Sharper Definitions of Food is Medicine

With support from the Ardmore Institute of Health, Food and Society at the Aspen Institute convened a workshop in Tucson, Arizona focused on advancing clearer, more actionable definitions of Food is Medicine. Hosted at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, Sharper Definitions of Food is Medicine convened leaders from healthcare systems, community-based organizations, academic institutions, and advocacy groups.

The day featured a series of interactive sessions that highlighted both the momentum and fragmentation within food is medicine. Participants engaged in a round robin discussion of how terms like medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, culinary medicine, and whole person health are currently being defined and applied across the country. These conversations demonstrated the need for clearer, more consistent definitions to support reimbursement, implementation, and evaluation across diverse settings.

Several sessions focused on identifying common frameworks and tools that could help standardize food is medicine interventions while still allowing for local adaptation. Dr. Meagan Grega of the Kellyn Foundation led a session on the intersections between culinary medicine, lifestyle medicine, and whole person care, emphasizing the importance of embedding food-based approaches into preventive and integrative health strategies. Pam Schwartz of Kaiser Permanente guided a discussion on the future of medically tailored meals and produce prescriptions, offering insights from a large healthcare system working to scale evidence-based interventions.  The day-long workshop included open discussion among all participants, bringing fresh perspectives to why and how food is medicine considers everything from coding interventions to support for local food producers.

Participants also shared emerging models, such as grocery card systems, and emphasized the importance of building systems that work across both clinical and community settings. There was an emphasis on getting the balance right–of pushing the envelope in a fast-paced field while managing the practicalities and realities of navigating the U.S. healthcare system.  The convening concluded with a collective commitment to collaboration and sustainability, recognizing that growing momentum for food is medicine must now be matched with infrastructure, data systems, and funding models that can support long-term integration into healthcare.

Hear from key contributors about why Food & Society’s Sharper Definitions comes at an urgent time for Food is Medicine in this video:

Convening Takeaways

Sharper Definitions of Food is Medicine: Five Core Themes

Context Matters Across the Supply Chain

Food is Medicine cannot be implemented with a one-size-fits-all approach. Effective design and delivery require an understanding of the full supply chain, including farmers, aggregators, local food hubs, community-based organizations, healthcare systems, and policymakers. Each actor brings unique constraints and opportunities, and the success of Food is Medicine interventions depends on their alignment. Programs must be tailored to reflect cultural foodways, local sourcing capacities, and varying levels of institutional readiness across urban and rural contexts.

Balancing Financial and Human Value

Building a strong financial case for Food is Medicine, including clear return on investment, cost avoidance, and improved clinical outcomes, is essential to secure long-term funding and policy support. However, equally important are human-centered outcomes such as patient engagement, joy, trust in healthcare systems, and cultural resonance. When dignity and respect are embedded into Food is Medicine design, programs are more likely to generate lasting behavior change and community buy-in.

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