Feeding America and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics introduce the first national community-based standard for medically tailored groceries, providing a clearer framework for expanding Food is Medicine programmes across the US and enhancing clinical credibility.
Feeding America and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics have released what they describe as the first national community-based standard for medically tailored groceries, a move aimed at giving Food is Medicine programmes a clearer framework as they expand across the United States. The standard is meant to improve consistency, scale and clinical credibility for initiatives that provide medically appropriate food to people facing food insecurity and diet-related illness.
According to Feeding America, the guidance was developed by its registered dietitian nutritionists and reviewed by the Academy. The organisations say it is intended to help food banks, health systems and clinicians work from a common definition, rather than relying on informal arrangements that have often made collaboration harder. Feeding America said the standard is rooted in the Healthy Eating Research guidelines widely used across the charitable food sector.
The release comes after years of field work in which Feeding America has tested how nutrition support can affect chronic disease management. The organisation said its three-year study with healthcare partners screened more than 1.45 million patients for food insecurity and connected more than 161,000 households to nutritious food. Melanie Hall, Feeding America’s chief health, research and evaluation officer, said the new standard gives partners “an evidence-based standard that everybody can look to” and noted that the group is now “moving forward with a little bit more alignment on what interventions look like”.
Feeding America said its focus is on the conditions most likely to respond to nutrition-based support: diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension. The organisation added that it deliberately began with food requirements because sourcing the right groceries is one of the hardest parts of running these programmes. It plans to add further elements, including nutrition education and implementation guidance, while continuing work with the Academy on clinical care standards.
The new framework arrives as the Food is Medicine Coalition develops its own standard for medically tailored groceries, which it expects to release in 2027. The coalition, which already has a medically tailored meal standard and accreditation process, said it is reviewing Feeding America’s approach to understand where the two efforts overlap and where they differ. The parallel efforts underline how quickly medically tailored food is moving from local practice towards a more formal part of healthcare delivery.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
