There are many meal services on the market that serve the general population. The two biggest names you might recognize are HelloFresh and Blue Apron. These companies bring fresh, pre-portioned ingredients to your doorstep to help you create some incredible meals. While these services are one of the many marvels of the digital age, they do raise one important question: Are they the right fit for seniors?
At DeliverLean Care, our mission is formed around the belief that our senior neighbors and loved ones benefit most from meal delivery services that prioritize their unique needs. However, we also understand everyone’s nutritional needs and cooking capabilities differ. Some aging adults may never experience difficulty cooking from scratch, while others may encounter some obstacles in doing so.
To help you decide if a general meal service or senior-dedicated one is right for your situation, we are going to offer five points of comparison for you to consider.
1 – Preparation Process
With general meal delivery services, meals are pre-selected by the company and deliver cold. This requires the person to thaw the ingredients and conduct any prep work like warming an oven, boiling water, etc. For some seniors with limited autonomy, this can prove difficult and potentially dangerous.
A meal delivery service for seniors will deliver fresh, chef-prepared, and nutritious meals right to your door. There’s no preparation required except for warming in the microwave! When using a senior meal delivery service, these providers will also craft meal plans that cater to one’s dietary needs, such as diabetes or low sodium for fluid regulation. This eliminates the need for any preparation.
2 – Doctor Cooperation
Most meal delivery services that are aimed at the general public are targeted at creating fresh, delicious meals that are more broadly appealing to a large consumer base. That does not mean these meals are unhealthy, but it means they may lack specific insight into a person’s medical or dietary needs.
With a senior-focused meal delivery service, you can rest assured that the customer is receiving healthy, hot meals that are developed in cooperation with the person’s dietary restrictions, care plans, and other medical considerations in mind. This more nuanced approach to meal development and delivery assures that a senior can enjoy meals with confidence that they are contributing to a healthier eating experience.
3 – Point of Origin
To use as an example, HelloFresh is a German company that operates branches throughout the world. Because HelloFresh is one of the largest brands in the meal delivery industry, they distribute from multiple locations. On their USA website, the company states that most of their meals take about 48 hours to arrive from their point of origin and stay fresh through climate-controlled shipping containers.
Similarly, Blue Apron, another major meal delivery company, has multiple fulfillment centers throughout the United States. This is to accommodate quick shipping times from hubs on both coasts and the interior.
DeliverLean Care takes a similar, yet also different approach. We handle all of our meal creation, order fulfillment, and distribution directly from a single, central location in Hollywood, Florida. Any order placed with us ships via overnight delivery in insulated cooler boxes, and some Florida residents are eligible for in-person delivery!
4 – Dedication to the Senior Customer
Most meal delivery services allow the customer to narrow down their dietary preferences to avoid receiving product they will not or cannot eat. For example, a company that targets the general population may allow the person to include gluten-free, low-carb, or vegetarian options to better-tailor their experience.
These features are an incredible innovation for better at-home meals. However, most of them are targeted at what is most palatable to as many people in a customer’s household at one single time. By no means is there anything wrong with that, but generally, this does not factor in specific nutritional benefits for seniors.
At DeliverLean Care, we only craft meal delivery solutions for the senior population. All of our meals are created to promote healthier living for our aging neighbors. We partner with nutritionists and expert chefs to ensure that all portions, calories, and both macro and micronutrients are fine-tuned to creating a better meal experience without sacrificing taste or ingredient quality.
Get Started with a Meal Service for Seniors Today
As you’re reading this, the DeliverLean Care team is hard at work preparing some delicious meals for our senior customers all throughout the United States. If you are interested in learning more about our food, our process, nutrition, or anything else related to how we serve you, please contact us at any time.
