Meals on wheels in Leeds – getting quality meals delivered locally
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Even if you love to cook, preparing meals can become more challenging in later life. Lifting heavy pans, using knives and exposure to extremely hot temperatures can be risky if you’re living with conditions such as arthritis or early stage dementia.
And for some people, shopping, meal planning and cooking nutritious meals from scratch simply isn’t enjoyable, and they’d much prefer no-hassle meal times.
Luckily In Leeds, a variety of meal services are working tirelessly to ensure that older residents continue to enjoy nutritious, balanced meals at home. Among the most well-known of these services is Meals on Wheels – which is usually arranged via the council. This is a vital initiative that not only delivers hot meals but also offers a lifeline of support to those who might otherwise face social isolation or difficulty accessing food.
In this article, we’ll explore both meals on wheels and private companies offering meal services to older people in Leeds. Whether you’re looking for support for a loved one or simply curious about the options available in your area, read on to discover how you can arrange delicious meals to be delivered at home.
Meals on Wheels in Leeds
Leeds City Council offer Meals on Wheels via their elderly assistance programme calls Presto. Presto provides a wide range of support to help older people keep up with the demands of running a home and staying well. This includes things like home deep cleans, window cleaning, helping with daily activities, and outreach services to prevent older people from becoming socially isolated.
While Presto is provided by Leeds City Council, the council doesn’t fund it, meaning there will be costs involved in using their meal delivery service. Prices start from £23 a week.
Presto’s meal delivery service offers daily deliveries, 365 days a year. They provide one hot meal a day at lunchtime, but can also provide a cold dinner option too if needed. They cater for a variety of dietary requirements including diabetic, gluten free, low salt, and soft or pureed food.
There is a range of meals on offer – from traditional savoury dishes like pea and ham soup, and beef stew, to sweet treats like lemon sponge with lemon sauce and custard. You can view an example of their weekly meal plan on their website.
They also offer vegetarian meals, Afro Caribbean meals, Asian vegetarian meals, Halal meals and Kosher meals.
When using Presto, the delivery driver will also provide a doorstep well-being check, to ensure the recipient is safe and well at home.
How do you qualify for Presto Meals on Wheels?
You’ll need to register on the Presto website. The form will take you through a number of qualifying questions to ensure the service is right for your loved one, such as where they live and why they need the service.
You can arrange Presto daily or for as few days as you require on long and short term basis. For example, some elderly people may only need to use it for a few weeks or months following discharges from hospital, when eating healthy meals is especially important to their recovery. Others may use it while a helper or their family is on holiday.
Private meal delivery services
If you don’t qualify for Presto, if you’d like a wider variety of wholesome meals, or would need more than one hot meal a day, a private meal service may be a better option. There are a few that operate in the Leeds area.
Parsley Box - store-cupboard meals
What’s unique about Parsley box meals is that they can all be stored at room temperature – meaning an older person doesn’t need to remember to put their delivery in the fridge or freezer. All their meals are prepared in the UK, using UK sourced seasonal ingredients whenever possible, and can be heated in the microwave in minutes.
They can cater to a wide range of dietary requirements including vegetarian and vegan, low salt and low fat, high fibre, high protein, and gluten free.
There’s no on-going subscriptions or commitment, so you can order what you want, when you want, with orders placed on a weekday before 3pm being delivered within 2 working days.
For individual dishes prices start at £2 for lighter meals like soups, and £2.95 for main meals, with a minimum order amount of £25.00.
Wiltshire Farm Foods - frozen meals
Wiltshire Farm Foods offer over 330 tasty, easy to cook meals to people nationwide. Meals are made from quality ingredients, with chefs working closely with customers to expand their range to include the nations favourite meals. Like Parsley Box you won’t be tied into a contract and can order as often or as little as you need.
They specialise in frozen foods – delivering ready meals in a range of portion sizes – ‘hearty meals’, ‘main meals’ and ‘mini meals’ for different appetites and to support bespoke diet plans. They also offer specialist menus such as their softer foods menu for those with chewing and swallowing difficulties, and a ‘free from’ menu.
Prices start from £2.99 for “meat-free” meal options, and £3.79 for meat, with a minimum order amount of £10.
In central Leeds, a local delivery driver will be available on Wednesdays, Fridays, Mondays. For other areas, check their website for your local delivery schedule.
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