Nutrition for older Australians

Older Australians face unique nutritional needs, and your meals can help meet them. With a few simple adjustments, you can support healthy ageing, boost customer wellbeing, and tap into a growing market.

Why good nutrition matters as we age

Malnutrition affects around 1 in 2 older Australians in aged care or living independently. It's not always obvious, but it can have serious consequences, including frailty, falls, slower healing, and hospitalisation. One major contributor is sarcopenia – the age-related loss of muscle, which is closely linked to low energy and protein intake.

But food businesses like yours can make a real difference. For older Australians, especially those supported through Home Care Packages (HCP), access to regular, nutritious meals isn’t just about convenience – it’s vital to staying independent and well.

A growing opportunity for meal providers

More Australians are choosing to age at home, and many are eligible for government-subsidised meals. This shift creates a meaningful opportunity for local food businesses.

Food businesses that can provide meals that are nutritionally balanced, easy to order, and available via convenient delivery or local pick-up are well-placed to grow their customer base while making a positive impact.

Even small adjustments, like offering more appropriate portion sizes or optimising protein content. can make your menu more accessible and attractive to this group.

What older adults need from meals

As people age, their appetite may decrease, but their nutritional needs become even more important. Meals should be energy-dense, protein-rich, and fortified where possible.

Each main meal should aim for 25–30g of protein, with fortified snacks, soups or desserts providing smaller boosts throughout the day. Ingredients that support healthy ageing include:

• Protein-rich foods like chicken, fish, legumes, eggs and dairy

• Calcium-rich options to maintain bone strength (e.g. dairy, leafy greens, fortified plant milks)

• Vitamin B6 sources to support brain function and immunity (e.g. bananas, potatoes, fortified cereals)

Taste, texture and familiarity also matter. Meals that are flavourful, easy to chew, and made with culturally recognisable ingredients can help improve intake, enjoyment and routine.

Using Cookaborough to meet best practice

The Cookaborough platform makes it easy to apply nutrition best practice. You can:

• Use the Nutrition Information Panel to ensure meals meet protein and energy targets

• Use menu badges to identify meals that are ‘high protein’

• Organise your menu clearly, with sections for smaller serves or fortified snacks

• Ensure each recipe includes portion sizes, dietary tags, and clear heating instructions

• Include useful FAQs that address common questions from older customers or their carers

You can find a full breakdown of all our recommended nutrition practices, menu design tips, and meal examples in our resource below.

Cookaborough Menu Guide