Food Security Outcomes and Postintervention Experiences in a Produce Prescription Pilot: A Mixed-Methods Study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impacts of a multisite produce prescription intervention on food security and explore participants' experiences 1-3 months postintervention. METHODS: Prepost pilot study without a control group (n = 100) using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design with interviews among 23 participants. The 6-month intervention was designed for patients living with cardiometabolic conditions and included 6 weeks of Cooking Matters curriculum, along with weekly fruit and vegetable boxes valued at approximately $25 and provided at no cost to participants. Repeated measures were collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 6 months. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects regression and thematic analysis. RESULTS: At baseline, 40% of participants were food insecure; modest improvements (1.37 [0.61-3.05]) were observed at 6 months but not sustained postintervention among a subsample of interviewees. Qualitative findings revealed key themes related to social connection, improvements in well-being, challenges in maintaining food security, and recommendations for future programs. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings from this pilot study suggest a need for further research to assess the effectiveness of produce prescription interventions in improving psychosocial well-being and to identify the resources needed to sustain outcomes.