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December 17, 2025

UW study abroad course explores sustainable food systems in Ireland and Italy

La Dolce Vita: Exploring Ireland and Italy in Search of the History and Future of Sustainable Food Systems is a 25-day study abroad program at University of Washington that will explore sustainable food systems across Ireland and Italy in autumn 2026. Important dates to apply or learn more Photos from past years Photos courtesy of…

December 15, 2025

Households using more of the most popular WIC food benefits stay in the program longer, UW study finds

Shopping cart in foreground of refrigerator case at a grocery store. Credit: Alexas_Fotos via Pixabay.

New research has found that households who redeem more of their benefits in the most popular food categories are more likely to remain in the program long-term. Assistant Professor Pia Chaparro is first author on the study published in JAMA Network Open. “Finding ways to identify kids and families that are at risk of dropping…

December 8, 2025

With community fridges, neighbors feed each other

Photograph of two people standing on either side of an outdood refrigerator in front a a church labeled "St. Joseph Parish"

FSNH faculty Marie Spiker will collaborate with UW Urban Freight Lab to improve safety and efficiency of hyperlocal food sharing via community fridges that are accessible 24 hours a day for the public to take and leave food. “Because they’re decentralized, it’s hard to know whether a micropantry is full or empty, or whether a…

November 14, 2025

Student leaders launch Food Systems Leadership Coalition at UW

Student members of the Food Systems Leadership Coalition of UW at their inaugural meeting in November 2025. Students pose for a group photo

In early November 2025, more than 20 student leaders from across the University of Washington gathered for the first meeting of a new student-led initiative—the Food Systems Leadership Coalition (FSLC)—dedicated to advancing a campus where no one goes hungry. Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health Student Resource Coordinator Carmela Stewart initiated the idea by reaching out…

October 31, 2025

Statewide effort to put more whole grains on shelves and plates gets $19 million boost

Human hands hold bench scraper while kneading bread dough

New statewide initiative to put more healthy, climate-friendly grains on people’s plates will include faculty from the Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health program as the project’s implementation science team including Jennifer Otten, Sarah Collier, and Marie Spiker. The FSNH team will examine how innovations in grain breeding and food product development can be successfully adopted…

October 13, 2025

Wait, Are Carbs Actually Awesome?

UW faculty member Adam Drewnowski is quoted in this article discussing perceptions about carbohydrate consumption, and helps clarify how to choose nutritionally optimal carbohydrates which can be beneficial to your diet and long term health.

September 29, 2025

Seattle to launch first connected network of community food micro-pantries

Photo bike messenger carrying food with Seattle waterfront pictured in the background

FSNH faculty member Marie Spiker is involved in this pilot research project that will retrofit existing micro-pantries in Seattle with sensors to create a “cyber-physical” network. The system will anonymously track pantry use, donation patterns, and food safety, giving communities real-time data to improve food distribution and reduce waste. The project also aims to strengthen…

September 9, 2025

Some refined grains are surprisingly nutritious

Adam Drewnowski’s work in a recent study published in Nutrients that combined diet records with health markers such as weight, waist size, insulin levels, and food costs to identify foods which not only improved health, but were affordable. Drewnowski said, “Our evaluation took whole grain content into account, along with fiber, vitamins and minerals. By…

August 25, 2025

UW faculty member contributes to American Heart Association advisory on ultraprocessed foods

The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued a new science advisory examining what is currently known about the growing impact of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) on nutrition and public health. Published August 8, 2025, in Circulation, the advisory highlights the evidence linking excessive consumption of UPFs with adverse health outcomes, offering a comprehensive review of the…

Congratulations to graduate students in the Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health (FSNH) program completing the Master of Public Health (MPH) and Master of Science (MS) in 2025. Many of these students also completed the Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics (GCPD) which will allow them to sit for the registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) exam in the…

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