Door to door from Wharekaka
At the heart of the Meals on Wheels service in South Wairarapa is a busy kitchen at Martinborough’s Wharekaka Aged Care Community. Five days a week, chef Don and assistant chef Maddie will not only prepare the main meal of the day for Wharekaka residents, but also for clients in Martinborough and Featherston. Busiest days are Tuesdays and Thursdays when the Wharekaka team also cater for Meals on Wheels clients in Greytown.
The two-course meals are made with the aim of delivering healthy, tasty food to those who might find it difficult to cook for themselves. Meals are freshly made each day and are drawn from a varied menu. The main meal could be anything from a roast dinner to a casserole or a fish dish. Side dishes always include potatoes or rice, and a generous serving of seasonal vegetables. Desserts are a treat, often featuring fruit or fruit salad. Any special dietary requirements are catered for, and meals are made with the elderly in mind. “Nothing too dry, we always include a sauce, ” says Maddie.
Meals are packaged and loaded into the van for collection points in Featherston and Greytown ready for delivery. Within Martinborough, Wharekaka does the door-to-door deliveries direct. Pre-Covid 19, volunteers covered this, but for now Maddie doubles as delivery driver, dropping off the meals she’s helped prepare earlier. “It’s not only about delivering food, Meals on Wheels is a regular daily contact for people,” she says.
The service is very flexible – some clients might only need Meals on Wheels for one or two days a week; bookings can be made 24 hours ahead. Meals including delivery are $9.20. New clients are always welcome – if you would like to book Meals on Wheels, contact Sally at Wharekaka reception ph:06 306 9701.
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