FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Meals on Wheels are available to anyone needing assistance obtaining nutritious well-balanced meals.

Through support from Ramsey County, we offer a sliding-fee scale based on income for those interested in privately paying for their meals. Veterans who were honorably discharged from the service may now receive meals through a state-funded program. And now with funding provided by the Federal Older Americans Act, anyone age 60 and over needing home delivered meals is eligible to receive meals and offered the opportunity to contribute what they are able towards the meal cost. We also provide meals to those on home and community-based Medicaid Waiver programs, such as Elderly Waiver, Alternative Care, and waivers for adults living with disabilities. Eligibility for these public assistance programs is determined by Ramsey County through a MnCHOICES Assessment. Call our enrollment line at 651-318-9091, or complete a payment assistance form online at www.meals-on-wheels.com, to find out more about meal costs, funding available to help pay for meals, or how Meals on Wheels may be able to help you, a loved one, or a client.

Signing up for meals is easy! Enroll online today with our partner, Metro Meals on Wheels, or call 651-318-9091 to start meal delivery service for yourself, a loved one, or a client under your care. Once enrolled, you will be connected to your local Meals on Wheels provider in Ramsey County and their friendly staff will be happy to help you if you have additional questions.

Meals vary daily and there are alternative choice options available. New hot meal menus come out each month and no two months are the same. Our frozen menus change quarterly with each season and there are many different frozen meals to choose from. We have Latin-inspired and Asian-inspired items on our regular menus, and always offer an alternative to pork or fish entrees. In addition, we offer a complete kosher menu and halal menu.

Each complete well-balanced meal includes a main entrée, a vegetable, a starch, a beverage, and fruit or dessert. Meals meet the Older Americans Act Nutrition Standards and dietary guidelines for older adults. The main entree is made with either beef, chicken, turkey, pork, or fish. A selection of alternative entrees to choose from is offered. In addition, an alternative is always offered to any pork or fish entree. Vegetarian options are also available. For the beverage, we offer a choice of milk or a variety of juices. The starch will either be potatoes, pasta, or bread. Dessert may include cookies, cake, muffin, or fruit. The kosher and halal meals vary from this description according to their dietary guidelines.

Let us know if you are on a special diet when you enroll. . All meals are diabetic-friendly and heart-healthy. Special dietary menus include gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, renal, and mechanically soft. Cultural menus include kosher, halal, Latino-Inspired, and Asian-Inspired.

Absolutely, you can enroll in Meals on Wheels for as short or as long as you need. You only pay for the meals you have received and you can cancel meals whenever you need to. Please provide at least two business days advance notice when you need to make a change so that we have time to place our meal orders and arrange our volunteers to meet your needs.

Our hot, ready-to-eat meals also come with instructions for reheating. Many of our clients eat part of their meal when it is delivered at mid-day, refrigerate the rest, and reheat it at supper time. Those who choose frozen meals can heat up their meal in the oven or microwave at their convenience according to our easy-to-follow instructions.

Once you have enrolled, you will be connected to the local Meals on Wheels provider that serves the area you live in. You will then get a call from your local meal provider to complete the enrollment process and schedule your first delivery. Depending on whether you are going to receive daily hot ready-to-eat meals, or weekly frozen meals, it can take from four business days to a week and a half to begin receiving meals.