Healthy food for all

A shared goal: assist those less well-off to improve both the nutritional quality and environmental impact of their diet

Fresh food supply chains must be improved to facilitate the access of disadvantaged populations to a healthy and sustainable diet and initiate positive changes in eating habits. The nutritional quality of diets of people who rely on food banks, like those of the general public, fall far short of national nutrition and health plan (PNNS) recommendations. Action 13 of the Dijon Alimentation Durable 2030 TI initiative addresses this problem. Developed between 2018–2021, it is coordinated by the city’s outreach centre in partnership with food banks in Dijon and with the scientific support of Valentin Bellassen, INRAE Research Director at the Institute’s Economics and sociology of rural and peri-urban development unit (CESAER). An innovative system based on significant funding (approximately €30 per person per month, potentially) will be implemented this year to promote and facilitate the purchase of local, high-quality fresh fruit and vegetables and legumes. This initiative is not the first of its kind but differs significantly from past —failed— projects for which the per-person, per-month funding amount (€6) fell far short of what was needed.  “We and our partners wish to assist those less well-off to improve both the nutritional quality and environmental impact of their diet,” says the research director.

We must first enhance the empowerment of the thousand or so beneficiaries of the project so that they are able to make more informed choices. One of the pilot food banks is leading a series of initiatives based on three themes: generating interest, tips and tricks (including cooking workshops with a chef) and (re)gaining confidence in one’s approach to food. Beneficiaries take part in choosing initiatives together with staff and facilitators at the food banks.

How much does empowerment and the targeted amount increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables?

CESAER economists manage the evaluation of the food bank initiatives before and after their implementation together with CSGA eating behaviour specialists to find out: how much does empowerment and the targeted amount increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables? Do they increase the nutritional quality and decrease the environmental impact of the diets of food bank clients? Insight is provided by an innovative solution developed by colleagues in Montpellier: the supply book. Every month, people record their purchase receipts and food purchases made without receipts. Added to this is the work of researchers and food banks to improve the receipts and make labels clearer and more informative by classifying them into more precise food categories from a nutritional and environmental point of view. Beneficiaries also complete a food frequency questionnaire when they join the project. The data set thus collected on nutritional and environmental quality and the unit cost of purchases will serve as a basis for determining the targeted amount. Its future format —a paper voucher or beneficiary shopping credit— remains to be defined.

Valentin Bellassen sees a bright future for this scheme in view of experiences observed abroad involving substantial amounts. “The scheme can be expected to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables consumed by beneficiaries and the nutritional quality of their diet.” Transitioning diets, including for less privileged populations, is a very important issue.