Produce Prescription (PRx)
Integrating Food into Healthcare
Produce Prescription (PRx) is The Nashville Food Project's food-is-medicine program, connecting patients living with diet-related chronic conditions to regular, reliable access to fresh, locally grown produce — integrated directly into their clinical care. PRx serves low-income adults managing conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease who are referred by clinical partners, with a focus on patients in historically disinvested communities across Davidson County.
Patients receive weekly or biweekly CSA-style produce boxes containing 7–10 varieties of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, sourced from small-scale regenerative farms in the Nashville region. We coordinate sourcing, aggregation, and distribution through its existing logistics infrastructure and volunteer network. Produce is distributed at partner clinical sites, reducing access barriers for patients with transportation challenges. Produce boxes are accompanied by simple, culturally relevant recipes and nutrition education materials.
Our clinical partners — currently Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center, Wayspring, and NashvilleHealth — integrate PRx into individual care plans, conduct pre- and post-program health screenings, and track clinical outcomes over time.
Bottom Line: PRx makes nutritious food a standard part of medical treatment — not an afterthought — for the patients who need it most.
Key Performance Indicators
-
Patients enrolled in active PRx cohorts
Produce boxes distributed per week/season
Pounds of locally sourced produce moved through the program
Partner clinical sites engaged
Local farms supported through institutional purchasing
-
% of participants reporting improved fruit and vegetable consumption
Change in clinical indicators (A1C levels, blood pressure) from pre- to post-program
% of participants reporting increased motivation to adhere to treatment plans
Current Data (through January 2026):
245 patients served (ages 18–97) | 67 clinic days | 5 regenerative farms supported | Among participants in the Nashville Wellness Collaborative Heart of Nashville initiative: 24% more patients achieved normal blood pressure; 33% improved by at least one hypertension stage
From Access to Systems Change
If we coordinate the sourcing, aggregation, and distribution of fresh, locally grown produce to patients through trusted clinical partners — and if that produce is paired with nutrition education and embedded in individualized care plans — then patients gain consistent, dignified access to the food they need to manage their conditions.
Short-term: Patients increase fruit and vegetable consumption. Immediate food insecurity is reduced. Local farmers receive stable, fairly compensated demand.
Intermediate: Clinical indicators improve (A1C, blood pressure). Patients demonstrate stronger engagement with and adherence to their care plans. Healthcare partners see improved patient outcomes.
Long-term: Food becomes a recognized, reimbursable component of healthcare delivery in Middle Tennessee. Regional food systems grow more localized and resilient. Our model informs policy, advances Medicaid reimbursement pathways, and is replicated by peer organizations.
This logic advances our North Star — that everyone in Nashville has access to the foods they want and need in ways that promote the health of people and the planet — by centering food access and health equity at the intersection of care.