Food Is Medicine (FIM) is a national movement that connects healthcare and nutrition by providing access to healthy foods as part of treatment and prevention. Programs include:
Medically Tailored Meals (MTM): Fully prepared meals designed to meet the medical needs of people living with serious conditions like diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, or cancer.
Medically Tailored Groceries (MTG): Bags or boxes of groceries selected to support specific health conditions, paired with recipes and nutrition education.
Produce Prescriptions (PRx): “Prescriptions” from healthcare providers that allow patients to access fruits and vegetables at low or no cost, often through clinics or farmers markets.
Nutrition Incentives: Programs that stretch SNAP, WIC, or other benefits to make healthy foods more affordable (like Double Up Food Bucks).
Together, these programs make healthy food a part of healthcare and not a separate conversation.
Image from: tuftsfoodismedicine.org
Learn More About The National Food Is Medicine Movement:
Food is Medicine programs are growing across the country, backed by strong evidence that access to healthy food improves health outcomes and lowers healthcare costs. If you’d like to explore the national movement, here are some trusted resources:
Green Bean Grove is working to bring this same proven approach to Alabama. If you’d like to explore a partnership, please contact us at [email protected] or 256-213-1702.
