Community directory

Hertfordshire Community Meals (North Herts District Council area)

What is meals on wheels?
Meals on wheels provides a quality meals service for vulnerable people unable to provide meals for themselves. There is a choice of hot meals, frozen meals, special diet meals, ethnic meals and cultural / religious meals.

Hot meals are delivered, at lunchtime, 5 days a week (Monday to Friday) to the customer’s home.

Weekend meals are covered by Quantum Care. A referral for weekend meals is made through Hertfordshire County Council’s Client Services as are referrals for weekday meals.

Who is eligible to receive the service?
Anyone who is unable to provide meals for themselves is eligible. When applying for the meals service, a Client Services call handler will go through eligibility criteria which will help us to decide whether the customer is eligible.

How much does it cost?
The price per meal is £3.25 (as at April 2008). This will include a main meal and a pudding. The meals service is subsidised by Hertfordshire County Council and North Hertfordshire District Council. Payment will be collected in arrears on a monthly basis. Payments accepted are: cheque, postal order, telephone payments by debit/credit card or direct debit.

Is there a choice of meals?
There is a menu of five main meal options a day, two of which are a vegetarian option. There is a choice of three desserts a day on the menu: hot dessert, cold dessert or fresh fruit. If a menu is not filled out then the customer will be provided with the meal and dessert of the day.

Are ethnic meals or special diet meals available?
Yes. The following ethnic diets are catered for:
* Asian vegetarian
* Asian Halal
* Kosher
* Afro-Caribbean

The following special diets are catered for:
* Gluten free
* Diabetic
* Texture modified (pureed)
* Low salt
* Low fat

Who do I contact to get meals on wheels?
The customer or someone on behalf of the customer should contact Hertfordshire County Council’s Client Services and ask for the Meals on Wheels service. Client Services: 01438 737400.

Who delivers the meals?
The service is managed by Hertfordshire Community Meals and they deliver the meals. Hertfordshire Community Meals is a not-for-profit social enterprise.

Can bulk deliveries of frozen meals be made?
Frozen meals are delivered every two weeks and stored in the customer’s own freezer. There will be two weeks worth of meals in the delivery. The minimum order is 12 main meals and 12 desserts. A table top freezer will be provided if the customer’s own freezer is not big enough to store the food. A steamer or microwave will also be provided, if required, to help with preparing the meals.