Super kitchen to wheel out meals

A CENTRAL Meals on Wheels kitchen aimed at reducing the cost of meals while increasing their nutrition has received $6 million of State Government funding.
A total of 14 councils are involved in the Regional Food Kitchen that will help them to cope with the growing demand for the Meals on Wheels service. Greater Dandenong Community Services director June Dugina said the new kitchen would enable Greater Dandenong to provide meals that met the needs of its residents.
“Not only will council be able to provide high-quality meals but it will also allow for a diverse menu which will cater for different ethnic diets and special dietary requirements,” she said.
Ms Dugina said without significant funding from the State Government this project would not have become a reality. She said the centralised kitchen would also enable councils to keep costs down.
“This valuable service assists our residents to live independently in their own homes and maintain their nutritional requirements, health and wellbeing,” Ms Dugina.
“The kitchen will have the capacity to expand production to two million meals each year. At the moment the 14 councils provide 1.4 million meals to 13,400 clients each year.”
Councils participating in the project include Greater Dandenong, Banyule, Brimbank, Hobson’s Bay, Hume, Macedon Ranges, Melton, Yarra, Darebin, Greater Geelong, Moreland, Maribyrnong, Moonee Valley and Stonnington.