Healthy Food For All

As we head into the holiday season, many of us are lucky enough to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner tables that overflow with abundance. Sadly, others in our communities don’t have enough to go around. In 2017, 40 million people struggled with hunger in the U.S. and an estimated 15 million were food insecure. High rates of food insecurity and diet-related health issues, like obesity and type 2 diabetes, are correlated. As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. And if you’re not sure when your next meal will come, you eat what’s available, even if it’s not great for you. Access to healthy food as a basic human right is an ongoing problem for people experiencing homelessness and those in low-income areas, linked to complex issues of socioeconomic inequality.

Homeless shelters and food banks exist to combat such issues, but donations made to these organizations aren’t always the most nutritious. Well-meaning people give canned goods high in sugars and starch and civic-minded restaurants hoping to reduce food waste gift their leftover pizza and pastries, unintentionally contributing to unhealthy diets. You can imagine that a steady intake of foods like these aren’t the best for anyone, and shelters have started to turn down such donations. Movements like #GiveHealthy work to educate people on the importance of donating healthy food, like fruits and vegetables, to make sure shelters can provide high-quality meals. The impact is clear — studies have shown that providing healthier alternatives is not only beneficial health-wise, but also cost-effective. One Massachusetts shelter was able to provide better options on just $300/month, and guests at several homeless shelters shared that they preferred the more balanced offerings.

Providing wholesome food has the power to change the lives of those who need it most and restore a sense of dignity and hope. Organizations across the country — and the world — are developing solutions to break the cycle of hunger, poverty, and injustice, while creating equitable and inclusive communities. Homeless shelters, food banks, and community kitchens not only provide food, but a sense of belonging, an opportunity for nutrition education, and a path to a better life through programs like culinary job training. The transformative potential of healthy food is central to these efforts.

Expanding access to healthy food includes outreach to food deserts in urban areas, too. Initiatives like The Healthy Corner Stores Network and D.C. Central Kitchen’s Healthy Corners provide nutrient-rich produce to corner stores in low-income areas at below-market prices. Since the launch of Healthy Corners, 64% of customers said that the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables has facilitated healthful eating. Additionally, restaurants like Brooklyn’s Sol Sips serve healthy, vegan food at sliding scale prices in neighborhoods that have been overlooked by the wellness movement. 

At HoneyFlower Foods, we’re proud to serve food high in nutritional value, and we donate our uneaten meals to homeless shelters and non-profits, including SOME, Cornerstones, Casa Ruby, and Martha’s Table. We’re grateful to give back to our community, and encourage you to find a homeless shelter or food bank in your area that would benefit from your leftovers and donations — think healthy Thanksgiving dishes and autumn veggies!