Research & Practice
Using the Healthy Food Pantry Assessment Tool to Implement Environmental Interventions at the Stanwood Camano Food Bank
Currently, there are no reliable assessment tools available to the public and food banks to evaluate food bank environments. Food banks are valuable resources to families who are struggling with food insecurity, hence it is important to evaluate their impact on client experience, especially in terms of nutrition and health.
Washington State University Extension Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (WSU SNAP-Ed) and the Regional Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Centers of Excellence Western Region (RNECE-W) are field testing a scored pantry environmental assessment tool at several food banks, including the Stanwood-Camano Food Bank (practicum site) to finalize an assessment tool that can be used by all food banks nationwide. The pre-assessment findings will be reviewed and interventions will be recommended, based on the experiences of other food banks and evidence of successful strategies from the literature. These changes will primarily be in the form of environmental changes, including product placement and behavioral economics. Other interventions include taste-testing, recipe development and cooking demonstrations to “nudge” clients to make healthy dietary choices. Fresh produce and healthy items will be the focus of these interventions. Upon implementation of the interventions, a second field test will be conducted for evaluation. Additional resources will be compiled based on these findings to ensure that these interventions efforts are sustainable.
Materials Available
Project Type(s): MPH Practicum, PH Concentration Poster
Author(s): Monica Lazarus
Program(s): Master of Public Health, RDN Training
Year: 2017
Adviser(s):