Healthy Eating

We believe that food changes everything. We distribute healthy options to ensure a meal for today and a healthy tomorrow for the people we serve. We prioritize healthy, high-value foods that our neighbors consistently request like fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein foods and low-fat dairy and limit foods with high amounts of added sugar. We consider the overall nutritional quality of the foods we source and share information about relevant nutrition and health concerns with our partners and the people we serve.

Why Healthy Food Matters

When we asked the people we serve about the foods they want and need food pantries to offer, they said fresh fruits and vegetables, chicken, eggs and milk.

We call these foods high-value foods because they have a high nutritional value and because they are generally more expensive at the grocery store. By providing high-value foods, we ensure that everyone has access to nutritious food, but we also support the long-term health and wellness of communities. This is important because we know that people experiencing food insecurity have a higher risk of developing diet-related chronic diseases like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type-2 diabetes, overweightness and obesity. Diet-related diseases are diseases that can be prevented, managed or reversed by eating a healthy diet that includes a variety of high-value foods.

68%

of respondents reported that someone in their household struggles with high blood pressure

56%

reported that someone in their household struggles with overweightness or obesity

54%

reported that someone in their household struggles with pre-diabetes or type-2 diabetes

47%

reported that someone in their household struggles with high cholesterol

57%

reported that fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to get in their neighborhood

83%

reported that fresh fruits and vegetables usually cost too much for them to buy

Discover delicious new ways to eat healthy!

Browse Recipe Library

Healthy Eating Resources

Farmers Market Nutrition Programs

The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provide WIC recipients and senior with locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs from approved farmers’ in Pennsylvania.

Food Hero

Oregon State Extension Food Hero provides family-friendly recipes, activities, cooking videos and other resources in English and Spanish.

How to Understand a Nutrition Facts Label

The Nutrition Facts Label provides all the nutrition information you need to make healthy choices that are right for you.

MyPlate

The United States Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate is a food guide you can use to fill your plate with a variety of nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy. MyPlate makes it easy for people of all ages to adopt a healthy eating pattern.

Feeding Pennsylvania’s Healthy Pantry Initiative

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank works with other food banks across the state to increase healthy food and beverage options available in food pantries and works to encourage consumption of those foods through environmental changes as well as direct nutrition education such as healthy food tastings, demonstrations, recipes and classes.

Power Up

Adagio Health’s Power Up nutrition education program encourages students, adults, seniors and communities to choose healthier foods and live active lifestyles. Through direct, evidence-based nutrition lessons, participants learn strategies to adopt healthy habits. Power Up educators are working with community partners, like food pantries, to create healthier environments by influencing local policies, systems and environments.