Food Is Medicine Coalition publishes guidance on nutritionally tailored meals in healthcare

Advocating for a greater focus on nutrition in US healthcare, the Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC) and Harvard Law School have released a “first-of-its-kind” national framework designed to inform hospital professionals how to introduce medically tailored meals into the US healthcare system.

The newly published “Medically Tailored Meal (MTM) Sustainability Blueprint” offers guidance on how to personalize meal plans to individuals living with severe, complex, or chronic conditions.

This guidance should be based on therapeutic, evidence-based dietary specifications provided by an assessment of the patient’s nutrition needs by a registered dietitian nutritionist or other nutrition professional.

“For decades, FIMC agencies have demonstrated that medically tailored meals improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs,” says Alissa Wassung, executive director, FIMC. “The MTM Sustainability Blueprint provides the roadmap we need to move from promising pilot programs to a sustainable, scalable part of our healthcare system.”

“It offers a unified structure for policymakers, healthcare payers, clinicians, and community-based providers seeking to incorporate medically tailored meals into care delivery.”

By outlining best practices for eligibility, program standards, provider qualifications, service delivery models, reimbursement, and program integrity, the Blueprint seeks to create greater consistency across Food Is Medicine programs nationwide.

Joint research

The Blueprint was developed through collaboration with a multidisciplinary advisory group including healthcare payers, providers, policy experts, researchers, actuaries, and FIM practitioners.

The report authors say this standardization is critical as states and healthcare systems increasingly explore nutrition-based interventions to address chronic disease, food insecurity, and rising healthcare costs.

The first draft was released for public comment in the fall of last year, allowing stakeholders across healthcare, policy, and service provision to provide input that helped shape the final framework.

This Blueprint is intended to serve as a “foundational model” that other FIM interventions can build upon as the field continues to expand.

“FIM interventions, such as medically tailored meals, have the potential to transform how we manage and reverse diet-related disease,” says Rachel Roller, president and CEO of Dohmen Company Foundation, which collaborated on the report.

“To reach their fullest potential, these programs must evolve beyond pilots into standardized, sustainable pillars of the healthcare system. The MTM Sustainability Blueprint provides the essential roadmap to achieve this integration, ensuring that high-quality, impactful food-based interventions are accessible to all who need them.”

Previously, Nutrition Insight spoke to the CEO of medically tailored meal provider MANNA about how personalized meals can specifically support people battling serious illnesses. 

Key hurdles to consider

The report outlines challenges that have kept many FIM programs from transitioning from grant-funded pilots to sustainable healthcare coverage. 

It also highlights legal, regulatory, and operational considerations to help policymakers, health systems, and nonprofit providers align medically tailored meal programs with existing healthcare standards and reimbursement pathways.

“Integrating medically tailored meals into healthcare requires a clear and consistent legal foundation,” underscores Erika Hanson, clinical instructor, Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School, US.

“By grounding medically tailored meal services in existing legal frameworks, we can promote a predictable and high-quality standard of care that ensures patients can rely on these services over the long term.”

The report authors say this standardization is critical as states and healthcare systems increasingly explore nutrition-based interventions to address chronic disease, food insecurity, and rising healthcare costs.

This month, the Rockefeller Foundation forecasted that FIM programs could significantly boost the US economy, creating over US$45 billion in economic activity and generating jobs. Its successful implementation, however, depends on whether states prioritize local sourcing and investing in food system infrastructure to grow the local economy.

The movement has gained bipartisan support, as Democrats and Republicans have both advocated for FIM in the fight against chronic diseases. Moreover, the majority of US adults in a survey said they would be interested in food-based nutrition interventions.

In industry developments, Abbott’s Healthy Food Rx Food Is Medicine program has effectively helped US participants living with diabetes, with participants reporting “significantly improved” diet quality and health status.