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(PTFS18-01-26) Feasibility of Implementing an Online-Supported Medically Tailored Grocery Delivery Program for Low-Income Households With Children: A Pilot Study

Monday, July 27, 2026
2:30 PM - 2:34 PM ET
Location: Prince George's Hall B-E (The Hub) - Poster Theater 2 / Poster Board Number: PT2-1
Emerging Leaders in Nutrition Science Poster Competition
Disclosure(s):
Rasheed O. Perry, MPhil, MS: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Objectives: Food is Medicine (FIM) interventions such as medically tailored groceries (MTG) improve nutrition-related outcomes, but evidence on online delivery models is limited. Thus, we evaluated the feasibility, fidelity, and acceptability of an online MTG program.

Methods: During Summer 2025, low-income households with a child < age 10 were recruited in partnership with Bronx Health REACH and the Institute for Family Health in the Bronx, NY. Household food security was measured using the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module at baseline to assess eligibility. Participants (n = 30) received a 12-week MTG $25 box weekly through Instacart Care Carts. Boxes included fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and lower-sugar snacks. Feasibility assessed receipt-based cost metrics. Implementation fidelity was assessed through box delivery completion, adherence to date and time, item fulfillment, and quality issues. Acceptability was assessed using a post-intervention Likert-scale of program satisfaction, cultural fit of foods, and usability of the online ordering. Per CONSORT guidance for pilot trials, no inferential statistics were conducted.

Results: Thirty households enrolled and 27 completed post-intervention surveys (90% retention). Participants were primarily ages 35–44 (50%), female (90%), Hispanic/Latino (67%), and SNAP participants (77%). Implementation fidelity was high: 100% delivery completion, 83.9% on the scheduled date, and 69.4% at the preferred time. On average, 95.1% of orders were fulfilled, 13.3% reported at least one quality issue. Mean adjusted cost per box was $24.84 (SD 5.27), and minimal deviation from the $25 target (−$0.16 per box). Acceptability was high (median, 5-point scale): satisfaction 4.43 (IQR 4.21–4.71), cultural fit 4.50 (4.00–4.92), and usability 5.00 (4.50–5.00).

Conclusions: These findings support the scalability potential of FIM interventions using online grocery delivery platforms to improve food access and nutrition outcomes in underserved communities.

Funding Sources: This study was funded by the Federal Capacity Funds, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture (2021−22−211) and the Cornell Center for Social Sciences Accelerated Research Grant. The funding institutions were not involved in the conceptualization and implementation of the research study.