There are many guidelines to follow when trying to eat well through cancer treatment. A diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and low in fat, sugar, alcohol and salt is recommended to help cancer patients maintain a healthy weight and improve quality of life during treatment. Unfortunately, many cancer patients experience nutrition as a delicate balancing act between the body and mind. One may know what to eat, but treatment side effects like reduced appetite and fatigue make one unable to prepare meals themselves. That’s why more people are turning to meal delivery services.
Here, we’ve collected some of our favorite meal delivery services creating delicious and nutritious meals with cancer patients in mind. Healthy meals delivered right to their door gives cancer patients and their families one less thing to worry about.
Mom’s Meals ships fully prepared meals that remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to 14 days. With options for deliveries of seven, 10, 14 or 21 meals, Mom’s Meals can provide all or just a portion of a client’s meals each week. Plus, clients who qualify for government or health plan assistance can have Mom’s Meals delivered for free or at low cost. Mom’s Meals’ “Cancer Support” program features meals specially formulated by registered dieticians specializing in oncology, and all menus are developed in accordance with guidelines from the American Institute for Cancer Research. Clients can hand-pick desired meals, or go with the chef’s choice.
MomsMeals.com
Culinary Care (featured in issue 3 of Cancer Wellness) provides meals to patients receiving in-hospital chemotherapy and their families. Founder and CEO Courtney White and her group of volunteers spend their days distributing fresh meals from some of Chicagoland’s top restaurants (like Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!, Summer House Santa Monica and Blue Door Farm Stand) to local hospitals, delivering a total of 30 to 40 meals per week. According to the Culinary Care website, it’s all about “taking one thing off their plate by simply putting something delicious on it.” Culinary Care customers place their order requests on an app and can track the progress of their delivery in real time. Meals are free.
CulinaryCare.org
Savor Health delivers fresh, reheatable meals anywhere in the U.S., with menus following nutrition recommendations from the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute and chefs at leading cancer centers. Featuring weekly meal plans with options to receive one, two or three meals per day, Savor Health also provides access to an oncology dietician who can help you craft a meal plan each week to help manage treatment side effects. All of Savor Health’s nutrition coaches are board-certified specialists in oncology nutrition, so clients trust they’re receiving the right number of calories and nutrients to help them feel their best before, during and after treatment.
SavorHealth.com
Magnolia Meals at Home provides free meals to people currently undergoing cancer treatment, receiving adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment, or have undergone treatment or surgery in the last three months. Eligible participants (who must live in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut or North Carolina) will receive up to two months of home meal deliveries. Each participant receives 10 meals formulated to meet the needs of people living with cancer, with the option to receive 10 additional meals for family members.
MagnoliaMealsAtHome.com
A strictly vegan meal delivery service, MamaSezz recently partnered with the American Institute for Cancer Research to create a “bundle” of meals specifically formulated for people receiving treatment for cancer. Each bundle includes 24 plantbased meals with cancer-fighting ingredients like plant-based proteins and plenty of fresh vegetables. All MamaSezz meal bundles come with detailed, 7-day meal plans with shopping lists and recipes for additional side dishes. These meals are perfect for patients with dietary restrictions because all MamaSezz dishes are gluten-free and non-dairy, as well as being free of oil, refined sugars and preservatives.
MamaSezz.com
