Marshalene was pleasantly surprised by part of her post-surgery treatment plan – a produce prescription.
She was directed by her health care provider to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into her diet. As a patient of the Florida Department of Health (DOH) Volusia, Marshalene was enrolled in the Mobile Farmers Market program, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary.
The Mobile Farmers Market is a food is medicine strategy led by Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, in partnership with the DOH. Once a week, patients like Marshalene can visit the refrigerated produce truck parked outside the DOH clinics in Daytona Beach and Orange City and pick out fresh, seasonal produce to prepare and eat at home. The program aims to increase patients' access to nutritious foods to improve health outcomes.
“I was excited because that's what I need, Marshalene recalled after hearing about the program. “I have to watch what I'm eating. More fruits and vegetables are the key to my health.”
At a recent produce pickup appointment in Daytona Beach, Marshalene selected tomatoes, plums, sweet potatoes, pears, mangoes, limes, corn, asparagus, kale, and garlic.
“I'm excited about everything, because it's all healthy, and I have to eat healthy,” she said.
In its first year, the Mobile Farmers Market filled about 550 produce prescriptions for nearly 90 patients. Each patient receives around 10 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables each time, and about 5,500 pounds of produce were distributed in a year. These achievements are possible thanks to the generosity of funders, including GusNIP (Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program) and the Farmers Market Promotion Program through the USDA, who help ensure that more patients can access the nutritious produce essential for their health and well-being.
“We’re truly excited to serve this group of patients because we’re not just encouraging them to use nutritious foods, but also learn how to cook those nutritious foods,” said Ann-Aicha St. Cyr, Health Promotions Manager for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
Part of the Mobile Farmers Market model is empowering the patients to choose which foods they would like to take home.
“Sometimes they’re trying something for the first time,” Ann-Aicha explained. “One thing I really enjoy about this market is how they take the recipes we’ve given them and share them with their family members.”
Marshalene said she has enjoyed making dishes with okra, fresh corn on the cob, eggplant, tomatoes and more.
“I use everything,” she said. “I made smoothies with the mangoes, and I use the lime for seafood.”
Kale was something new she had never tried before visiting the Mobile Farmers Market, but now she has incorporated it into her diet.
“This is a great program,” Marshalene said. “It’s a great opportunity to eat healthy.”
