Background One of the poorest countries in the world, Malawi's palliative care system is under-resourced, and one-third of the population is food-insecure. Aims This study describes the lived experience of female palliative care patients, and their caregivers, and aimed to: (1) analyse their physical, spiritual and mental health needs; and (2) analyse best palliative nursing practice for patients at the end of life. An unexpected finding was the impact of food insecurity on the women and their caregivers. Methods We conducted interviews with 26 women who at the end of life and 14 of their caregivers. All were participating in a community palliative care programme offered by an AIDS support organisation in Kasungu, Malawi. We used deductive qualitative analysis to organise identified themes using the four pillars of food security: availability, access, utilisation and stability. Findings All study participants experienced challenges with food security. Conclusions We offer policy recommendations for palliative care nurses, and other allied health professionals.