Published In

Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-2020

Subjects

Nutrition -- Research -- Citizen participation, Food security, Community-supported agriculture, Local foods, Community-supported agriculture, Poor families -- Nutrition

Abstract

Alternative food practices, including farmers markets and CSAs, are often inaccessible to lowincome families. Subsidized CSAs and fruit and vegetable prescription programs have the potential to decrease food insecurity, increase fresh fruit and vegetable consumption, and generate better health outcomes. However, several challenges can limit logistics of distribution and an inability to cook from scratch due to a lack of kitchen infrastructure, time, or skills. In this paper, we investigate two dietrelated health programs conducted with community partners in Madison, Wisconsin, and Portland, Oregon. We used photovoice to evaluate and enhance these programs, which supplied lowincome participants with free or subsidized weekly shares of local food, addressed transportation barriers associated with access, and offered recipes and cooking education. Drawing on social practice theory, we demonstrate how these programs altered food provisioning practices for low-income individuals and families by building their competence in the kitchen, fostering meaningful social relationships, and cultivating new meanings related to fresh, local food. The short-term gains were positive, and such community-based nutrition programs warrant continued support as part of a broader strategy to address poverty and food insecurity.

Rights

Copyright © 2020 by the Authors. Published by the Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems. Open access under CC-BY license.

DOI

jafscd.2020.101.019

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/34333

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