9 of the Best Meal Delivery Services for Older Adults in 2023

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9 of the Best Meal Delivery Services for Older Adults in 2023

Meal delivery services offer either fully prepared meals or meal kits that require little to no prep time. Explore our picks of the meal services that are best for older adults.

As you age, following a nutritious diet is essential to reduce your chronic disease risk and maintain good health (1).

However, many seniors, or older adults, may find it difficult to prepare nutrient-dense meals themselves, which may lead to nutritional frailty — a condition characterized by loss of muscle mass and strength. This may make them more susceptible to injury and illness (1).

That’s why healthy meal delivery services may be a good option for some older adults. They deliver meals and ingredients straight to your door and are easy to prepare.

Here are 9 of the best healthy meal delivery services for older adults.

Some older adults may prefer convenient premade meals that only require heating before they’re ready to eat.

The following companies offer tasty meals that are ready in just a few minutes.

GET STARTED WITH SNAP KITCHEN

Snap Kitchen offers fully prepared meals that are a great option for older adults. Registered dietitians review the service’s meals to ensure that each meal offers the necessary nutrients for optimal health.

Unlike some other meal delivery services, Snap Kitchen offers a variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, so it’s easy to create a nutritionally complete menu. You can also add extras, such as hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal, soups, snacks, sides, and additional protein sources.

Meals can be refrigerated for 4–6 days or frozen for future use. You can simply heat them in the microwave or oven after transferring them to an oven-safe dish.

All Snap Kitchen meals are gluten-free, and you can filter menu items by ingredient, sodium content, protein amount, and more. The company offers Low Carb and High Protein menus that are suitable for older adults who have diabetes or need more protein.

Once you decide how many meals you want to receive each week (6 or 12), you can choose individual meals to include in your box.

It’s easy to change your order, and you can cancel your subscription anytime. Plus, you can choose a delivery day that works best for you.

For customers who live within 10 miles of a Snap Kitchen retail store, the company offers a Local Plan — you can choose a 3-, 5-, or 7-day meal plan and pick up your meals at your local Snap Kitchen store.

“I appreciated how quick and easy it was to prepare the meals, but I wish they’d included larger servings of vegetables and that the portion sizes had been larger. I also found them to be a bit spicy. I tried the Herb-Crusted Salmon with Roasted Broccoli & Feta, the Tex-Mex Breakfast Wrap with Homemade Salsa, and several other items.

“Overall, I think Snap Kitchen is a convenient option for people who want to save time in the kitchen, and it provides options for several diet types. That said, it may not be the best fit for those who follow a plant-based diet.” – Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LDN, CLEC

GET STARTED WITH GREEN CHEF

Green Chef is a certified organic meal kit delivery company that offers meal plans that suit a variety of dietary restrictions.

Green Chef offers certified gluten-free meals that are safe for older adults with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten intolerance. Their gluten-free meal kits are certified gluten-free through the Gluten-Free Food Service (GFFS) Certification Program, a program of the Gluten Intolerance Group. This verifies that Green Chef gluten-free meals contain 10 parts per million (10 ppm) of gluten or less.

In addition to gluten-free meals, Green Chef offers a variety of menus, including Keto + Paleo, Vegetarian, Mediterranean, Fast & Fit, and Vegan. Each box contains all of the ingredients needed to create tasty, filling, and nutritious recipes. Green Chef recipes are designed to take less than 30 minutes to make.

Green Chef is a certified organic company, making it a perfect fit for older adults who value quality ingredients.

Remember that although Green Chef is certified organic, they may use conventional substitutes when an organic ingredient isn’t available. Green Chef notifies customers if a conventional ingredient is used in their meal kit so customers have the option to leave it out of their recipe if they don’t feel comfortable eating conventionally-grown food.

In addition to using high quality organic ingredients, Green Chef uses recyclable packaging and offsets 100% of its direct carbon emissions. This makes it a good choice for older adults who want to lower their carbon footprint.

Currently, Green Chef offers meal plans that provide three to four recipes per week for two to six people.

Green Chef also offers add-ons, including breakfast items like oatmeals, egg bites, and muffins, and proteins like ground beef, salmon, and chicken cutlets.

“Unlike many other services, Green Chef’s meals contain a good amount of vegetables. Plus, all of the meals I tried were flavorful and satisfying to eat. Another bonus is that its gluten-free meal plan is certified gluten-free and the service is certified organic.

“While some of the ingredient proportions were a bit off and the timing of some of the steps could’ve been better, I overall think this is one of the best meal delivery services thanks to the quality ingredients and flavorful dishes.” – Kelli McGrane, MS, RD

GET STARTED WITH MAGIC KITCHEN

Magic Kitchen caters to older adults and is a great choice for those who want a variety of meal options. The company provides fully prepared frozen meals and offers two menus — A La Carte and Complete Meals.

The A La Carte menu lets you mix and match soups, main courses, side dishes, and desserts, while the Complete Meals menu provides full meals with entrees and side dishes packaged together. You can choose as many meals as you want.

Cooking may be challenging for older adults with medical conditions such as chronic kidney disease and heart failure, as well as those on dialysis, because of the dietary restrictions involved.

Notably, the Magic Kitchen menu accommodates specific diets, including low sodium, low carb, diabetes- and dialysis-friendly, vegetarian, and renal diets (for those with kidney conditions). Dietitians review all meals to ensure that they’re nutritionally complete.

The company offers a variety of meals, sides, and desserts, as well as options that serve just one person.

Most meals simply need to be heated in the microwave, but some — including the chicken pot pie — need to be cooked in an oven.

GET STARTED WITH MOM'S MEALS

Mom’s Meals caters to older adults and specializes in fully prepared, dietitian-designed meals. Most meals cost $8 per serving, making this one of the most budget-friendly services available.

The meal plans suit older adults with medical conditions such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cancer, and dysphagia (difficulty swallowing).

The service also offers pureed meals for older adults who have difficulty chewing or need a pureed diet due to a medical condition.

Mom’s Meals products are refrigerated and designed to last up to 2 weeks in the fridge, but you can also freeze them if needed.

A significant perk is that health insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid may cover all or part of the cost of Mom’s Meals under a “home-delivered meals” benefit. You can contact your insurance company to learn more.

GET STARTED AT SILVER CUISINE

Silver Cuisine is a meal delivery service catering to people over age 50. The service offers a rotating menu with 150 alternating meal options that are flash-frozen to maintain freshness.

Customers can choose from breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options, so it’s a good option for older adults who need a delivery service to cover all their meals.

This service offers meals that suit specific diets, including low carb, low sodium, gluten-free, and more.

There are no contracts or minimum orders, so customers can choose exactly what works for their lifestyle and nutrition needs.

According to the Silver Cuisine website, the meals will stay fresh for up to 1 year after the date of production when stored in the freezer.

GET STARTED WITH THE GOOD KITCHEN

The Good Kitchen is a great choice for older adults who are looking for a sustainable meal delivery option.

The service offers fully prepared, frozen meals made with high quality, sustainably sourced ingredients such as grass-fed beef and pasture-raised pork. The service also uses produce that is non-GMO, locally sourced, and often organic. It uses organic varieties of any produce listed on the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Dirty Dozen list.

The Good Kitchen provides meal options for customers who follow specific diets, including vegetarian, gluten-free, and paleo.

The Good Kitchen uses environmentally friendly packaging, such as certified compostable Green Cell Foam, and offers carbon offset shipping and shipping protection for an additional fee.

All the meals are free of gluten, peanuts, and soy.

“All of the meals I tried from The Good Kitchen were quick and easy to reheat. I found the proteins to be of good quality, especially the pork loin and beef. However, the vegetables were a bit mushy and not quite as flavorful as I would’ve liked.

“Most of the meals are created with meat-heavy, low carb diet patterns in mind, so The Good Kitchen may not be the best option for people following a plant-based diet.

“That said, it’s worth considering if you’re looking for a service that uses sustainable ingredients like local produce and proteins that are pasture-raised and grass-fed.” – Kelli McGrane, MS, RD

“Most of the meals are created with meat-heavy, low carb diet patterns in mind, so The Good Kitchen may not be the best option for people following a plant-based diet.

Use code “HEALTHLINE50” for 50% Off Your First Box

Factor is a meal delivery service that delivers fresh, never frozen meals right to your doorstep. The meals will stay fresh for 7 days in the fridge, or you can freeze them for long-term storage.

Factor meals are designed by registered dietitians and are a good choice for older adults who prefer to eat nutritious and tasty meals made with high quality ingredients.

Factor also offers nutrition coaching from registered dietitians, making it a great option for older adults who need nutritional guidance or who want additional support. You can sign up for a free 20-minute coaching session on the company’s website.

Factor offers meal plans that suit low carb, vegetarian, vegan, and reduced-calorie diets.

“I found the meals from Factor to be very flavorful, and they had the best texture out of all of the prepared meal delivery services that I’ve tried. The Herbed Quinoa Pesto Bowl was my favorite, but all of the meals featured a good range of seasonings, sauces, and protein types.

The meals are designed by registered dietitians, and most of them are nutritionally balanced.” – Kelli McGrane, MS, RD

Although many older adults prefer fully prepared meals, meal kit delivery services are an excellent option for those who enjoy cooking.

The following companies deliver meal kits that make delicious, healthy dishes without the hassle of grocery shopping or prep work.

GET STARTED WITH HOME CHEF

Home Chef provides prepped and portioned ingredients, and many of the meals are ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.

The company also makes full salads, grill-ready meals, and oven-ready meals that come in oven-safe tins and require no prep work, so it’s a good option for older adults who want to save time in the kitchen.

If you only want to browse recipes that require little or no prep, you can select “Fresh & Easy” during the sign-up process. (You’ll still have the option to choose from the entire menu.)

Home Chef offers a variety of recipes each week and provides low carb, low calorie, and vegetarian options. Recipes vary in skill level, but most are appropriate for beginners.

“I tried the Chicken Lorraine and Turkey Burrito Skillet from Home Chef, and both meals took about 30 minutes to prepare. Once the vegetables were chopped, the meals came together pretty quickly. I also appreciated that the Chicken Lorraine recipe called for some flavor-boosting ingredients like fresh lemon and almonds.

“The meals on the Home Chef menu are grouped by how long they take to prepare, so it’s easy to find convenient options. I’ve also tried HelloFresh, and I found that Home Chef’s recipes generally took less time and required less prep work.” – SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD

To read more about my experience trying Home Chef, you can check out our comparison of Home Chef and HelloFresh.

Sunbasket’s certified organic meal kits are a good choice for health-conscious older adults who prefer organic food.

You can choose from various chef-designed recipes each week that take about 30 minutes to prepare. All ingredients are preportioned in eco-friendly packaging.

Sunbasket offers several meal plans, including Vegetarian, Mediterranean, Diabetes-Friendly, and Gluten-Free, which provide around 550 calories per serving. Meal kits are available in 2- or 4-portion sizes.

The company also provides a variety of breakfast, lunch, and snack items such as premade oatmeal, soups, nut butters, wraps, extra proteins, and nuts.

You can either choose a meal plan or pick the recipes that appeal to you each week. All meal kits are cold-packed. Sunbasket also offers Fresh & Ready meals that are fully prepared and can be heated in the microwave or oven.

You can skip or cancel your order at any time. Meals can be scheduled for delivery on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.

“Sunbasket’s meals were incredibly flavorful, and the freshness and quality of the ingredients stood out from other meal kit delivery services I’ve tried. The recipe booklet was a little less user-friendly than having individual recipe cards, but the meals were still fairly easy to prepare.

“While Sunbasket’s meal kits are more expensive than those of other services, it’s one of the few certified organic meal kit delivery services available. Plus, it’s a good option for those who enjoy trying new and interesting flavor combinations.” – Kelli McGrane, MS, RD

While researching the best meal delivery services for older adults, we considered the following factors:

Every meal delivery service on our list has been reviewed by registered dietitians and vetted to ensure that it aligns with Healthline’s brand integrity standards and approach to well-being. Each service in this article:

When choosing a meal delivery service, it’s important for older adults to consider the type of service that works best for them.

Individuals who don’t have a lot of energy or who live with a disability that makes cooking difficult may prefer services offering fully prepared meals.

For those who enjoy cooking, a meal kit delivery service can provide ingredients to make nutritious meals without the need for shopping.

Older adults with dietary restrictions should find a meal delivery company that caters to their diet. For example, Magic Kitchen offers low sodium and dialysis- and renal-friendly meals.

Additionally, those who live alone may prefer a meal service that offers fully prepared, one-person meals that can be frozen for future use.

Note that some older adults may qualify for a home-delivered meals benefit through their health insurance plans. Contact your health insurance company for more information.

When choosing a meal plan, consider your dietary restrictions and ability to cook. Plenty of meal delivery services offer recipe kits or fully prepared meals.

Meal delivery services are a great choice for older adults for various reasons.

Choosing a meal delivery service ensures that there will always be a balanced and filling meal option available, which is important for older adults who do not want to cook or cannot do so.

Signing up for a meal delivery service can also help improve calorie and nutrient intake and could help older adults with health conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease manage their symptoms.

It also removes the stress of grocery shopping, which can be difficult for older adults with certain health conditions or mobility issues.

Every person has different nutrition needs, regardless of their age. However, most older adults will benefit from meals with higher protein and fiber.

As we age, we lose muscle mass and strength faster. Because of this, experts in the field of aging recommend that older adults consume more than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein: 0.36 grams (g) of protein per pound — 0.8 g per kilogram (kg) — per day (3)

Recommendations for adults 60+: 0.45–0.54 g of protein per pound — 1.0–1.2 grams per kg — per day (4)

Adding high protein ingredients to meals and snacks, like chicken, seafood, Greek yogurt, and lentils, can help older adults meet their protein needs.

Older adults with a condition that requires a specialized diet or who take one or more medications that may interact with certain foods should work with a healthcare professional like a registered dietitian to come up with a safe, nutritionally complete meal plan to support their overall health.

When choosing a meal delivery service, it’s important to consider the individual’s dietary needs, budget, and medical conditions.

For example, for an older adult with kidney disease, choosing a meal delivery service that offers meals suitable for someone following a renal diet is critical.

For older adults on a budget, choosing a service covered by health insurance plans like Medicaid or Medicare or a plan that offers low cost meals may be best.

Also, a meal kit delivery service may be a better choice for older adults who enjoy cooking and preparing meals for themselves.

More affordable meal delivery services include Mom’s Meals, Freshly, Sunbasket, Silver Cuisine, and Home Chef, all of which offer meals starting at less than $10 per serving.

Health insurance programs such as Medicare and Medicaid may fully or partially cover the cost of Mom’s Meals.

All the meal delivery services on this list provide nutritionally complete, healthy meals for older adults, though some do focus more on ingredient quality. For example, Sunbasket and The Good Kitchen use high quality ingredients such as organic produce and pasture-raised proteins, which some older adults may prefer.

Meals on Wheels provides free or low cost meal services to older adults in need.

Depending on where you live, similar services may be available in your county.

Also, some meal delivery services, such as Mom’s Meals, may be covered by health insurance plans.

If you have older parents who cannot go grocery shopping or prepare their own meals, it’s important to ensure they have access to nutritious foods.

You can sign them up for a grocery delivery service that delivers meals right to their door. There are also meal delivery services available that deliver fully prepared meals or meal kits, depending on their preference.

You can also drop groceries and meals off to them yourself, if possible.

For older adults, a meal delivery service is a great way to ensure that healthy and tasty meals are always available.

Numerous meal delivery services offer either fully prepared meals or meal kits, and some provide specialized dietary plans.

If you have questions about meal delivery services or need help choosing the best meal delivery service for your needs, it’s a good idea to contact a healthcare professional or a local registered dietitian for advice.

Last medically reviewed on May 16, 2023

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Jerlyn Jones, MS MPA RDN LD CLT

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