Food as Care: New Delaware Committee to Address Health Through Nutrition

May 6, 2025/Joe Ciccanti

Today, Governor Matt Meyer announced the creation of the Delaware Food is Medicine Committee — a statewide initiative aimed at improving health outcomes, reducing healthcare costs, and strengthening local food systems through nutrition. The committee’s mission is to help shift Delaware’s healthcare approach from reactive treatment to proactive prevention by formally integrating food into healthcare delivery. Recognizing poor nutrition as a key contributor to chronic disease and poor health outcomes, the initiative will connect residents with high-quality meals and fresh produce to enhance clinical care and promote health equity. Drawing on research and successful models from other states, the committee aims to scale proven strategies and drive measurable improvements. Governor Meyer emphasized the ultimate goal: a healthier, more equitable Delaware where food is valued as both nourishment and a vital component of healthcare.

Additional Information from the Office of Governor Meyer:

The Food is Medicine Committee will be housed under the Delaware Council on Farm & Food Policy and will be responsible for advancing three core priorities:  
 
  • Health Equity: Expand access to Food is Medicine and other nutrition interventions, particularly for low-income and high-risk populations, to help prevent and manage chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.   
  • Healthcare Cost Savings: Reduce costly hospital visits and lower Medicaid expenditures by addressing diet-related health conditions through targeted nutrition support. 
  • Economic Growth: Stimulate Delaware’s agricultural economy by creating new markets for local farmers and food retailers — strengthening our food system while generating jobs. 
 
“Every Delawarean should have the comfort of knowing they can feed their family healthy and nutritious meals,” said Lt. Governor Kyle Evans Gay, Chair of the Delaware Food is Medicine Committee. “The Delaware Food is Medicine Committee is focused on providing that comfort, helping to define our state’s goals, strengthen programs, and secure funding that will put nutrition at the forefront of healthcare and achieve real results. As Chair, I’m honored to help lead this effort promoting health equity by connecting families with the nourishment, dignity, and care they deserve.”  
 
Lieutenant Governor Kyle Evans Gay will chair the committee, leading a diverse team of leaders from healthcare, agriculture, research, and community organizations to develop Delaware’s first statewide Food is Medicine framework. The committee will draw on proven models in Massachusetts, North Carolina, and California while building upon the research and insights from leaders like Tufts University’s Food is Medicine Institute and Kaiser Permanente’s nutrition-in-healthcare initiatives. The committee’s work will also align with national frameworks such as the American Heart Association’s Health Care by Food. 

 

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