'Comfort in food': Edmonton Meals on Wheels expands to serve South Asian community

Edmonton Meals on Wheels showed off some new food offerings at an event on Sept. 20, 2024. (Galen McDougall/CTV News Edmonton)

Edmonton Meals on Wheels is expanding its menu to include more culturally appropriate dishes for Edmonton's South Asian communities.

Through a collaboration between the Shaama Centre and Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative, new authentically prepared frozen meal options have been added to the menu to better serve local Meals on Wheels clients.

"It's a big job, but it was a lot of fun because we brought volunteers directly from the South Asian community in to work with us," Sonja Zacharko of Edmonton Meals on Wheels said at a launch event on Friday.

"Food is so much more than just physical. When people can find comfort in food and can identify with it, it improves well-being so much."

Zacharko says the organization will look at expanding their menu to additional cultural groups soon.

Edmonton Meals on Wheels delivers affordable, fresh, nutritional meals to Edmonton seniors and other home-bound individuals.