A Six-Week Cooking Program of Plant-Based Recipes Improves Food Security, Body Weight, and Food Purchases for Food Pantry Clients

Abstract

Raising the Bar on Nutrition is a six-week cooking program of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank that teaches food pantry clients plant-based recipes that use extra virgin olive oil. Sixty-three subjects completed the program and reported using the study recipes for 2.8 + 1.3 meals per week. Total variety of vegetables and fruit intake increased (p < 0.01, for both). Grocery receipts showed a decrease in purchases of meat, carbonated beverages, desserts, snacks and total groceries (all p < 0.01). Food Insecurity Score decreased from baseline to FU (3.2 + 3.6 v 2.07 + 2.9, p < 0.01), as did body mass index (BMI) (33.3 + 8.5 v 32.9 + 8.4, p = 0.05).

Keywords:

• food security
• plant-based diets
• food pantry clients
• hunger–obesity paradox

Notes

This study was funded by a donation from Claire and Jeffrey Black and a BlueAngel grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island.