Senior Nutrition Program

Providing healthy home-delivered and community group meals for older adults.

Table of Contents

About the Senior Nutrition Program

The Senior Nutrition Program provides older adults with healthy and nutritious home-delivered and community group meals. Community meals are regularly available at senior centers, Councils on Aging, community centers, faith-based organizations, senior housing, and other locations.

The goals of the Senior Nutrition Program, in addition to serving healthy and nutritious meals, are to reduce food insecurity and malnutrition, promote socialization, and promote the health and wellbeing of older people to help them maintain independence so they can continue to live in their homes and communities.

The Senior Nutrition Program serves approximately 10 million nutritionally balanced meals each year. Deliveries are administered by 24 regional nutrition programs throughout Massachusetts, and community meals are provided at more than 325 locations. The Senior Nutrition Program also provides nutrition-related risk screening, education, and counseling, and some locations may offer supper and weekend meals.   

Home-Delivered Meals

Home-delivered meals provide nutritious food to older adults who are frail, isolated, or homebound. People do not need to be homebound to qualify for this service. Each meal delivery serves as a daily safety check, and emergency meals are provided to be used during a weather-related storm or emergency when delivery is not an option. Meals can be customized to meet the recipient’s medical nutrition needs, such as cardiac, carbohydrate controlled, or renal, or meals with texture modifications like soft or pureed.  Click the button below to see a map of where these meals are offered:

In some communities, home-delivered meals are available to fit an individual’s cultural preferences or health needs. Some community dining sites may also provide transportation and recreational activities. Click the buttons below to see a map of where these meals are offered.

Community Group Meals

Community dining sites provide at least one meal per day at senior centers, Councils on Aging, faith-based organizations, senior housing, and other public locations. The community setting provides opportunities for socialization and companionship, and it also offers nutrition education programs on relevant topics such as:  

  • Healthy Shopping on a Budget 
  • Disease Prevention and Management  
  • Hydration 
  • Food Safety  

Eligibility and Cost 

If you are interested in home-delivered meals you must be an adult age 60+ and meet the meal eligibility requirements for being frail, isolated, or homebound. Spouses and caregivers may also receive meals, regardless of age and ability. If you are under age 60, have a disability, and live in housing where mainly older adults live, you may also be eligible. 

If you are interested in community meals, you must be an adult age 60+. Your spouse or partner can join you at community meals, regardless of their age. You are also eligible if you are under age 60 and live in senior housing where community meals are served.   

There is no income limit to participate in the program. To learn more and see if you are eligible, call MassOptions at 1-800-243-4636.   

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