Having cancer can impact your ability to access or afford food
Sometimes you might not feel well enough to cook or go to the shops. If you are working less, affording food can also become a problem.
The support groups below can help you maintain a balanced diet. If being able to buy or access nutritious food is a problem, let your cancer team know so they can link you to a social worker, who can help you at this time.
Having ready meals and food delivered
There are a good range of nutritious readymade meals available frozen from the supermarket. Large supermarkets deliver and there are companies who deliver meal ingredients or prepared meals such as Hello Fresh, Marley Spoon and Lite n’ Easy.
Supermarkets have “click and collect” or delivery services. Coles, Woolworths and IGA have some free delivery options or for a small charge.
Having a few readymade meals in the freezer can be really helpful for you, your family or others supporting you.
Support information and services
If you need someone to help shop or bring food to you, there are a number of valuable support services.
Low cost, affordable meals delivered fresh or frozen to you.
Gather My Crew is a mobile app that helps you coordinate offers of help from friends and family. Developed by clinicians, it is a simple way to get the right help, at the right time and keep everyone updated in one easy to use app.
Financial help and access to food
If you are working less or have stopped work this can impact your budget. There are groups that can provide support, even for a short time until your situation changes.
Foodbank is a food relief organisation who work with front line charities to feed Australians when they need support.
OZ Harvest collects and redistributes good food to people who need help at challenging times. Access food relief in your area.
For some people a diagnosis of cancer can make already difficult circumstances even harder. Ask Izzy is a website that connects people who are in crisis with the services they need right now and nearby to them. It includes access to housing, food, money help, legal and domestic violence support.
Cancer Council Victoria provide information and advice about managing finances and legal services available to people affected by cancer.
