingredients. Most are low carb and dairy-free, vegetarian, gluten-free meals are available. However, at about $11 per serving, Factor may not be for everyone, and meal customization is not available.
For foodies, Cook Unity is a flexible and commitment service that delivers ready-to-eat chilled, non-frozen gourmet meals prepared by a panel of award-winning chefs. Prices hover in the $6 per meal range.
Other food delivery services cater to dietary preferences like all-vegan Daily Harvest and Purple Carrot and all-organic Eat Clean and Sunbasket, both of which locally source the ingredients whenever and wherever possible.
ModifyHealth creates low FODMAP meals for people suffering from IBS and other gut-related issues, as well as heart-friendly and diabetes-friendly choices. Entrees average around $13, so it’s not as cheap as some of the others. Going beyond mere delivery, ModifyHealth also offers a six-week orientation program with guided dietician, resources and virtual cooking demonstrations for a $400 one-time fee and $49 per month going forward.
For those on Medicare or Medicaid and anyone else looking for healthy eating alternatives, they can order microwave-ready Mom’s Meals - including diabetesfriendly, heart-friendly, renal-friendly, pureed and cancer support meals - for around $8 a serving.