Food donations can focus on nutrition, not just hunger

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Food donations are on the minds of many people, especially around the holidays, as collection drives pop up to help food banks, pantries and people in need.

But what about nutrition?

"For a lot of the U.S. population that struggles with food insecurity, just having enough food is a big part of it," said Dr. Heather Eicher-Miller, a professor of nutrition science at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. "But another part of it is having the right kinds of foods to support nutrition and health in the long term."

Roughly 47 million people in the U.S., including more than 7.2 million children, lived with food insecurity in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Food insecurity is defined as "limited or uncertain access to adequate and safe foods" often due to lack of money. Nutrition security means having consistent and equitable access to "healthy, safe, affordable foods essential to optimal health and well-being." While food insecurity has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death, poor nutrition can do the same with obesity and diabetes, and affect one's mental health.

Eicher-Miller, who also directs Indiana's Emergency Food Resource Network, co-authored a 2019 study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that found people who visited food pantries more often had a higher Healthy Eating Index than those who were eligible but visited less often. The index is a measure of diet quality and how foods align with federal dietary guidelines.

Concern about diet quality prompted the USDA in 2022 to begin emphasizing nutrition security along with food security as complementary goals.

But urging Americans to eat healthier can be complicated, whether they're food secure or not.

In a nation of fast food and unlimited salty and sugary treats, "a lot of Americans' diet quality isn't very good," Eicher-Miller said. "It's hard enough for all of us to eat healthfully and then when you add limited money to that, it just makes it even harder."

All groups, regardless of income level, might find being lectured about healthier eating patronizing, said Dr. Kelseanna Hollis-Hansen, an assistant professor of public health at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

"But what we generally find in our work with food pantries is that a lot of the shoppers are very interested in nutritious food without us even having to bring it up," she said. "They like recipes and programs like food demonstrations and taste tests."

Food banks and pantries across the country, like the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, which serves more than 1,300 programs across 53 counties, package educational materials with food assistance, marketing manager Austin Prickett said.

"When you're in a grocery store, they're often trying to nudge you to purchase a certain product," he said. "We try to create nudges for the healthier items, like produce."

So, whether it's contributing to a comprehensive food program or helping stock a local food pantry, how can donors help fight hunger without neglecting nutrition? Experts have these tips:

Ask what's needed. First of all, Prickett said, thank you to donors. "We love food drives. They give us a significant portion of the food that we distribute each year."

Eicher-Miller suggests contacting the organization conducting the drive and asking about what foods they're short on or what they most need.

Proteins and grains. Pantries are always in need of healthier food options, Prickett said. That means protein-packed foods like canned tuna and peanut butter, whole-grain pasta, brown rice and products without added sugar, sodium or saturated fat.

"That's a good message for everybody, whether they're donating or buying for themselves," he said.

Check the dates. Most food donations tend to have a long shelf life, unlike fresh fruits or vegetables. "Try not to donate things that are expired," Hollis-Hansen said. "There are different rules and regulations (about how long food remains safe to eat), but most people want something that is not past the sell-by date."

Money helps. Individual donors usually can't provide fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, meat and eggs. That's where money comes in.

Eicher-Miller said her organization hears from a lot of pantries that food donations are appreciated, but financial donations are also needed "in the moment for filling those categories of foods that we don't have as much on hand or replenishing things that are less shelf stable."

Donate time. And while donations are "great," Hollis-Hansen said there's yet another level for people who want to help ensure food and nutrition security. "If someone is really passionate about this, food banks and food pantries always need more volunteers."