Establishing a Three-Tier Color-Coded Approach to Categorize the Nutrient Density of Food Bank Foods

The persistence of food insecurity leads millions of Americans to seek assistance from hunger relief programs including charitable organizations such as food banks. A greater understanding of the relationships between diet and disease has led to discussions on the role of the food banking industry to source more nutritious foods. However, an empirical process for how nutritional quality can be applied in a food bank setting has not been well defined. The aim of this study is to use the Nutrient-Rich Food Index (NRFI) to establish a set of cut-point values that score and categorize the nutrient density of foods, while developing an application with visual appeal and function. NRFI scores were calculated using nutrition information available for 8,751 foods recorded in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Standard Reference Database. Tertile cut points (>26; 5.5-26.0; <5.5) were established and visualized using a three-tier color-coded approach (green, yellow, and red). The intention of this approach was to help food sourcing managers at food banks make evidence-based, informed decisions when considering nutrient density in food procurement. Furthermore, scoring and categorization can help track inventory overtime and create a data mechanism for strategic planning.