The Capital Area Food Bank is responding to COVID-19. See the latest information and updates here. Toggle search Menu HOME WHAT WE DO NUTRITION & WELLNESS Nutrition & Wellness Eating well helps improve lives and build strong, healthy 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 our operations. We adopted a food acceptance policy limiting high sugar donations from retailers, and we are one of the first to employ a wellness tracker to monitor the nutritional content of our inventory. Now, more than one-third of the food we source and provide is fruits and vegetables, and 85 percent is what we call “wellness food”: high in fiber and/or low in salt and sugar. Because our goal isn’t simply to provide food to our neighbors in need; it’s to help them thrive. Good Nutrition Can: Lower blood pressure Lower the risk for diabetes and heart disease Help children achieve more academically Lead to longer life expectancy Resources to help our neighbors live healthier lives Produce Guides Want to know how to store a certain fruit or vegetable? Or how to cook it? Or what goes well with it? We have guides for many of the most common types of produce. Recipes You don’t have to spend a lot to eat well. Our healthy food recipes show you how to turn inexpensive ingredients into tasty, nutritious meals. Each one feeds a family of four for $7 or less. 7 Ways Cards Whether trying out a new ingredient or looking for a fresh way to use a kitchen staple, our 7 Ways Cards are designed to bring creative and nutritious options for ingredients that we regularly distribute. It can be seven new ways to look at a familiar item, or it can be seven ways to try something new! Use food as your medicine. I see food make all the difference, and I’m proud to be working together to help the community that needs it. MARY ROACH Food Pantry Partner Help us continue to provide nutritional foods Want to help get fresh produce and other healthy food items onto the plates of people who need them? You can! With a donation, you’ll help provide nutritional foods to people all across the metropolitan Washington region. Every dollar you contribute helps provide 2.5 good, healthy meals. Donate Visit our Facebook Visit our Twitter Visit our Instagram Visit our Youtube HUNGER IN OUR REGION WHAT WE DO IMPACT HOW TO HELP About Us Financial & Tax Info Careers Newsroom Privacy Policy DONATE Locations District of Columbia 4900 Puerto Rico Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20017 P: (202) 644-9800 F: (202) 529-1767 DIRECTIONS Virginia 6833 Hill Park Drive Lorton, VA 22079 P: (571) 482-4770 F: (703) 541-0179 DIRECTIONS Donor Info United Way: #8052 CFC: #30794 Tax ID: #52-1167581 © Capital Area Food Bank, 2019 | Privacy Policy