9-minute read
As the new year begins, many people set resolutions to eat healthier, but maintaining these goals can be challenging, especially for households experiencing food insecurity. Healthy eating isn’t just about individual choices—it often requires access to nutritious food, education about balanced diets, and a supportive community. That’s where the Food Bank of Northern Nevada steps in, providing essential resources and programs that empower individuals and families to achieve their healthy eating goals.
Why Choosing Nutritious Foods is Crucial
Healthy eating is the foundation of physical and mental well-being. For families, it means more energy, better focus for children in school, and reduced risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. However, accessing nutritious food can be particularly difficult for low-income households. Diet is a modifiable risk factor for many chronic conditions and plays a crucial role in the prevention, symptom management, and, in some cases, reversal of these conditions.
Millions of families across the U.S. experience food insecurity, meaning they lack consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. This matter isn’t just about hunger—it’s about ensuring access to the right types of food that promote long-term health. The Food Bank of Northern Nevada works tirelessly to bridge this gap by offering programs that put nutrition at the forefront, emphasizing the importance of nutrition security in promoting health and well-being.
Achieving Healthy Eating Resolutions with the Prescription Pantry Program
We work with 13 agencies and 15 healthcare providers to screen patients for food insecurity and chronic conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. When a patient visits a participating healthcare partner or provider, a designated staff member identifies eligible patients and issues a prescription as part of the referral process. Eligibility is determined using the two-question Hunger Vital Sign™ screening tool and includes factors such as cardiovascular issues or diabetes. Patients who qualify receive “food prescriptions” that can be redeemed at participating pantries which offer additional nutrient-dense foods aligned with health-focused dietary recommendations including produce, whole grains, lean proteins, plant-based proteins, and low-fat dairy—everything needed to make healthy eating easier and more accessible.
Big wins from 2024
- Most patients reported that the pantry improved their family’s diet, with 94% consuming more fruits and 95% consuming more vegetables.
- Over 186,000 meals and 223,566 pounds of food were distributed, including 112,240 pounds of fruits and veggies. To put that into perspective, that’s around 11 school buses, or 15 adult humpback whales!
- 58% of patients who have had at least two A1C tests and visited a pantry four or more times in a year showed stable or improving levels. One inspiring story? A patient brought their A1C down from 12.2 to 7.2 with regular pantry visits!
FBNN’s Commitment to Supporting Nutritious Choices in Our Community
The Food Bank of Northern Nevada has several programs specifically designed to help our neighbors incorporate healthy eating into their daily lives. These initiatives go beyond simply distributing food—they aim to educate and empower our neighbors to make healthier choices.
1. Nutritious Food Distribution
Through partnerships with local farmers, grocery stores, and food manufacturers, the Food Bank ensures that fresh produce, whole grains, and other nutritious staples are included in our distributions. This focus on providing healthy options is vital for families striving to eat more nutritious foods.
2. Mobile Harvest
The Mobile Harvest program brings fresh fruits and vegetables directly to neighborhoods that need it the most, making it easier for neighbors to access healthy foods. These mobile distributions ensure convenience for those who might not have transportation to a grocery store.
3. Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP)
Our Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) program guides our food distributions toward healthier choices. SWAP is a nutrition-ranking system that helps categorize food items by their nutritional value, making it easier for neighbors to identify nutritious options. The SWAP system uses a traffic light illustration—familiar to most people—to guide neighbors toward making more nutritious food choices. By labeling foods with a simple color system—green for “choose often,” yellow for “choose sometimes,” and red for “choose rarely”—we empower neighbors to make informed decisions about what they bring home. This approach also helps overcome language barriers and literacy challenges, making it accessible to a diverse range of individuals. The ranking is based on saturated fat, sodium, and sugar content. These nutrients are directly linked to chronic diseases and are listed as “nutrients to limit” in the United States Dietary Guidelines.
4. SNAP Outreach and Support
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is another crucial resource for families facing food insecurity. We help eligible families navigate the application process in person and over the phone to maximize their benefits in purchasing nutritious food. In addition to helping neighbors navigate the application process, FBNN has bilingual staff members and is a trusted partner of DWSS which allows us to streamline certain areas of the application process.
Practical Tips for Nutritious Choices
To support your healthy eating resolutions, here are a few practical tips that align with the resources provided by the Food Bank:
1. Plan Your Meals
Meal planning is essential for steering clear of last-minute, less ideal food choices. Use the foods you receive from the Food Bank’s distributions to create a week’s worth of meals that include lean proteins, whole grains, and plenty of vegetables.
2. Cook Together
Involve your children in meal preparation. Cooking together not only teaches valuable skills but also encourages kids to try new, healthy foods.
3. Focus on Balance
Aim for a balanced plate at every meal: half filled with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with lean protein, and a quarter with whole grains.
4. Opt for Nutrient-Rich Snacks
Try opting for snacks like fresh fruit, yogurt, or whole-grain crackers with peanut butter. Many of these options are available through the Food Bank’s distributions.
5. Stay Hydrated
Replace sugary drinks with water or milk. Staying hydrated is an essential part of a healthy diet. According to Mayo Clinic, an adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) a day for men and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) a day for women.
Be a Champion for a Healthier Future
Healthy eating resolutions aren’t just a family endeavor—they’re a community responsibility. You can play a vital role in helping families achieve these goals:
Donate Nutritious Food: When contributing to food drives, prioritize items like whole-grain pasta, low-sodium canned vegetables, or nut butters without the added sugars and emulsifiers.
Volunteer Your Time: Help pack and distribute nutritious food through the Food Bank’s programs.
Spread Awareness: Share information about the Food Bank’s nutrition programs with your friends, family, and social media networks. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
A Healthier Tomorrow Starts Today
As you set your resolutions this year, remember that healthy eating isn’t just about the food on your plate—it’s about the resources and support systems that make it possible. The Food Bank of Northern Nevada is committed to helping families in our community build healthier, happier lives through its innovative nutrition programs.
Whether you’re seeking assistance or looking to make a difference, there’s a place for everyone in the fight against hunger and food insecurity. Together, we can make healthy eating resolutions a reality for our neighbors.
