Meal preparation that keeps good food on the table
Practical help to prepare and enjoy homemade meals at home.
DANS provides meal preparation support for older people, people with disability, and anyone who finds cooking harder while recovering from illness or injury. We can cook with you, prepare meals for you, or help get several meals organised ahead of time.
What is meal preparation support?
Meal preparation (often referred to as meal prep) is hands-on help with planning, preparing and cooking food in your own home. It is designed for people who want to keep eating familiar, enjoyable meals but find some or all of the work involved difficult.
That does not mean taking over the kitchen. Some people want a care worker beside them so they can keep cooking for themselves. Others need us to do more of the preparation. We work around your routines, the foods you enjoy and what you are comfortably able to do.
Meals can also be prepared ahead of time, helping make sure there is something easy to reheat when a care worker or family member is not there.
How we can help with meal preparation
Planning meals
- Talking through meals you enjoy
- Helping plan simple meals for the days ahead
- Checking ingredients already available at home
- Preparing a grocery list
- Helping create an easier routine around meals
Preparing and cooking meals
- Washing, peeling and chopping ingredients
- Preparing ingredients so you can continue cooking yourself
- Cooking meals with you
- Preparing meals on your behalf
- Serving food and helping organise the kitchen afterwards
Preparing meals ahead of time
- Batch cooking meals for later
- Preparing individual portions
- Organising meals for refrigeration or freezing
- Preparing simple snacks or light meals
Working with your food preferences
- Preparing familiar foods you already enjoy
- Respecting cultural and personal food preferences
- Following documented dietary requirements
- Working from instructions provided by relevant health professionals where required
Keeping the kitchen manageable
- Washing dishes used during meal preparation
- Wiping preparation areas
- Putting ingredients and cooking items away
- Helping keep commonly used kitchen items organised
Good food without taking away your independence
Cooking can become difficult before someone loses the desire to cook.
Standing for long periods, lifting pans, opening packaging, chopping ingredients or managing several steps at once can all make preparing a meal harder than it used to be.
Where possible, DANS supports you to stay involved. You might choose the recipe while we prepare the ingredients, cook together, or leave the whole meal to us on days when you need more help.
Who can DANS help with meal preparation?
Meal preparation can be arranged for older people receiving care at home, people living with disability, and people who need practical support while recovering from an accident, illness, surgery or other health event.
It can be provided as a regular service or combined with shopping, cleaning, personal care and other in-home support as part of your overall care plan.
Our services are grouped into broader pricing categories, so the pricing label below may not exactly match the name of this service. What you pay will depend on your funding pathway and any applicable subsidies or contributions.
Domestic assistance, meal preparation
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Questions about in home care, funding, and getting started? We've answered the ones we hear most.
What does in-home meal preparation include?
Meal preparation can include meal planning, preparing ingredients, cooking, portioning meals for later, preparing snacks and cleaning the kitchen area used during cooking. The exact support is arranged around what you need help with.
Can a DANS care worker cook meals for me?
Yes. A care worker can prepare meals for you in your home, or you can cook together if you would prefer to stay involved. The level of assistance can change depending on what you are comfortable doing yourself.
Can meals be prepared for later in the week?
Yes. Preparing several portions at once can make the days between visits much easier. Meals can be portioned and stored appropriately for later use, depending on the type of food being prepared.
Can you help with healthy eating?
We can help make regular, balanced meals easier to prepare and follow any food or dietary requirements documented in your care plan. If you need specialist nutrition or clinical dietary advice, that should come from an appropriately qualified health professional, and DANS can assist you with that.
Can you prepare meals for dietary requirements?
We can prepare meals in line with documented dietary requirements, allergies, preferences and instructions included in your care plan. Where a person has more complex clinical needs, the care provided should follow the guidance of the relevant health professional.
Does the cost of meal preparation include the groceries?
No. Meal preparation funding generally relates to the support involved in preparing the meal. Ordinary groceries and ingredients are everyday living expenses and are purchased separately by you.
Can meal preparation be funded through Support at Home?
Yes. Meal preparation is included within the Everyday Living category under Support at Home for people approved to receive the service. Depending on your circumstances, you may need to contribute towards the cost.
Can meal preparation be funded through the NDIS?
It can be where meal preparation support is required because of your disability, meets the NDIS funding criteria and is included within your plan. The NDIS can fund eligible support with preparing meals, but ordinary food and grocery costs are generally not funded.
Can you shop for the ingredients as well?
Yes. DANS can also provide shopping assistance, so the two services can be arranged together where this suits your care plan. We can help organise the list, purchase the groceries and prepare meals at home.
Still have questions?
Get in touch. We're here to help.
Ready to get started?
We’d be happy to speak with you. Contact us for a free care assessment, or simply have a chat with our team to ask questions and understand your options.
