title: Commercial frozen meals: a cost-effective alternative for home-delivery in feeding programs for the elderly?
abstract: The costs of eight commercial and eight congregate-site frozen meals were compared in this study. Only half of the congregate-site meals were cheaper on a per ounce basis. The average cost per ounce of all eight congregate-site meals was only one cent less than that of the commercial meals. Preference data, collected previously from elderly participants, indicated significantly higher preference for four of the eight commercial meals. Commercial meals with the highest preference ratings also were less costly per ounce than the corresponding congregate-site meals. Results suggest that commercial frozen meals could be a cost-effective alternative for nutrition programs offering home-delivered meals.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tak
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Gregoire
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Morcos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005518:Food Preferences; D005519:Food Preservation; D005522:Food Services / Q000191:economics; D005615:Freezing; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000191:economics; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans