Nutrition Education Practices Are Associated With Selected Operational Characteristics In A Sample Of Northwest North Carolina Food Pantries

According to the USDA, 26% of food insecure households used food pantries in 2017. Little is known regarding nutrition education provided by food pantries. This survey research was conducted among 231 food pantry constituents of Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina. Findings were analyzed with bivariate correlation and linear regression tests. There were significant positive associations between annual food budget and provision of written nutrition education materials, number of volunteer hours in full-time equivalents, and combined number of hours of volunteer and paid staff in FTEs (p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.01 respectively); the RUCC score of each pantry’s location and provision of nutrition classes (p<0.05); fresh vegetable availability and the use of written nutrition guidelines (p<0.001); and the presence of a nutrition professional with the number of days per week the pantry provides services (p<0.05). This research suggests food pantry operational indicators are associated with nutrition education offered to clients.