Prescribing Change: A Series of Case Studies on Strengthening Food Systems Through Food is Medicine

Food is Medicine programs are redefining how the health care system responds to diet-related disease by prescribing nutritious food alongside clinical care. Yet what food is purchased—and from whom—shapes not only patient outcomes, but also local economies, communities, and environmental health. This series of case studies explores how Food is Medicine providers are using values-driven, locally anchored food sourcing to maximize the impact of food purchasing dollars in Food is Medicine programs. 

• Rooted in Community: Hyper-Local Sourcing Guides Sustainable CAPE’s Food is Medicine Program 

• Values at the Heart of Ceres Community Project’s Food Sourcing and Procurement Operations, a California Food is Medicine Program 

• The North Star Guiding Alameda County Recipe4Health’s Food Sourcing Operations as a Food as Medicine Model   

Together, these case studies provide practical examples of how Food is Medicine providers can embed values such as community, climate resilience, soil health, and equity into procurement; leverage partnerships with local producers and food hubs; and navigate logistical and policy barriers. They also offer concrete lessons and policy recommendations for community-based organizations, health care entities, and policymakers seeking to design or scale Food is Medicine programs that nourish patients while investing in more just and sustainable food systems.