The Pennsylvania Department of Health is committed to increasing access to healthy food and beverage options through the Pennsylvania Healthy Pantry Initiative (PA HPI). The department has partnered with Feeding Pennsylvania and its member food banks to increase healthy options available to community members in food pantries. A registered dietitian with Feeding Pennsylvania and a nutrition educator in the participating food banks guide pantries through phases to increase healthy food and beverage options. The phases include:
- assessing pantries to determine needs;
- using marketing materials and layout changes to nudge clients toward healthier choices;
- increasing healthier inventory;
- upgrading or adding materials to display and store healthier options; and
- offering hands-on nutrition education with pantry clients.
PA HPI currently works with 90 food pantries throughout the state, with plans to bring more pantries on board throughout the remainder of the year. Pantries are assessed at baseline when entering the program and every six months after to track progress in five key components:
- inventory;
- environment and healthy nudges;
- nutrition policies and guidelines;
- health promotion and marketing; and
- services, resources and training.
Feeding Pennsylvania and participating food banks have also been working to create nutrition policies emphasizing the importance of healthy options, which will sustain the healthy changes long-term. PA HPI data and program updates are reported to the Governor's Food Security Partnership.
For more information on PA HPI or healthy food access work, please contact:
Kim Mehaffey
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Bureau of Health Promotion and Risk Reduction
Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity
625 Forster St., Room 1000
Health and Human Services Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
717-787-5876
kmehaffey@pa.gov