A new pilot program led by the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), and Instacart has shown that including frozen fruits and vegetables in nutrition initiatives can meaningfully expand access to healthy food for lower-income families.
Conducted as part of PHA’s Good Food at Home program, the Fall/Winter 2024 pilot—supported by AFFI and delivered through Instacart—took place in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.
Under the initiative, participating families received USD80 per month for three months in Instacart Health Fresh Funds grocery vouchers to purchase both fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables for home delivery. The results point to frozen produce as a practical and effective way to improve produce access and consumption, offering a scalable model for strengthening food security nationwide.
The evaluation found that frozen fruits and vegetables help households overcome key barriers to healthy eating, including cost, spoilage, and convenience. Seventy-three percent of respondents said they purchased frozen produce because it lasts much longer, directly addressing the problem of food waste. Nearly all participants—99 percent—reported having freezer space at home, suggesting frozen items are a viable option for most low-income households. Participants said frozen fruits and vegetables helped them save money, offered convenience, and were easy to prepare. Popular choices included mixed vegetables and fruit blends, allowing families to add nutritious, ready-to-use ingredients such as strawberries, mango, broccoli, and corn to their meals.
The study also found that combining financial support with education about the benefits of frozen foods encouraged sustained behavior change. Following the program, participants reported increased purchasing of frozen vegetables, with many noting that the vouchers and nutrition education helped them build a lasting habit of eating more fruits and vegetables.
Across the three pilot cities, more than 75 percent of participating families used their Fresh Funds to buy produce, resulting in over 200,000 additional servings of fruits and vegetables. In Philadelphia and Chicago, 93 percent of respondents said the vouchers allowed them to buy more produce than they could typically afford; in Baltimore, 85 percent reported the same.
“Thanks to our partnership with AFFI, the addition of frozen fruits and vegetables marks a breakthrough in nutritious food access,” said Noreen Springstead, President and CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America. “Our traditional approach of providing produce boxes or credits for fresh items, while effective, often overlooked the issue of perishability for families with limited time, money, and transportation. The positive response to frozen produce—from preventing waste to diversifying diets—proves that it is a critical, modern, and practical solution for driving food equity. By expanding the eligibility to include frozen, we are taking a major step forward in ensuring that every family, in every zip code, has dignified access to good food.”
Alison Bodor, President and CEO of the American Frozen Food Institute, emphasized the importance of frozen foods in ensuring year-round nutrition. “This pilot program with PHA is a powerful demonstration that frozen foods ensure affordable and practical nutrition is available in every community in every season. By using freezing as nature’s pause button, frozen food makers lock in the nutrients and quality of farm-fresh produce. This means households have year-round access to fruits and vegetables, reducing food waste and helping stretch their food budget further. The data confirms that frozen foods play a central role in ensuring nutrition security and are welcome solutions for today’s busy households.”
“This program demonstrates that when families have easier access to nutritious food, they can build lasting healthy habits,“ said Dani Dudeck, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Instacart. “The continued success of this partnership highlights just how powerful technology can be in removing barriers and making it easier for families to bring healthy food home. This work reinforces what we believe at Instacart – that with the right tools and partnerships, we can make nutritious food choices more accessible for every family, in every community.”
Following the success of the pilot, PHA announced that frozen fruits and vegetables will now be included in all future Good Food at Home programs, signaling a broader shift toward integrating frozen produce into national food access and nutrition strategies.
Find out more at: https://affi.org/