Evaluation of USDA Foods Programs for households using nutrition guidelines for the charitable food system.

Abstract

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods programs for households (i.e., The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)) are designed to provide nutritious foods at no cost to income-eligible individuals in the U.S. To evaluate the nutritional quality of the foods available from three USDA Foods programs for households (i.e., TEFAP, FDPIR, and CSFP) according to the Healthy Eating Research (HER) Guidelines for the Charitable Food System. Review of the nutritional information of the foods available from USDA Foods programs for households. Using the HER Guidelines, foods were categorized into a three-tiered system (i.e., choose often/green; choose sometimes/yellow; choose rarely/red) based on levels of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar per serving, and presence of whole grains. All unique foods available from TEFAP, FDPIR, and CSFP (N=152) for fiscal year 2022 were evaluated. Nutritional quality of the foods available from USDA Foods programs for households according to the HER Guidelines. Foods were ranked green, yellow, red, or not ranked. The proportion of foods in each HER Guidelines' rank was calculated across the three USDA Foods programs for households and by each program. The majority of USDA Foods were ranked green (57.2%) or yellow (35.5%). A small number of items were ranked red (3.3%) or were unranked condiments or cooking staples (3.9%). The USDA Foods available in the household programs were primarily fruits and vegetables; lean proteins; whole grains; and low-fat dairy products that were consistent with national dietary guidelines. There is some room for improvement, and adjustments in the specifications for certain items are recommended to further strengthen the nutritional value of the foods provided through these important federal programs.