Medicinal Meals

From farm to pharmacy, the food-as-medicine movement is cooking up a storm in healthcare. With almost half of Americans battling diet-related diseases, a poor diet contributes to the death of 10K+ people every week and costs the country over $1.1 trillion annually. It’s time to put our money where our mouth is to curb this trend – literally. From medically-tailored meals and condition-specific foods delivered to people’s doors, and even prescriptions for produce, innovative programs have been emerging to bridge the gap between food insecurity and healthcare. The White House's $9.7 billion pledge to food-as-medicine programs and major retailers' launch of tech-driven delivery services signal a shift towards scaling these initiatives for widespread impact. The focus now is on ensuring that these programs are adequately subsidized, widely accessible and able to be integrated seamlessly into existing healthcare structures. There is also a tremendous opportunity for regulators to further these initiatives and use technology to improve personalization and supply-chain challenges. The goal is clear: serve up better health outcomes while taking a bite out of rising healthcare costs.