meals on wheels

American  

noun

(sometimes initial capital letter)

1. a program, usually one supported or subsidized by a charitable, social, or government agency, for delivering hot meals regularly to elderly, disabled, or convalescing persons who are housebound and cannot cook for themselves.

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meals on wheels British  

noun

1. (functioning as singular) social welfare a service, usually subsidized, and run by a social services department or voluntary body, which delivers hot meals to elderly or housebound people who might otherwise be unable to have them

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Etymology

Origin of meals on wheels

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Aged 82, she had lived in Australia for decades and was honoured in 2022 for delivering kosher meals on wheels for decades, the group said.

From Barron's

She volunteered for Meals on Wheels, served on local hospital and library boards, and wrote magazine articles.

From The Wall Street Journal

These include services like Meals on Wheels, which serves 260 million meals to 2 million people each year.

From Salon

Meals on Wheels fate is still uncertain.

From Salon

Leaders of Meals on Wheels, which delivers food to seniors, warned that the spending freeze had the potential to interrupt its operations.

From Slate