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Produce Prescriptions and Veggie Meter Scores for College Food Security
Sponsor: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Summary
The goal of this pilot intervention study is to learn if providing weekly produce boxes helps college students who struggle to afford healthy food. It will also test if this program is practical to run on a college campus. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does receiving free produce boxes increase students' fruit and vegetable intake? * Does the program improve students' food security and nutrient levels in the skin? Researchers will measure skin carotenoids (a marker of healthy eating) using a non-invasive finger scan called a Veggie Meter to see if the produce boxes improve nutrition biomarkers. Participants will: * Receive one free box of fresh fruits and vegetables plus printed nutrition education materials every week for 8 weeks. * Visit the campus site at the start, week 4 and end of the study \[week 8\] for a finger scan, measure their weight and to complete surveys. * Provide feedback on their experience with the produce boxes and their food access.
Official title: Produce Prescriptions and Veggie-Meter Scores: A Feasibility and Pilot Study of an 8-Week Produce Box Intervention to Improve Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Food Security in College Students
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
20
Start Date
2026-09
Completion Date
2026-12
Last Updated
2026-04-06
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Interventions
Produce boxes
The Produce Prescription Program provides a weekly, box of fresh produce specifically curated for high carotenoid content (e.g., leafy greens, carrots, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes). Each box is accompanied by nutrition education materials, including seasonal recipes, storage tips, and preparation guides designed to increase participant food agency and cooking confidence. This intervention is distinguished by its focus on objective nutritional biomarkers; rather than relying solely on self-reported intake, the study utilizes reflection spectroscopy (Veggie Meter) to track changes in skin carotenoid levels at baseline (Week 0), midpoint (Week 4), and completion (Week 8). The contents of the boxes are seasonally dependent to ensure high nutrient density and to simulate a sustainable, real-world campus food-as-medicine model.
Locations (1)
Rutgers Health Food Pantry
Newark, New Jersey, United States