SWAP
Families that don’t have access to nutritious food or are under informed about nutrition are more likely to experience health issues or encounter medical costs they can’t afford, perpetuating a cycle of need. The St. Louis Area Foodbank recognizes the importance of nutritional security and health to personal, family, and community wellbeing.
SWAP (Supporting Wellness At Pantries) is a program designed to help individuals and families have the information they need to make their own choices about their health and diet. By ranking foods into three simple categories according to their nutritional, SWAP also promotes an increase in the supply and demand for healthy food in food banks and pantries.
Supporting Wellness At Pantries
This program, initiated by Connecticut Foodshare, is designed to assist consumers regarding dietary choices and health. SWAP uses a simple stoplight system, designating food options as green, yellow, and red.
GREEN means go
These are foods that we should choose OFTEN because they support health. Green foods are low in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.
YELLOW means go slow
These are foods that can contribute to good health, but which contain medium levels of saturated fat, sodium, or added sugars. Choose yellow foods SOMETIMES.
RED means proceed with caution.
Red foods should be chosen RARELY. Because of the high levels of saturated fat, sodium, or added sugars they contain, they foods have limited health benefits and should be thought of as treats rather than regular, staples in our diet.
