At noon, a tempting aroma of food wafts from a two-story building in a village in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Ma Xueyun, 70, and his wife walk into the canteen with their elderly dining cards, spending only 10 yuan (1.41 U.S. dollars) per person for a meat dish, two veggies, soup and rice.

"We're regulars here. It's close and clean. The soft, light home-style dishes suit us and are affordable," Ma said. "It's also a comfortable place to meet our old pals."

The 500-square-meter canteen, housed in a repurposed building in Zhonghua Village in the city of Wuzhong, began operations in August last year mainly to address dining issues for the elderly. Partly supported by the local government and operated by a village-owned enterprise, the canteen serves people of all ages and caters to group events and banquets.

Zhonghua Village has over 3,000 villagers, with the elderly accounting for 30 percent.

By the end of 2024, China's population aged 65 and older had surged to 220 million, accounting for 15.6 percent of the total population -- a historic high in both scale and proportion. The government predicts that this number will grow by more than 10 million each year over the next decade.

As China's population ages and many young people migrate to cities for work, rural areas are left with a growing number of elderly residents struggling to prepare daily meals. In response, government-supported canteens have emerged across the country, aiming to provide not only hot, nutritious food but also a sense of community for seniors.

Village Party chief Ma Jinxin said that for seniors with limited mobility, the village has mobilized a team comprising Party members, community workers, property staff and volunteers to provide doorstep meal delivery services.

The canteen offers discounts for seniors and children, with special rates for those in difficulty, said staff member Mian Lijuan.

Since February, Mian has been delivering meals to a 70-year-old woman who suffered from a stroke and a broken arm. "Her family orders via WeChat, and it only takes minutes to deliver," she said.

The canteen has created employment for locals. Ma Xiuping, 50, works as a kitchen helper. "The job saves me from outdoor work and allows me to take care of my family while earning 2,600 yuan a month," she noted. The facility also has a "children's corner," where schoolchildren can rest and play at noon and after school, when their parents are too busy to pick them up.

Statistics show China had 75,000 senior meal spots by 2024, serving over 2.9 million elderly people daily.

Zhang Xingning, from the elderly work and care service division of the regional civil affairs department, stated that Ningxia is exploring a sustainable, multi-party funding model to ensure these rural canteens can operate affordably in the long term.

"By combining government subsidies with collective, social and individual contributions, we are dedicated to enabling more rural seniors to access nutritious, hot meals right at their doorstep," Zhang said.