Nutrition and Wellness (TEST) - Capital Area Food Bank
Skip to main content
Toggle search
Menu

Nutrition and Wellness (TEST)

Eating well helps improve lives and build stronger, healthier communities. So we’ve put nutrition at the core of our work.

Good nutrition means everything.

The science of nutrition is clear: good eating habits can have dramatically positive effects on health and wellbeing. But for many of the people we serve, the same barriers that make it hard to obtain enough food for themselves and their families also make it difficult to secure food that contributes to wellness. That’s a truth we’ve taken to heart, and the reason we’ve made health a priority.

We were one of the first food banks in the nation to put nutrition at the center of its operations. We adopted a food-acceptance policy limiting high sugar donations from retailers, and we were one of the first to track the nutritional content of our inventory.

Now, nearly half of the food we provide is fruits and vegetables, and the overwhelming majority meets our wellness criteria: foods that are high in fiber and/or low in salt and sugar. Because our goal isn’t simply to provide food to our neighbors — it’s to help them thrive.

Nutrition resources for living healthier lives

Recipes

You don’t have to spend a lot to eat well. Our recipes show you how to turn inexpensive ingredients into tasty, nutritious meals on almost any budget. 

 

Produce Guides

Want to know how to store a certain fruit or vegetable? Or how to cook it? We have guides for many of the most common types of produce.

7 Ways Cards

Our 7 Ways Cards are designed to offer creative and nutritious options for clients to try or update the ways they prepare ingredients we regularly distribute.

Urban Demonstration Garden

You don’t have to have a yard to grow fresh food. Our food growing specialist can show you how to make the most of any space. 

Community Classes, Workshops and Events

Our nutrition education team offers cooking and gardening classes and events for our partners and the broader community throughout the year. 

Nutrition Resources for Partners

From partner-only events to on-site consultations, CAFB partners have access to additional resources to assist them in supporting their clients. 

Get in Touch with Us

Have a question for our nutrition education team? They’re ready to help! 

  • Need ideas for quick, nutritious meals? Have a question about an item in your pantry? For answers to all of your nutrition-related questions, call or email our “Ask the Nutritionist” line at (202) 735-3053 or education@capitalareafoodbank.org. 
  • To request seeds for your garden, inquire about field trips to the CAFB garden, or ask any other garden-related questions, contact garden@capitalareafoodbank.org. 

"Nutrition-focused initiatives take a more rigorous approach to combating food insecurity. We are no longer asking, 'How do we get people fed?' but instead, 'How do we provide the kind of food that disrupts cycles of poverty?'"

Heather Marshall Food Market Coordinator, Rising Hope