A Blueprint for Employer-Led Food as Health Strategies

Employers are increasingly recognizing how food can promote whole-person health by addressing physical well-being, resilience, disease prevention, and mental health.

“Food as health” emphasizes the critical role of food in maintaining and improving health, both within and beyond the health care setting. With 160 million adults in the US workforce—many of whom have one or more preventable, diet-related chronic diseases or face food insecurity—employers are uniquely positioned to craft policies, systems, and environments to improve employee health. While many employers have expressed interest in leveraging food as health strategies, they are overwhelmed by the volume of solutions available and are uncertain about where to start.

A Blueprint for Employer-Led Food as Health Strategies highlights nutrition-focused strategies that employers can implement to support the health of their employees, organizations, and broader communities. The report outlines a step-by-step roadmap that guides employers in selecting and implementing food as health strategies aligned with their organizational priorities and employee needs. Each section provides evidence to support decision-making at every stage of readiness and outlines key considerations for employers as they work through the details of crafting their benefits, leveraging evidence and best practices from the experts interviewed and the literature.

By prioritizing food as health, employers can contribute to better health outcomes, reduced health-care costs, and a more engaged, satisfied workforce, ultimately benefiting society at large.