Daily living and community access
NDIS Meal Preparation Support
NDIS meal preparation support helps you plan, shop for and cook meals that suit your needs, or learn to do more of it yourself. On Solotude, it’s provided by independent support workers, with dietitians for specific dietary needs.
Last updated October 2026
What meal preparation support usually includes
- Planning meals for the week
- Writing a shopping list and going shopping
- Preparing and cooking meals
- Cooking in batches and freezing meals
- Learning to cook simple, healthy meals
- Following a meal plan from your dietitian or speech pathologist
Meal delivery
Some participants can use NDIS funding towards prepared meal delivery, where their disability makes cooking hard. Generally the NDIS funds the preparation and delivery part of the cost, not the ingredients, so you still pay a share. Whether it applies to you depends on your plan, so check with your planner, LAC or support coordinator.Who provides meal preparation?
Support workers deliver most meal preparation support. If you have specific dietary needs, a dietitian can write a plan for your support workers to follow. If you have trouble swallowing, a speech pathologist should be involved too.Support workers
Help with planning, shopping and cooking, and teach cooking skills where that’s the goal. About NDIS support workers · Support workers in SydneyDietitians
Create meal plans for health conditions, texture-modified diets or tube feeding, and train your support workers to follow them. About NDIS dietitians · Dietitians in SydneyHow much does NDIS meal preparation cost?
Help with meal preparation is usually paid from your Core Supports budget, under Assistance with Daily Life. The NDIS sets price limits, and rates change with the time of day and day of the week. Help with eating and drinking isn’t affected by the budget changes from 1 October 2026. Every provider on Solotude shows their rate on their profile, so you know the cost before you message them. For current price limits, check the official NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits.Finding meal preparation on Solotude
- Create a free account. It takes a couple of minutes and you don’t need your NDIS number. Create a free account
- Search for support workers by your suburb, the days you need and the support you’re after.
- Read profiles and see exactly what Solotude has checked for each provider.
- Message providers directly. Your phone and email stay private until you choose to share them.
- Agree the support and the price in a service agreement between the two of you.
Frequently asked questions
Does the NDIS pay for meals?
No. The NDIS pays for help to plan, shop for and cook meals, not the food itself. Groceries are an everyday living cost. For meal delivery, it may fund the preparation and delivery part of the cost.Who can help with meal preparation?
Support workers help with planning, shopping and cooking. Dietitians write meal plans for specific dietary needs, and speech pathologists help if swallowing is a concern.Can I use my NDIS funding for a meal delivery service?
Possibly. Some participants can use funding towards the preparation and delivery cost of prepared meals, but not the ingredients. It depends on your plan and your needs, so check with your planner, LAC or support coordinator.What if I have specific dietary needs?
Work with a dietitian to create a meal plan, then share it with your support workers. If you need texture-modified food or drinks, a speech pathologist should assess your swallowing first.Related services
