Senior Nutrition Meals in Motion: Meeting Meal 

Needs and Beyond 

Updated 6/2022 | Find the latest information and resources at acl.gov/senior-nutrition

Introduction

The need to provide affordable, accessible, and nutritious meals to older adults has 

always been a priority. Ongoing challenges include serving an increasing number of 

seniors, engaging and retaining these new customers, and providing services that 

adhere to social distancing guidelines. Evolving senior nutrition programs (SNPs) 

should strive to meet the emerging needs of older adults by serving this population, 

which has varied needs and preferences, in innovative ways. 

Evolving Business Challenges for SNPs

Older adult population growth 

Aging populations will be increasing significantly:

i

• In 2019, people 65 years and older accounted for 16.5% of the U.S. population. 

• By 2050, that number is expected to rise to 22%. 

Meeting the need

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found the following:ii

• Only 10% of an estimated 16.6 million low-income older adults received meals 

provided by the Older Americans Act. 

• An estimated 24% of low-income older adults were food insecure. 

• About 83% of low-income older adults did not receive any meal services. 

Transportation 

A lack of reliable transportation or being unable to drive are both real barriers for 

seniors who would like to go to a meal site to access services. A 2018 national survey 

found the following:

iii

• 1 in 5 Americans 65 or older are not driving. 

• Those living in rural areas or small towns have few choices for reliable

transportation.

• Only 15% of those who live in areas with public transportation use it. 

• Most older adults rely on family and friends for transportation. 
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Emergencies 

Emergencies can result in an unprecedented increase in the number of older adults 

who would benefit from SNP services. Emergencies, however, can also force closures 

of senior centers and community sites, making it more difficult for SNPs to provide 

meal services in congregate settings. This can leave many seniors without meal 

services, with limited services, in need of a transition to home delivery, and 

potentially result in growing waiting lists for home-delivered meal services. 

Emergency situations add to the existing food insecurity issues that many older 

adults experience. An estimated 5.5 million seniors age 60 and older are food 

insecure.iv Many seniors regularly face challenges accessing food due to mobility 

and transportation limitations, and if health restrictions or power outages are in 

place, these challenges are likely to be heightened.

During an emergency, the food truck is an ideal model for SNPs to pivot and mobilize 

to meet the needs of the older adult population wherever meals are needed. The 

flexibility of a food truck operation enables SNPs to confront sudden emergencies. An 

article published by the US Census Bureau on September 2, 2020, reported that when 

businesses were ordered closed and social distancing requirements went into effect 

amid the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants were among the hardest hit. But not all 

food service businesses were affected equally.v

 

During COVID-19, many food trucks continued to operate and thrive, with the public

relying on them when many other food establishments were closed. Food trucks had 

the advantage of offering grab-and-go and outdoor dining. An SNP-operated food 

truck could provide the program flexibility during public health emergencies to 

ensure meals are provided to older adults who are isolated due to stay-at-home

restrictions and the closing of senior centers and other congregate nutrition sites. 

SNPs could also use food trucks during other emergencies such as a power outage 

at senior housing or displacement due to fire or flood. 

See FAQ Managing SNPs During Emergencies. 

Meal variety

Balancing meal preferences between the “younger old” and the “older old” is a 

challenge for SNPs, as is providing more culturally authentic meals to a more diverse 

older adult population. Many SNPs have made strides in meeting these needs by 

expanding participant choice, including lighter fare options, offering mealtime

options such as breakfast, dinner, or salad bars, and expanding menus to offer more 

culturally appropriate meals. 
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Funding 

Although Older Americans Act Title IIIC SNPs receive federal funding, these funds are 

not meant to reach every older adult in the community. The SNP targets adults age 

60 and older who are in greatest social and economic need, with particular attention 

to older adults who are low income, members of minority groups, live in rural 

communities, have limited English proficiency, and those at risk of institutional care. 

SNPs have seen increased demand for their services, so a prudent administrator 

should consider incorporating tools and partnerships to meet the growing demand.

Prioritizing systems can help with ensuring the program is meeting those who are in

the greatest need. See Senior Nutrition Program Guide to Prioritizing Clients. 

Building relationships with other community-based organizations can help fund SNP

initiatives. When working with stakeholders, it is important to provide measurable 

outcomes for them to see how the funding is making a difference. See Business 

Acumen Basics for SNPs. 

SNP Meal Opportunities with Food Trucks 

A food truck is defined as a large, motorized vehicle or trailer, equipped to cook, 

prepare, serve, and/or sell food.vi This concept can be used to provide an OAA SNP 

Title III funded meal to isolated seniors, to form new strategic partnerships, engage 

with new senior audiences, and/or support socially distanced senior center events. 

The food truck industry, in various forms, dates back centuries. In recent years, the 

food truck industry has grown by an estimated 20%, making it a food retail revolution 

that appears to be, here to stay.

vii Currently, the food truck industry is outgrowing the 

restaurant industry, 5.5% to 4.3%.viii Many Americans, including seniors, have grown 

accustomed to seeing food trucks in their community. 

Clearly, offering a meal via a food truck is a viable concept. A 2018 report from Mobile 

Food Trends and Off the Grid found that 34% of food truck owners surveyed said that 

owning a food truck business gives them the opportunity to experiment and test out 

new menu items and interesting concepts.

ix 

Although a food truck is not a common business practice for SNPs, as in the business 

world, it has the potential to allow SNPs flexibility and experimentation with new 

menus and interesting concepts that could expand meal services to an underserved older adult population. A food truck provides an opportunity for an SNP 

caterer or central kitchen to highlight their culinary abilities while implementing 

contemporary or ethnic food options, entrée choices, and nontraditional mealtimes

and types that could include breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. These culinary skills 
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can be extended to area senior centers, scheduling a special party, an outdoor event 

on the center’s premises, or a picnic in a park requesting a food truck appearance to 

add to the fun and excitement. 

In addition to expanding nutrition services to ensure more people are served, a food 

truck can enable SNPs to experiment with providing choice, lighter fare, and culturally 

authentic meals. The mobility of the food truck gives SNPs the versatility to meet the 

meal needs of those older adult populations that are unlikely to attend a senior 

center or meal site but who could greatly benefit from the meal service. This could 

include seniors who lack transportation to a meal site, those who have caregiving 

responsibilities, younger seniors who have no interest in attending, or those who have 

a language barrier and are not comfortable attending a senior center or meal site.

SNPs can also utilize food trucks to target seniors who do not have access to senior 

centers or congregate meal sites, such as residents of dedicated senior housing 

buildings. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 

(HUD), 40% of public housing units are occupied by a head-of-household person 

who is 65 or older. Most of these households (88%) are individuals living alone. Over 

half of the elderly households live in public housing specifically for older adults. 

Chronic illnesses, along with poor health status and functional limitations, are more 

prevalent among lower‐income elderly. They are older, twice as likely to experience 

conditions and limitations that threaten their ability to live independently, and three 

times more likely to live alone. A concentrated effort to serve the older adult 

population living in subsidized housing with limited access to transportation and 

limited healthy food options is achievable using a food truck. Serving meals using a 

truck provides SNPs flexibility, enabling meal services at several locations per day 

while targeting meals to meet the specific dietary needs or preferences of each

population. 

Community fairs, festivals, outdoor concerts, and community events provide 

opportunities for SNPs who own or partner with a food truck to engage with their 

communities and fundraise, all while bringing visibility to their cause. SNPs with food 

trucks can serve current clients, expand services to new clientele, raise funds, and 

raise their community’s awareness of their service.

SNP Food Truck Social Enterprise Opportunity 

Social enterprises are typically nonprofit organizations that operate businesses to

generate revenue and fulfill their missions.x The food truck industry has experienced 

an overall revenue increase, so why not use a food truck as a mechanism for raising 

funds privately while bringing awareness to senior nutrition programs? 
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SNP Social Enterprise Example

The REAL Grille food truck is a social enterprise business of REAL Services located in 

South Bend, Indiana. The food truck has been in operation for just over two years. 

Traveling around the South Bend area, the truck operates March through 

November, serving the general public. All REAL Grille profits go directly to fund the 

REAL Services’ Meals on Wheels Program. REAL Grille customers (not senior 

participants) know their purchase benefits the SNP and they are eager to support 

the cause. Most food items cost about $10 each. REAL Grille also provides dinner 

meals to congregate meal sites for special occasions. REAL Services also offers 

catering through their “Simply Catering to You” business. This concept provides 

robust catering options for large groups and gatherings. All profits fund the Meals 

on Wheels program. Learn more about The REAL Grille. 

Key Steps to Launching a Food Truck Operation

Engage key stakeholders. SNPs are encouraged to discuss the plan to use a food 

truck to provide meals to seniors with their local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) and/or 

their State Unit on Aging (SUA), depending on the state. They should also include the 

health department to ensure health code requirements are met before design plans 

are entered. See State Retail and Food Service Codes and Regulations by States. 

If the SNP is a catered program, SNP staff are encouraged to discuss the plan to 

serve seniors via food truck with the caterer. SNP staff need to collaborate with the 

caterer to discuss the plans for the provision of meals from a food truck, and once 

the agreed-upon plan is developed, collaborate with the caterer to negotiate a price. 

If the SNP operates a central kitchen, they are encouraged to involve meal 

production staff in the plan to provide this new service. The goal is to keep the food 

truck meal cost on par with congregate nutrition program meal costs so that the 

food truck meals can be sustained within the SNP’s Title III allocation.

The food truck concept works best if the SNP operates a central kitchen or the SNP is 

within close proximity to the caterer’s kitchen. Having the food truck located at or 

close to the site of food production makes it easier for some of the food production 

to be done in the kitchen and then loaded onto the truck, leaving the remainder of 

the food production to be done directly on the food truck.

Select an appropriate vehicle. The SNP will need to weigh the pros and cons of 

operating a mobile food retail operation using a food trailer or truck. If a trailer is 

chosen, then the SNP will need a vehicle to tow it and a capable driver. The SNP will
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also have to budget for maintenance, repairs, fuel, registration, and insurance for all 

vehicles. This may cost more for a food truck than a trailer. However, it is easier to 

maneuver a food truck, as opposed to a trailer, into tight spaces.

The SNP will need to secure a vehicle for the food truck. Some SNPs may have access 

to municipal vehicles that can be obtained for free or at a low cost. A typical 

community shuttle bus or a small school bus make great food trucks and can be 

retrofitted for $25,000-$50,000 depending on how it is equipped. A retrofit can take 1-

3 months to complete, depending on the time of year. The SNP will need to research 

a reputable company to conduct the retrofit. Other food truck owners are often a 

great resource for information. The purchase or lease of a vehicle is generally 

categorized in a budget under “facility and equipment.” Local, state, and/or county

policies and procedures will apply when considering the purchase of a food truck; 

always check to see if a request for approval in advance of purchase is required. 

Secure appropriate vehicle registration and staffing. In addition to regular 

Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) registration requirements and vehicle insurance 

for the truck itself, an SNP will need a food service license, and the food truck 

manager will need to be certified. If the SNP is under multiple health departments 

and plans to use the food trucks within different districts, then the SNP will need to get 

a license for each district. Sometimes the health department will waive or reduce the 

fee for nonprofits. Every state has different requirements, so SNPs considering a food 

truck are urged to check their local requirements and fees. 

Consider ongoing expenses and equipment needs. SNPs will need to budget for the 

cost of propane to operate the stove, steam tables, and hot water tanks. Hand-wash 

sinks, and a food prep sink may need to be included. In addition, an electronic smart 

device register system will need to be purchased to track senior attendance as well 

as program business. Other costs include small wares such as serving utensils, hotel 

pans, stock pots, and cleaning supplies. After the food truck is fully equipped, one of 

the biggest additional expenses is having the vehicle wrapped, (wrapping is 

covering the vehicle with a vinyl wrap displaying logos and other information) to 

ensure visibility and brand recognition. Vehicle wrapping expenses could range from 

$4,000-$8,000. Some vehicle wrapping companies are willing to give discounts to

non-profits. A catchy name is recommended — one that does not identify with a 

particular food, to ensure versatility and flexibility. 

Anticipate data management needs. Using the Food Truck for Title IIIC senior meal 

services requires a Point-of-Sale (POS) system containing an application designed 

to track attendance and produce required funder reports, that also integrates with 
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SNP’s meal software. Such POS applications are currently in use at over 50 SNP

restaurant partnerships across the country. 

For more details, please refer to the No Reservations Required Restaurant 

Partnerships issue brief for details. 

Additional Considerations

Labor: Operating a food truck provides a good opportunity for SNPs to have a 

mutually beneficial job training program with the Title V Senior Employment 

program, area colleges and technical high schools, and the Department of Labor. 

These partnerships provide free or low-cost labor to the SNP while providing job skills 

to the trainee that may lead to unsubsidized, permanent employment.

When operating the food truck for senior meal services, at least two people should 

be working on the truck, one person to handle food preparation and the other person 

to serve and engage with the participants. Large scale events will require up to three 

workers to handle the higher volume, faster paced environment, and the exchange 

of payment for meals purchased. In addition, private larger-scale events may need 

a “runner” to replenish food items as they run out, as well as gas for the generator. 

See Tips for Recruiting and Working with Volunteers. 

Engaging new audiences: Senior housing locations are ideal for food truck 

implementation, especially in areas that lack transportation. Offering meals to senior 

housing residents allows the SNP to focus on low-income older adults congregating 

in one location. SNPs are encouraged to meet with building management to get 

permission to locate the food truck at the housing building to provide meals to the 

residents. SNPs should determine if there is ample room close to the building for easy 

access to the food truck. Once the SNP has established locations, it should advertise 

the availability of the food truck program among the residents and schedule an 

information and registration session. Residents interested in participating must 

complete the state intake form for Title III services, after which they will receive a QRcoded card that enables the SNP to track attendance by location.

For food trucks providing meals at ethnically diverse senior housing complexes, the 

menu should be designed to offer plenty of choices, including ethnically authentic 

items. Program participants can also be invited to submit menu suggestions with 

recipes that the registered dietitian can adjust to meet the OAA Senior Nutrition 

Program dietary guideline requirements. In the summer, both hot and cold menu 

options can be offered. See Dietary Guideline for Americans and Older Adults: Toolkit 

for SNPs for menu guidance. 
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Participant contributions: To comply with OAA donation requirements, a locked box 

should be affixed to the outside of the truck to allow seniors to drop their confidential

donations. 

Meal Count Logistics: Policy and procedure should also cover the circumstances

under which meals are reported as congregate vs. home delivered. Congregate 

meals are meals provided in a congregate or group setting and eaten with another 

person (in-person or virtually). Meals can be consumed on site with others or 

delivered, picked up, carried out, or served by drive-through and consumed at home 

while congregating virtually with others. Home-delivered meals are provided via 

home delivery, pick-up, carry-out, or drive-through without congregating. Local 

policies will need to consider state policies, rules, and regulations. 

As mentioned earlier, a scan card issued to a registered SNP participant is the best 

way to identify eligible participants in a timely fashion. Policies and procedures will 

need to be developed to address issues such as a registered participant 

forgetting/losing their scan card (consider the phone number as alternate sign-in), 

a non-registered eligible person wanting a meal (can you register them on-site?), a 

person 60 and older who does not want to fill out the registration form but wants the 

meal, etc. 

Maintaining socialization: At senior housing locations, participants can be 

encouraged to bring their meals to the community room with their friends and eat 

lunch together. Some seniors will bring their meals to their homes and dine with 

friends. It may happen that a spouse is homebound, and the other spouse will come 

to the food truck to obtain meals to bring home where they will eat together. On nice 

days, management can consider placing picnic tables outside for residents to eat 

on, if safe to do so. Providers can plan tailgating events outside, to include a meal 

and socialization. Telephone outreach programs can be implemented to engage 

older adults at home. Events and activities suitable for indoor or outdoor locations 

(i.e., guest speakers, concerts, etc.) can be scheduled to coincide with the food truck.

See Health, Well-being, and/or Social Connections in a Remote Environment. 

Launching a social enterprise venture: If SNPs are considering leveraging the food 

truck to raise money privately, they need to start by developing a business plan. SNPs 

that need help creating such plans can contact their local Senior Corps of Retired 

Executives (SCORE) chapter for free assistance. See the following resources: 

• Building the Business Capacity of Senior Nutrition Program 2016-2017

• Business Acumen Basics for Senior Nutrition Programs

• Business 101: Tips to Ensure Your Program Runs Smoothly and Efficiently
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• Marketing: Re-Thinking Your Understanding and Re-Assessing Your Strategy

For SNPs that operate a central kitchen or those that use caterers, both can engage 

culinary experts to choose quick, easy, and popular menus that offer a reasonable 

but competitive price. Providing food at a public event, especially one that has other

food trucks, is very different than providing meals to seniors. SNPs should check what

other vendors will be offering and strive to provide different options to avoid directly 

competing for business with others. 

Anticipated barriers: In some states, it is difficult to operate a food truck year-round 

due to weather conditions. In states that experience cold winters, SNPs can limit 

operations to months with milder weather. If the food truck is garaged, an SNP may 

be able to extend the season.

It can be difficult to determine the number of meals needed; in some cases, seniors 

get excited when they see the truck and decide to participate in numbers greater 

than anticipated. Alternatively, bad weather can result in fewer people participating 

than hoped. Sometimes, participation is lower than expected due to an unforeseen

problem, e.g., a broken elevator in the nearby senior residence that makes it difficult 

for residents to get out to the truck. The SNP should prepare for more than expected, 

while also being able to pivot if attendance is unexpectedly low. Transitioning to 

another senior building is an option; the SNP should inform management that the 

food truck will be arriving and ask them to notify the residents. Another option is to 

sell the meals to the public or to the SNP’s agency employees.

Conclusion 

An increased need for inventive solutions to reach the aging population can have its 

challenges. Food trucks can be a competitive, contemporary, and flexible alternative 

to a traditional food operation with long-established SNP sites. By establishing a food 

truck operation, SNPs can expand their meal service offerings and engage varied, 

new clientele while being mindful of current operational constraints, and positioning 

the organization to meet current and future business challenges. 
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General Sources

Accessed December 2020

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020. People at Increased Risk for Severe Illness. 

Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics. Older Americans 2016: Key Indicators 

of Well-Being and Older Americans 2020: Key Indicators of Well-being. 

Land K, Yang Y. Morbidity, Disability and Mortality. In: Handbook of Aging and the Social 

Sciences, ed. Robert Binstock and Linda George (Burlington, MA: Academic Press, 2006), 

pages 41-58.

Meals on Wheels America. Hunger in Older Adults: Challenges and Opportunities for the Aging 

Services Network., 2017. 

MSN Lifestyles, 2020. Food trucks businesses boom during COVID-19. 

National Center for Health in Public Housing. Demographic Facts Residents Living in Public 

Housing. 

U.S. Census Bureau. 2010 Census shows 65 and Older Population Growing Faster Than Total 

U.S. Population. 

University of Michigan, 2018. Social isolation puts elderly at health risk. 

Ujvari K, Fox-Grage W, Houser A, 2019. Older Americans Act. AARP Public Policy Institute. 

i Share of old age population (65 years and older) in the total U.S. population from 1950 to 

2050. Statista.

ii U.S. Government Accountability Office. Older Americans Act: Updated Information on Unmet 

Need for Services. Letter to The Honorable Bernard Sanders. GAO-15-601R, June 10, 2015. 

iii KRC Research National Poll: Inability to Drive, Lack of Transportation Options are Major 

Concerns for Older Adults, 2018. 

iv The Impact of the Coronavirus on Food Insecurity. (2020). Feeding America. 

v U.S. Census Bureau, 2020. Fast-Growing Food Truck Industry Can Operate Amid COVID-19 

Social Distancing Rules, No Indoor Seating Orders. 

vi Merriam Webster, 2020. Food truck definition. 

vii U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, 2020. Food Truck Nation Report.

viii Trends Shaping the Food Truck Industry Outlook in 2022 (January 13, 2022). 

ix Off The Grid, 2018. Think Mobile, Act Local: The Future of Mobile Food in America. 

x Social Enterprise Overview. Community-Wealth.org

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Special thanks to Resource Center consultant Lisa Labonte, the original author of a previous 

version of this document.