Beyond the Classroom

Gracie RM Community Visit to Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels was first created back in 1953 in Australia by Miss Doris Taylor, a woman who was put in a wheelchair at a young age and believed in helping the community. The first kitchen was in Port Adelaide, and not long after it opened, a lot more suburbs joined in.

Meals on Wheels provides healthy, cheap meals for people who can’t go into the community often. Meals on Wheels not only serves hearty meals, but also the volunteers provide company and check the customers are ok.

At Meals on Wheels, customers are mainly retired people who don’t have any family nearby for support, and younger people with disabilities. When I visited the kitchen with my mum, I found that they serve roughly 100 meals a day for 5 days a week. If you're thinking, “What about on the weekends?” well, lucky for you, I have the answer. When they go to their fellow customers, they deliver frozen food that can be heated on the weekend. 

Chefs write the menu up, whilst volunteers, such as my neighbour Jan, run the kitchen and deliver food. 

All dietary needs are seen to, such as gluten-free and lactose intolerant requirements, and those with nut allergies. These are made in a separate kitchen to avoid cross-contamination.

During my visit, I was shown how they cook food in large quantities and how they pack the food for transport. Volunteers each have heated bags for soup and main meals, and chilled bags for deserts. I was lucky to get a sample of the panna cotta with mixed berries, it was delicious.

Gracie