Technology has helped many Americans, but one of the greatest developments may be food delivery services for seniors. For caregivers, home delivery services are becoming increasingly popular. While many older adults enjoy the independence of living alone and aren't necessarily ready for a full-time caregiver, they may need a little extra help with day-to-day tasks. Grocery shopping and meal prep are two areas that can be a stressor for older adults. Whether you’re looking for yourself or a senior in your life, you’ll find great options to take the pressure off grocery shopping and mealtime.
When it comes to identifying the best meal delivery services, it’s important to know how much assistance you or your loved one need. Are you looking for help with grocery shopping, meal preparation, or ready-to-eat meals from a restaurant? Below we break down these three categories and help you identify which is best for your needs.
How to Choose the Best Food Delivery Service
The best food delivery for seniors depends on your needs and what's available in your area. All of these services make it easy and convenient to get the food you or a loved one needs without having to leave the house. Whether you're looking for a meal plan that offers delicious, nutritionist-approved recipes or you're in the mood for something a little more casual, there's a food delivery service for you.
Grocery Delivery
Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh is a grocery delivery service available to Amazon Prime members in select cities. You can find and order almost everything you'd find in a grocery store on Amazon Fresh. Meat and deli goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, canned goods, ready meals, and much more.
Instacart
Instacart uses personal shoppers to pick up items for you from stores near you. You can even order items from Costco and Sam's Club without a membership. Some areas even allow you to order items from pharmacies, pet stores, and liquor stores. As you're shopping, you can indicate substitutes if any items are unavailable. You'll receive live updates and can track the shopper's progress on GPS.
Walmart Grocery
Walmart's grocery ordering options make it easy and convenient for you to get the groceries you need. Whether you're looking for a delivery or pickup option, Walmart has a solution that will work for you. Walmart offers a wide variety of products to suit all dietary needs, and because they don’t outsource their delivery service, the prices are the same as they are in the store. Some stores even allow you to pay for your groceries with an electronic benefit transfer card.
All the three options above give you the opportunity to select a delivery time and window. They also give you the option to have the driver leave the bags at your door for contactless delivery or hand the items to you. Make sure to confirm the time - usually happens through email and text - and that someone is home when this happens, especially if you've ordered something that needs refrigeration.
Meal Delivery
Home Chef
Home Chef has a variety of rotating weekly meals to choose from, with more than 30 meals to choose from. You can also select from a variety of menu options catered to your preferences, including 15-minute meal kits, grill- and oven-ready kits, and special occasion meals.
Blue Apron
If you're looking for a meal plan that offers delicious, nutritionist-approved recipes, Blue Apron has you covered. They offer a Signature plan, a Vegetarian plan, and a Wellness plan - each with its own unique set of recipes. Prices will vary depending on the plan you choose.
Freshly
Freshly offers pre-made meals that are ready to eat in 3 minutes or less, according to the brand. You can choose to receive up to 12 meals per week that are chef-prepared and single-serve. With over 30 menu items to choose from, you're sure to find something that fits your dietary restrictions, whether you're gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, or carb-conscious.
Ready to Eat Delivery
Uber Eats
There are many restaurants to browse through, no matter what you're in the mood for. It's so easy to find new places in your own neighborhood that you didn't even know existed. And since there's Uber Eats wherever there's Uber, you'll maintain access to the area's greatest restaurants no matter where you travel. A favorite feature during the pandemic is no doubt the contact-free delivery, which lets the user tell the driver to leave their food at the door without risking exposure.
DoorDash
DoorDash is now available in 4,000 cities across North America. Offering a variety of cuisine options, including sushi and fast food, DoorDash is easy to use with ordering options including quick reordering of your favorites, delivery tracking, and more. How about a glass of wine with your Chicken Fettucine Alfredo? You can order alcohol and mixers from local wine and liquor stores where local laws allow.
GrubHub
Grubhub makes it easy to search for restaurants by cuisine or location and order food quickly and easily. There are no extra charges, and Grubhub users can order delivery or takeout. Plus, there are special deals available only within the app. The delivery instruction box lets you tell the driver where to leave your meal if you'd prefer a no-contact delivery similar to Uber Eats.
Options for food delivery for seniors are one good result of living through the pandemic. There are now more technology solutions for scheduling meal delivery, transportation, and health monitoring. If you're looking for more ways technology can help you or a loved one, be sure to check out our article on Apple technology and how you can monitor the health of a loved one or your own!
