In northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, rural canteens have been set up in villages to provide affordable meals for elderly residents, including those left behind, living alone, or having difficulty cooking for themselves.
In Liuba Village in Pingli Township, Ankang City, a canteen has been set up to provide affordable meals for left-behind elderly residents.
Located in the hinterland of the Qinba mountain area, Liuba Village has an aging population, with nearly 30 percent of its residents aged over 60. The canteen is housed in a government-provided resettlement building for elderly people living alone and other vulnerable groups.
Elderly villagers pay only five yuan (about 0.73 U.S. dollars) per meal, while those from low-income households pay just two yuan (about 0.30 U.S. dollars).
"The food in this canteen is delicious, and it's convenient to eat here because I can't cook," said Zhao Guolan, a local villager.
For elderly villagers who are disabled or partially disabled, or have difficulty walking, village officials and volunteers have formed a meal delivery team to bring meals directly to their homes.
"I'm a cook at this canteen, and I always try to cook different dishes every day and make the food soft, so that the elderly can have a good meal at an affordable price," said Li Jinping, a cook at the village canteen.
A similar canteen has also been established in Shizhu Village, Tongchuan City, adopting a model where elderly villagers help care for one another to ensure everyone can have meals on time.
The canteen involves elderly villagers in cleaning, food preparation, and cooking, allowing them to earn free meals in return. It also relies on special government subsidies, online livestreams, and public charitable donations to raise funds and maintain normal operations.
"Next, we aim to become self-sufficient. We plan to cultivate unused small plots of land in the village, grow vegetables, and raise some chickens and ducks, hoping to make our canteen better and better," said Qin Hongmei, Party branch secretary of Shizhu Village.
Village canteens in Shaanxi provide affordable meals for elderly
