top of page

Our Services  /  Other Resources  /  Nutrition

Nutrition

Food Resources, Delivery Services and Nutrition

If you can’t get out to the grocery store, the groceries can come to you!

 

Online Groceries refers to a grocery store that allows individuals to purchase grocery products online and have them delivered or ready for pick-up. There is usually a delivery charge for this service – there may also be a minimum order requirement; a pick-up fee and a possible fuel surcharge.

 

​

Grocery or Restaurant delivery

​

Bridgewater Family Service Center – Shopping Services for the Elderly provides services to home-bound elderly, so they can continue to live in the community. Contact the Somerset County Office on Aging for referral information: 1-888-747-1122 or 908-704-6346.

 

Local churches have some volunteers that might be able to help with grocery shopping. Call the Ridge Oak office to inquire.

 

Eating Right

Good nutrition is important at any age but as we get older, some of our nutritional needs start to change. The USDA food patterns suggest that people 50 or older choose healthy foods everyday from the following:

 

Fruits: 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 cups (equals a 2-inch peach or 1/4 cup of dried fruit).

 

Vegetables: 2 to 3-1/2 cups (equals two cups of uncooked leafy vegetable).

 

Grains: 5 to 10 ounces (equals a small muffin, a slice of bread, a cup of flaked, ready-to-eat cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta).

 

Protein: 5 to 7 ounces (equals one egg, 1/4 cup of cooked beans or tofu, 1/2 ounce of nuts or seeds, or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter).

 

Dairy:  3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk (equals one cup of yogurt or 1-1/2 to 2 ounces of cheese). One cup of cottage cheese is the same as 1/2 cup of milk.

 

Oils: 5 to 8 teaspoons (add oil during cooking or eat foods like olives, nuts, and avocado).

 

Solid fats and added sugars (SoFAS): keep the amount of SoFAS small.

 

Paying for Food

If you are not sure how or if you can pay for your next meal or next week's groceries, NJ SNAP can help.

 

NJ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly Food Stamps, is New Jersey's assistance program that can help low-income families buy the groceries they need to eat healthy. 

 

The Food Stamp Program provides food assistance to low-income households. Program eligibility is based upon a household’s income and residency. You must be a legal permanent US resident for 5 years prior to applying. The 2024-25 income limit for a single individual is $2,322/month and $3,151 for a couple. Different income limits apply to non-citizens who came into the US with a sponsor. Call the office for more information.

 

You can apply online for NJ SNAP or in person at:

  • Somerset County Board of Social Services
    73 East High St, Somerville, NJ 08876
    908-526-8800

 

The Food Bank Network distributes food and other basic human needs to those in need in the community. The agency works through food pantries located in Somerville, Bound Brook and North Plainfield (732) 560-1813.

 

God’s Co-Op Food Pantry (run by local church volunteers) is in Bernardsville and distributes food to those in need.  Income eligibility required. Call the Ridge Oak office for information and to learn how to apply.​

bottom of page