Published by SESI Care Services · Updated November 2026 · 2-minute summary
Quick answer: Meal preparation support at home means a support worker helps plan meals, prepare ingredients and cook in your own kitchen. For older people, it can be funded through Support at Home, which replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025. What is funded depends on your My Aged Care assessment and your support plan. Tell your worker about your food likes, allergies and any texture advice from your doctor or dietitian.
Key takeaways
- Meals are one of the supports a plan can include. Your assessment and support plan decide what is funded.
- Cooking at home is different from meal delivery. A worker helps in your kitchen. Delivery brings meals that are already made.
- Your food, your way. Share your likes, allergies, cultural foods and any advice from a health professional.
- Safe storage matters. Label, cover and reheat food following the instructions.
Who is Support at Home for?
Support at Home is for older people who need help to keep living at home. The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing says you are generally eligible if you are 65 or older, or 50 or older if you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. To start, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and ask for an assessment.
What does meal preparation support include?
Support can include:
- planning meals for the week
- writing a shopping list
- preparing ingredients, such as chopping vegetables
- cooking with you, or cooking for you
- setting meals aside for later
You can do the steps you enjoy and get help with the rest. Staying involved in your own meals can help you keep your skills and your confidence.
How do I plan meals around my needs?
Write down what matters before the worker comes. Keep the list somewhere easy to find, such as on the fridge.
- Allergies and foods to avoid.
- Favourite dishes, including family recipes and foods that matter to your culture or religion.
- Serving style, such as a smaller portion or a favourite side.
- Advice from a health professional, such as a doctor, dietitian or speech pathologist.
If a health professional has said your food needs a certain texture, follow that advice every time. Do not change a texture based on a guess. Ask your health professional if you are not sure.
What is the difference between cooking at home and meal delivery?
| Meal preparation at home | Delivered meals | |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | A worker helps plan, prepare or cook in your kitchen | Ready-made meals are brought to you |
| Your involvement | You can join in as much as you like | You choose from a menu |
| Good for | People who want to keep cooking or want fresh food | People who want a quick, simple meal |
Which one is funded depends on your plan. Ask your Support at Home provider what your plan covers.
How do I store and reheat meals safely?
- Cover and label each meal with its name and the date.
- Follow the storage and reheating directions on packaged meals.
- Keep raw food away from cooked food.
- Put leftovers in clean, covered containers and into the fridge soon after the meal.
- Reheat only the portion you will eat. Stir it and check it is hot all the way through.
How does SESI help?
SESI Care Services delivers Support at Home services across Victoria, including meals: planning and cooking at home, the way you like them. We work with your Support at Home provider. Your provider holds your service agreement and your budget. Your Support at Home budget pays for our services.
Already have a Support at Home provider? Ask them to add SESI.
Meal help often goes together with help around the house, such as cleaning, laundry and shopping. See how Support at Home works with SESI and our Support at Home prices. You may also like our guides to in-home aged care support in Victoria and adaptive kitchen tools for independent meal preparation.
Frequently asked questions
How does meal preparation support work?
You and your worker agree which meal tasks you need help with. These might be planning, chopping, cooking or setting meals aside for later. You take part in the steps you want to.
Can Support at Home pay for meal preparation?
It can, if meals are in your support plan and there is funding available in your budget. Your My Aged Care assessment and your provider can tell you what applies to you.
What is the difference between meal preparation and meal delivery?
Meal preparation is hands-on help in your kitchen. Meal delivery brings prepared meals to your door. They suit different needs.
Can a worker prepare texture-modified food?
Yes, if you give clear written advice from your health professional. The worker follows it every time. They should not guess.
How do I get started?
Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 for an assessment. If you already have a Support at Home provider, ask them to add SESI.
Talk to SESI
Tell us what meal help would suit you and we will call you back. A family member or carer can call too.
Start here: sesi.com.au/support-at-home · Call: 1800 017 374
This guide is general information based on My Aged Care and Department of Health, Disability and Ageing material, current at November 2026. It is not medical, legal or financial advice. Check your own letters and agreements, or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
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