How to get my special diet cooked and delivered (UK)

[Sasha]

I'm finding food prep a struggle because I have to do it from scratch, due to multiple food sensitivities. I can't buy ready meals for that reason. I don't want a carer in because I'm still trying to shield from Covid, and because it would be expensive.

Are there companies that cook to your spec and deliver? If so, what search terms should I google on to find them locally?

 

[InitialConditions]

I'm finding food prep a struggle because I have to do it from scratch, due to multiple food sensitivities. I can't buy ready meals for that reason. I don't want a carer in because I'm still trying to shield from Covid, and because it would be expensive.

Are there companies that cook to your spec and deliver? If so, what search terms should I google on to find them locally?

I would search for 'meal prep' services. You'll likely need someone working from home on a small scale. They often cater for people on diets due to exercise/fitness regimes.

 

[Sasha]

I would search for 'meal prep' services. You'll likely need someone working from home on a small scale. They often cater for people on diets due to exercise/fitness regimes.

Thanks, that was a good suggestion but having put it in, it seems to be a lot of companies offering home delivery of ready meals aimed at the health market (e.g. vegan, training, etc.) rather than to the customer's spec. I need to be able to say, 'Roast some asparagus, cauliflower and sweet potato with no oil or seasoning and stick it in a box' and have them deliver it. I'm wondering if that's called something else.

 

[Sasha]

Yikes, would it be a private chef?

 

[Kitty]

Yikes, would it be a private chef?

Sort of! Though it could just be someone who for whatever reason needs ultra-flexible work and not too much of it.

I used to have help with cleaning from a woman who'd been made redundant a few years before pension age, who topped up her income doing cash-in-hand work four mornings a week. Her husband kept my garden under control, but as he did part time tuition and also ferried grandkids to training and competitions, we just agreed he'd come about twice a month between March and October.

It was perfect all round, but it wasn't easy to find. Mags started it almost accidentally, by answering an ad in the local shop from someone who needed help with cleaning for a while after surgery. From then on it was word-of-mouth.

My mate found a good gardener by asking a local company to do periodic maintenance—it was usually the same guy visiting, so she got to know him. He later left for a different job, but two or three of the regulars asked if he'd carry on. Must be 10 years ago now, and he's still doing her garden. So that's a possible route to find reliable people.

 

[Mij]

I'm not in the UK but perhaps you could try googling "special diet food delivery"? Some companies specifically cater to diabetics, celiac and persons with food sensitivities.

 

[Sasha]

I'm not in the UK but perhaps you could try googling "special diet food delivery"? Some companies specifically cater to diabetics, celiac and persons with food sensitivities.

Unfortunately my diet needs to be completely bespoke - it's way beyond what most people would consider a special diet.

 

[Mij]

What I meant by 'special diet' is that it can mean a whole range of accommodations for an individual and your particular needs? I don't know if such a service exists but there are so many people like yourself with issues.

 

[Kitty]

Unfortunately my diet needs to be completely bespoke

Would it make a difference if someone did all the prep? I sometimes get help with that for batch cooking.

Chopping raw veg is a whole order of magnitude easier to explain, but it still makes life a lot easier.