Find support people that can assist you with meal preparation

Good nutrition is vital for staying healthy and enjoying the best possible quality of life. For NDIS participants, Mable is the place to find an independent support worker who can assist with preparing meals, cooking, and building your capacity to do grocery shopping in the community.

How can I spend my NDIS funding on meal preparation and cooking?

Some people with disability need support to prepare nutritious meals. For this reason, funding for meal preparation and cooking can be included in NDIS plans for many participants.

Funding for meal preparation and delivery comes from the ‘Core Supports’ budget of your NDIS plan, falling under the ‘Assistance with Daily Life’ category. Core Supports budgets are very flexible, so you should have the choice to use some of your funding for help with meal prep – providing it meets the criteria for being ‘reasonable and necessary’.

With regards to NDIS meal preparation and cooking, what is considered reasonable and necessary will depend on your disability and your needs. For example, if you are unable to go grocery shopping or prepare meals independently, funding for a support worker to assist you is likely to be considered reasonable and necessary. If you prefer, your support worker could also assist you with online grocery shopping.

The NDIS can also fund meal preparation and/or delivery if your primary carer cannot assist you with food shopping or cooking within their allocated support time.

Can I find a support worker that prepares meals?

Mable’s network of support workers can provide support for meal preparation in your home at the times that work best for you. They can assist with cooking fresh, healthy meals to suit your tastes and food preferences, including vegetarian and organic meals as well as your favourite recipes.

Some of the ways a support worker can help with NDIS meal preparation include:

• planning, preparing, cooking and serving your meals
• monitoring your food pantry and keeping it stocked up
• grocery shopping, including transport to the shops
• supervising your eating and drinking (for people who have swallowing difficulties, for example)
• domestic help, such as cleaning up your meal preparation and eating areas.

Does the NDIS pay for home delivery for groceries?

If you are unable to do your own shopping, you may be able to shop online and use funding from your NDIS Core Supports budget to pay the delivery fee. If it meets the reasonable and necessary criteria you can also use your NDIS funding to cover delivery fees for services such as Uber Eats. 

It’s important to note that the cost of groceries and meals themselves are considered to be personal expenses, and therefore not covered under NDIS funding. 

Can I get cooking lessons using the NDIS?

Learning to prepare meals for yourself is an important part of gaining independence. If learning to cook is one of your goals and will help build your independence, then you may be able to use NDIS funding for cooking lessons.

This would come from your Capacity Building Supports budget, under the ‘Improved Daily Living’ category of your plan. Cooking lessons may be delivered individually or in group classes.

Cooking lessons usually cover important information and skills such as kitchen and food safety, along with teaching you how to follow recipes and prepare and cook healthy meals.

If you need support to find, book, or attend cooking classes, a support worker can help.