Food is Medicine Institute · Tufts University
The data-backed case that food is medicine.
We build and translate the rigorous evidence that nutritious food prevents disease and lowers cost, for the health systems and policymakers who can put it to work.
Medically tailored meals · MA Medicaid
Why it matters
Diet is the leading driver of chronic disease and cost. The proven response: food is medicine.
Three numbers, each from a peer-reviewed study, make the case a health-system executive or a legislative staffer can act on today.
in first-year U.S. health-care savings if medically tailored meals reached all 10.4 million eligible adults
Deng et al., Health Affairs, 2025fewer hospitalizations for adults receiving medically tailored meals, and 20% fewer emergency-department visits
Hager et al., Nature Medicine, 2026cardiovascular events preventable over ten years if produce prescriptions reached adults with diabetes and food insecurity
Wang et al., J. Am. Heart Assoc., 2023For healthcare leaders
It is clinically proven, cost-effective, and feasible to run at scale. See the evidence, the implementation tools, and the fastest path to a pilot.
Start hereFor policymakers
A trusted, nonpartisan academic source. Find policy-ready evidence summaries, examples of legislation rooted in our research, and a direct line to our policy team.
Start hereHow we work
Six focus areas, one goal: get the best available science into practice and policy.
Evidence
Clinical trials, 50-state microsimulations, and program evaluations that build the rigorous case for food is medicine.
Practice
Preparing clinicians and health systems to deliver food is medicine in real clinical settings, at scale.
Policy
Translating the evidence into legislation, regulation, and guidance for federal and state policymakers.
Convening
Cross-sector summits, briefings, and coalitions that move the field forward together.
Innovation
Public tools, databases, and screening instruments, Food Compass, the Food is Medicine Toolkit, the Nutrition Security Screener, that let each audience act on the best available science.
Business Case
Building the economic evidence, cost, cost-effectiveness, and return, that lets health systems and payers say yes.
Featured project
Community Pharmacies Produce Prescriptions (CP3)
The Community Pharmacy Produce Prescriptions (CP3) project is a pioneering initiative designed to implement and evaluate a scalable Food is Medicine (FIM) program by leveraging the unique accessibility of community pharm…
Innovation
Tools built for the people who can act on the science.
From a population-scale nutrient-profiling system to point-of-care screening, our public tools put the best available evidence in each audience's hands.
Food Compass
A science-based score, 1–100, that rates the healthfulness of any food across 54 attributes and 9 domains. Free and publicly available.
Explore Food CompassFood is Medicine Toolkit
A practical, evidence-based resource that helps clinicians and health systems put food is medicine into practice.
Browse resourcesNutrition Security Screener
A brief, validated screener that lets clinical teams identify nutrition insecurity and connect patients to care.
See the screenerLatest
News & media
South and Southeast Asia Lead the World on Taxing Sugary Drinks
News Jun 3, 2026Food is Medicine Advocacy Day 2026
Events Jun 3, 2026It May Not Just Be What’s in Ultra-Processed Foods, But How They’re Made
News Jun 2, 2026Medically Tailored Meals Produce Better Health and Lower Costs
News Jun 1, 2026FIMCON 2026: The Food is Medicine Conference
Events May 26, 2026New Online Toolkit Helps Clinicians Put Food Is Medicine Into Practice
NewsStay close to the evidence
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