Study shows potential power of culturally responsive, person-centered nutrition assistance

 ^{Impact at Every Meal vice president Lindsey Torkilsen and assistant professor Jiwoo Lee.}

Food insecurity — the lack of access to enough food for an active, healthy life — remains a pressing public health issue in the United States, disproportionately affecting children of color. While programs like school meals, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provide essential nutrition support, gaps persist, particularly on weekends.

To bridge this weekend gap, Every Meal, a Minnesota-based nonprofit, partners with schools and communities to provide students with a bag of nonperishable food every Friday. What makes Every Meal unique is its culturally tailored approach, offering five bag types designed for East African, Southeast Asian, and Latino dietary preferences, along with general and ready-to-eat options.

In collaboration with Lindsey Torkilsen, vice president of Impact at Every Meal, Jiwoo Lee, PhD, RN, PHN, a center member and assistant professor, conducted a research study in 2023-2024 with 49 parents of elementary school-aged children participating in the program. The research, funded by the Healthy Foods, Healthy Lives Institute at the University of Minnesota, assessed the program’s nutritional quality and its impact on families.

Findings showed that the food provided in each bag type was of high nutritional quality. Most parents used all or some of the items that accommodated their cultural or religious restrictions. Unused items from the preceding weekend were saved for later, and overall, parents expressed high satisfaction with the program.

Every Meal’s approach demonstrates the potential power of culturally responsive, person-centered nutrition assistance, shifting the focus toward more equitable, community-driven solutions for food security. The research team plans to conduct a follow-up study to examine the program’s effects on children’s nutrition and development.

To learn more, visit www.everymeal.org. Study findings are also published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (2025).