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A University at Buffalo study found that food-insecure older adults used far more prescribed produce when it was delivered to their homes than when they had to collect it at a market. Redemption was 89.2% in both delivery groups and 28.3% in the voucher group; adding meal kits did not further raise produce use.
A University at Buffalo randomized study found that food-insecure older adults were much more likely to prepare and eat produce when it was delivered to their homes than when they had to collect it using vouchers. Redemption reached 89.2% in the two delivery groups, compared with 28.3% in the group directed to food markets, according to research published in Frontiers in Public Health.
The 12-week study included 67 adults, mostly African Americans over age 65, recruited through primary care clinics at Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo. Participants had reported experiencing food insecurity at times. Researchers assigned them to one of three approaches: weekly home deliveries of fresh produce, deliveries of meal kits containing produce and ingredients for three meals, or vouchers redeemable at a mobile market or participating food markets.
In both delivery groups, 89.2% of the produce was prepared and consumed, the study’s definition of redemption. In the voucher group, where participants had to travel to a market, the rate was 28.3%. The study tested the approaches in this sample and period; its results do not establish that the same rates would apply to every food prescription program or population.
The meal kits did not raise produce use beyond the rate in the produce-box group. Participants could choose from five or six meal-kit options each week, while those receiving produce could customize their boxes. Study author Lucia A. Leone said the older participants may already have known how to prepare the foods. She also said the additional food helped improve food security, though the supplied report does not provide a numerical measure of that change.
Why Home Delivery Raised Redemption
The findings point to a practical barrier in food assistance: a prescription or voucher does not help if a recipient cannot or does not make the trip needed to use it. Leone said transportation challenges and concern about being seen seeking assistance may discourage people from visiting markets, some of which operate from food pantries. Delivery removes the collection trip, while keeping access to fresh food at the center of the program.
For health systems and organizations designing food prescriptions, the result suggests that delivery logistics may matter as much as the food offered. The study also found that meal kits did not add a measurable improvement in produce redemption over produce delivery alone. That could matter when programs weigh the extra work involved in assembling and tailoring kits. However, the study was small and local, and it did not compare program costs or establish which model is most affordable at scale.
Participants rated both delivery approaches highly, scoring the program above nine out of 10 and saying they would recommend it, according to the report. Leone also pointed to the relationship with the regular delivery driver as a possible contributor to participation. That observation is a reported interpretation, not a tested finding isolating the effect of a driver’s personal connection.
home delivery fresh produce for seniors
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Three Ways to Deliver Food Prescriptions
Food prescription programs provide free food, often fruits and vegetables, to people experiencing food insecurity. In the approach described as standard care in this study, participants received vouchers to redeem at the Erie County Medical Center mobile market or at selected FeedMore Western New York markets. The research team compared that model with two types of home delivery.
The study was conducted by University at Buffalo researchers and published in 2026 as “A randomized controlled study comparing three food prescription programs for older adults: program design, implementation, and utilization,” in Frontiers in Public Health. The delivery was provided through FreshFix, a local food delivery company co-founded by Leone. The report says participants could customize produce orders, making the program different from delivery models that provide everyone with the same food.
“The problem historically with food prescription programs is that people get the vouchers but don’t redeem them.”
— Lucia A. Leone, corresponding author and associate professor at the University at Buffalo
Limits of the Buffalo Study
The study involved 67 participants at clinics in Buffalo and ran for 12 weeks. The report does not establish whether the results would hold over a longer period, in other locations, or among people with different needs. It also does not give a cost comparison between home delivery, meal kits and market vouchers, or quantify the reported improvement in food security.
Researchers proposed that convenience, customization and the delivery worker’s rapport with participants may have contributed to the high use rate, but the study as described does not isolate the effect of each factor. It is also not clear from the report whether the delivery approach would remain as effective if expanded to larger programs with less capacity to customize orders.
Researchers Plan a Medicaid Family Study
Leone and colleagues plan to conduct a similar study with families enrolled in Medicaid who are experiencing food insecurity and have children ages 2 to 6. The team expects to work with local pediatric practices. That research will test the approach in a different population; the supplied report does not state when the next study will begin or when results are expected.
The new study may help researchers assess whether delivery and customization are useful beyond older adults. Until further results are available, the Buffalo findings support a specific conclusion: in this 12-week trial, home delivery was associated with much higher produce redemption than vouchers requiring a market visit.
Key Questions
What did the study find about food prescriptions for older adults?
In a 12-week randomized study, 89.2% of delivered produce was prepared and consumed in both delivery groups, compared with 28.3% in the voucher group that required a market visit.
Did meal kits lead participants to use more produce?
No. Produce use was the same in the meal-kit and produce-box groups. The study author suggested participants may already have known how to prepare the produce.
Who took part in the research?
The study enrolled 67 adults, mostly African Americans over 65, recruited through primary care clinics at Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo. They had indicated that they had experienced food insecurity at times.
Can these results be applied to all food assistance programs?
Not based on this study alone. It was a 12-week trial with a small group in Buffalo, and the report does not establish whether the results would be the same in other locations or larger programs.
What research is planned next?
The University at Buffalo researchers plan a similar study with food-insecure Medicaid families whose children are ages 2 to 6, in partnership with local pediatric practices.
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