Nourishing Communities: A Holistic Approach to Food as Medicine Interventions

Abstract

This paper presents a framework for enhancing food as medicine (FAM) interventions by expanding their scope beyond nutritional content to embrace how people authentically experience food in their daily lives. Current approaches focus narrowly on providing access to nutrient-dense foods without considering crucial elements of sustainable dietary change: ease, connection, pleasure, and quality. A comparative analysis of Food Banks in the Feeding America network illustrates how some FAM implementations rely on nutrition-only models while others integrate multiple dimensions of eating for potentially more effective outcomes. This paper proposes integrating values-aligned purchasing with FAM initiatives to create regional food sourcing systems that focus on environmental sustainability, local economic development, and broader community wellbeing. This holistic approach recognizes that effective FAM programs must move beyond clinical models to nurture the sensory, social, and cultural dimensions of eating. By emphasizing regional purchasing, institutions can catalyze a self-reinforcing cycle where sustainable agriculture, community resilience, and individual health mutually strengthen one another—recognizing eating as an essential daily activity that provides the nourishment that enables people to experience the connections and joy that make life worth living. Keywords: food as medicine, food is medicine, health, values-based purchasing, wellness, ease, connection, pleasure, quality, environmental sustainability, economic development, systems change, resilience, regenerative