Cooking and meal help

SNAP, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides food benefits to eligible low-income households so they can buy food. California runs SNAP as CalFresh. The Department of Social Services says monthly benefits are issued electronically and can be used to buy most foods at many markets. Apply online at BenefitsCal.com or GetCalFresh.org, or contact the county. The CalFresh Benefits Helpline on that page is 1-877-847-3663. The county decides the case. A CalFresh FAQ says the state must process an application within 30 days.

California's Restaurant Meals Program lets some CalFresh recipients buy prepared meals at approved restaurants. CDSS says it is for adults age 60 or older, people with disabilities, people who are homeless, and their spouses. There is no separate application if you already get CalFresh and you are in one of those groups. Use the map on the CDSS page. A restaurant has to be an approved vendor.

Texas

Texas Health and Human Services says SNAP helps people buy food and is loaded on a Lone Star Card for stores that accept SNAP. The page says benefits can buy fruits, vegetables, milk, bread, cereal, and meat, and cannot buy tobacco, alcohol, non-food items, or vitamins and medicines. It also says that as of April 1, 2026, Texas SNAP cannot be used for candy or certain sweetened drinks. Read that page before you shop. Households in which everyone is 60 or older, or has a disability, may use the Texas Simplified Application Project. Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com, or ask a local benefits office. Call 2-1-1 to find that office.

Meals on Wheels America says local providers usually serve adults 60 and older who have trouble shopping, cooking, or getting out, and that age rules vary by provider. Meals may be free, a suggested donation, or a sliding scale. You can refer someone else. Most providers need an application, and some need an assessment or a letter from a doctor or social worker. The finder warns that demand is high and a small provider may be slow to call back. If a ZIP code has no provider, the page says to widen the search or contact the State Unit on Aging.

Outside a local meal provider, the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 can help find aging services, including for adults with disabilities. Medi-Cal plans may also offer medically supportive meals as a Community Support. Ask the plan. It is not the same as Meals on Wheels or CalFresh.

In-Home Supportive Services can include meal preparation and meal cleanup as related services. The state regulations say meal preparation includes planning menus, taking food out, washing and cutting food, cooking, serving, pureeing, and cutting food into bite-size pieces. Meal cleanup includes washing dishes and cookware, putting food away, and wiping the table, counters, stove, and sink after the meal. General cleaning of the refrigerator or the stove is domestic service, not meal cleanup.

The county authorizes the hours. IHSS pays only for tasks a social worker has authorized. The fact sheet says you should not ask a provider to do tasks you can do safely yourself. How to apply, and what to do if hours are cut, is on the IHSS guide. Texas does not use IHSS. Meal help there starts with SNAP, Meals on Wheels, and the waiver program you are actually enrolled in.