The Idaho Foodbank’s Hunger to Health Strategy (H2H) is focused on the well-being of individuals, along with the health of communities across our state through access to nutritious food and other resources required for good health.
By eating a well-balanced diet, we are able to maintain the energy we need to get through the day and absorb the nutrients our bodies require to help us stay strong and healthy.
Three initiatives makeup our H2H Strategy: Nutrition, Education and Healthy Communities. Through nutrition education and the distribution of predominantly nutrient-rich foods (85%), our goal is to make the healthy choice the easy choice while also taking into account the health of our communities.
People facing hunger are making difficult choices on how to make ends meet – paying for rent, getting the medicine they need, putting gas in the car – and have the food they need. We believe in not just providing food but nutritious food that helps people back on their feet and to the place where they can thrive.
For several years, The Idaho Foodbank has been focused on obtaining more fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution. Greater support from Idaho’s agricultural community and an increase in the number of grocery stores participating in our Food Rescue program has pushed the percentage of donated food considered nutritious to over 80%.
Now, we are working in collaboration with healthcare partners to make it easier for Idahoans who are food insecure and have health issues to get the food they need to promote better health.
Fresh fruits and vegetables can be some of the most expensive items in your grocery cart. This collaborative allows the hunger challenged to have access to this very important food group while stretching their food budget dollar.
Lynn Dill, Food Sourcing Manager, The Idaho Foodbank
Individuals who are food insecure are at higher risk of developing a chronic disease. Many of Idaho’s most common chronic diseases are diet-related including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The right diet can reduce a person’s risk of getting these diseases. Or, if a person has already been diagnosed, help manage it effectively.
Stable access to nutritious food can help the people we serve before the medical bills start stacking up.
Karen Vauk, President and CEO, The Idaho Foodbank
Each year after the holidays, many of us want to set new goals to improve our eating habits for the new year. With so many different diets and trends, it’s hard to keep track of what works and what does not, but eating well doesn’t have to be overwhelming! Balanced meals can be simple, and they can also be affordable. Here is an example of what this might look like, for under $7
The holidays are notorious for foiling health goals- travel, family, and the enticing ways stores and advertisements leave us craving pumpkin pie. Luckily, there are a few methods to help guide healthy eating during the holidays!
Stress and little time for relaxation and decompressing is a contributor to health complications. It tumbles downhill like the snowball effect, only growing larger as it continues. People commonly reach for sugar in times of stress. Cookies, pies and chocolate are some sugary foods people reach for when they are stressed. But health officials have linked chronic illnesses with the excess consumption of added sugars in foods.
Think of protein as the body’s building block. It’s a vital part of muscle, tissue, bone, skin, blood, hormones, enzymes and vitamins. There are a variety of protein foods and they each offer different nutrients. Most Americans get enough protein, but not everyone gets all of the benefits of protein foods.
Boise State University Nursing Students partnered with The Idaho Foodbank to examine innovative ways to address nutritional health. Together the students developed a Food “Farmacy” Onboarding Manual for Idaho health care clinics interested in utilizing what is known as a food-as-medicine approach to address food insecurity with clients.
What you eat plays a critical role in how your brain functions. Proper nutrients may improve mood and memory and even slow brain aging. Maintaining good brain health may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
The Idaho Foodbank is now working in collaboration with healthcare partners to make it easier for Idahoans who are food insecure and have health issues to get the food they need to promote better health.
In July of 2016 the Idaho Medical Association, with sponsorship by the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians, and support from the Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics passed a resolution that recognizes hunger as a social determinant of health. The resolution also acknowledges The Idaho Foodbank as an important healthcare partner. Since this resolution was passed, healthcare professionals across Idaho have been encouraged to include hunger-related questions in patient screenings and offer the pantry referrals to those who need food assistance. This is an important step towards a healthier Idaho.
Participating healthcare organizations such as community clinics include food insecurity questions in their patient screening. If the need for food is indicated, the patient is referred to a local food pantry. Healthcare organizations with the physical space can provide their own food pantry on site.
Download Our Hunger to Health Strategy
Thank You to the Following Organizations
