Fresh Shelves, Healthy Pantries: A Pilot Intervention Trial in Baltimore City Food Pantries

Bengucan Gunen, Melissa M. Reznar, Sally Yan, Lisa Poirier, Nathan Katragadda, Shahmir H. Ali, Samantha M. Sundermeir and Joel Gittelsohn ()
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Bengucan Gunen: Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Melissa M. Reznar: School of Health Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, USA
Sally Yan: Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Lisa Poirier: Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Nathan Katragadda: Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Shahmir H. Ali: Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Samantha M. Sundermeir: Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Joel Gittelsohn: Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-12

Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a multi-modal pilot intervention on the stocking and acquisition of healthy foods in urban food pantries. An intervention that consisted of three 8-week phases, each focused on promotion of one food group: (1) lean & low-sodium proteins; (2) fruits & vegetables; and (3) healthy carbohydrates was conducted in 3 intervention and 4 comparison food pantries. Food stocking variety scores measured changes in the stocking of promoted healthful foods at pantries. Food Assortment Scoring Tool (FAST) scores measured healthfulness of client bags. Intervention and comparison pantries showed an increase during the study in the total variety score for promoted options, with no significant differences between groups. Mean healthfulness scores for intervention client bags (n = 34) significantly increased from 58.2 to 74.9 ( p < 0.001). This pilot trial identified logistically feasible strategies to promote healthy options effectively in food pantries, even in pantries with limited resources.

Keywords: food pantry; food stocking; food acquisition; food assortment scoring tool; food insecurity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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