Food banks and food pantries are a valuable resource for many in the community experiencing food insecurity and hunger. They play a critical role in helping people with limited income fulfill their dietary needs. Often food benefits, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), may not be sufficient to meet all the needs of people living with food insecurity. In Brown County, there are around 40 food pantries, each operating uniquely. Some of these pantries have specific requirements, such as residence of a certain area or school district, Tribal membership, or income requirements.

Besides their unique requirements, generally, food pantries will distribute food to clients in one of two ways: by using a prefilled bag or box of items (the traditional model) or by allowing clients to select items (the client-choice model).*  The food we consume has a direct impact on health. A healthy lifestyle, which includes following a healthy dietary pattern, can help individuals achieve and maintain good health and reduce the risk of chronic disease, such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancers.** The average American does not consume the recommended portions of food groups for managing and preventing disease. Due to this, food pantries play a vital role in improving nutrition and health in Brown County.

In 2022, we surveyed 20 Brown County food pantries to understand what food options they are providing community members. Based on responses, we categorized what pantries were providing a healthy food package. We defined a healthy food package as one that provides at least 3 out of the 5 food groups recommendations based on MyPlate. This means that half of the package should be fresh, canned, frozen fruits and vegetables, at least 50% whole grains, low-fat dairy options, and lean protein options, such as fish, eggs, canned or dry beans.

In 2022, we found that 45% of Brown County food pantries offer healthy food packages. We asked food pantries to take the survey again in 2023, where we found that 58% of Brown County food pantries offer healthy food packages. Approximately a quarter of food pantries have implemented client-choice pantry models in Brown County. It is essential to note that having products on their shelves doesn't imply that clients will take the food item. This is the case for a choice food pantries, where clients are allowed to select their own food. Often choice pantries decide the amount of food provided per food group based on household size. For traditional pantries, providing a food package doesn’t mean that clients will consume all of the items. Research has shown that the client-choice model has a variety of benefits for client health and wellbeing.*

It is also important to understand that there are a variety of places where pantries can procure their donations from, including Feeding America, donations, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), grocery stores, restaurants, and other sources. Depending on the combination of places where pantries obtain their food, there is a varying level of control on what options the pantry can provide to their client. For example, if the pantry relies heavily on donations they aren’t able to request certain products. On the opposite end, pantries can request food items they need from Feeding America, which allows pantries more control over items they are providing clients.

References

* Carroll KT, & Schichtl R. Perceived barriers to client-choice conversion among Arkansas food pantries. J Agric Food Syst Community Development. 2022; 11(4):153–164. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2022.114.012

** Feeding America & UCONN Rudd Center. Improving nutrition in the charitable food system: a review of the evidence. https://hungerandhealth.feedingamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Improving-Nutrition-in-the-Charitable-Food-System-A-Review-of-the-Evidence-FINAL.pdf. Published August 2021. Accessed November 10, 2022. 

Partners supporting this work include, but are not limited to:

• Food and Hunger Network, other pantries within Brown County

• Feeding America

• Donors

• The Emergency Assistance Program (TEFAP)

Strategies that have been shown to be effective or that are more innovative in nature may include:

• Direct education to donors, pantry volunteers, pantry clients

• Pantry assessments that could help to improve the health of the food packages and encourage choice pantry models. A choice pantry model allows more dignity to clients, provides culturally preferred choices, and reduces food waste.

• Increase collaborations between direct growers and producers with food pantries with the goal of increasing fresh produce, lean meat options, and low-fat dairy products.

• Increase the participation in the Planting for a Purpose program to increase the number of donations of fresh produce to local pantries. 

• Increase marketing of acceptable donations for food pantries

Options requiring more resources 

• Block grant to allow pantries to purchase items needed to offer more healthy options, such as food items, shelving, fridges, freezers, etc.  

• Tax credits to growers for donations of excess produce to food banks or food pantries 

• Require food banks and food pantries to spend a portion of food on fresh fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products. 

• Investigate grocery store and convenience store incentives to donate healthy food 

Work on this strategy moving into 2023 and beyond will include the following steps:

• Keep providing quality direct nutrition education that will empower clients to make the healthy choice the easy choice. 

• Where it is not possible to engage directly with pantry clients, provide indirect education, such as handouts with recipes and ideas to increase or maintain healthy eating.

• Provide education and promotional materials to donors to increase the number of healthy donations 

• Use policy, systems, and environmental change approaches at food pantries to encourage healthy eating. For example, helping a food pantry adopt a policy about what donations are accepted, utilizing shelf talkers to encourage healthy choices, and rearranging shelves to make healthy choices more visible.