A recent study has examined the nutritional quality of foods in three USDA food programs that play a vital role in the charitable food system. The study assessed the TEFAP commodity food program, the FDPIR program for Indian reservations, and the CSFP program for seniors. Out of 152 food items evaluated, 57% were ranked as green (choose often), indicating that they are primarily fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fresh eggs. 36% of the foods were ranked as yellow (choose sometimes), while only 3% (a total of five products) were classified as red (choose rarely). This low percentage of red-ranked items impressed Dr. Marlene Schwartz, Director of the University of Connecticut’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health and an author of the study.

The evaluation was conducted using Healthy Eating Research (HER) Guidelines which categorize foods based on factors such as saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars per serving using the green/yellow/red stoplight system. Condiments and staples like vinegars, oils, and butter, which account for 4% of the foods, were not included in the ranking.

The study also assigned a value from 0 to 100 to each program based on the overall percentage of green, yellow, and red foods. TEFAP scored the highest at 81.4, followed by CSFP at 76.7, and FDPIR at 74.4.

These findings are expected to assist food banks in making informed ordering decisions within USDA programs and comparing the quality of USDA foods with other sources, as noted by Dr. Maria Gombi-Vaca, the Lead Researcher of the study.

The study also identified opportunities for USDA to improve the rankings of foods that fall into the yellow or red categories. For instance, specifying unsweetened cranberries instead of those with added sugar would improve their ranking. Similarly, requiring whole grain as the first ingredient in grain products would boost their status.

Recognizing the interest of food banks in implementing the HER system, the Rudd Center has made its rankings available online, eliminating the need for independent calculations.

The study coincides with USDA‘s efforts to support the charitable food system in meeting community dietary needs beyond nutrition. TEFAP now provides information on foods that carry kosher and/or halal certifications or may be acceptable without certification. USDA has hosted web pages with resources on meeting the dietary needs of kosher- and halal-observant communities and a recent USDA webinar emphasized the importance of establishing relationships with faith-based members of the community to understand the need for kosher and halal foods. Building trust within the faith-based community and training staff and volunteers on sourcing, handling, and distribution were also highlighted during the webinar.

The significance of meeting faith-based needs was emphasized by Ammar Ahmed, Public Relations and Government Affairs Coordinator with ICNA Relief USA, who highlighted that it can make a difference between a food-secure and a food-insecure family for many Muslims. The availability of halal foods is crucial, as many Muslims may forego meals or compromise nutrition security if the available foods are not halal.