When a Diagnosis Comes with a Diet, But No Way to Follow It
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Imagine being discharged from the hospital after a serious health scare and being told that to recover and stay well, a strict diet must be followed—low in sodium, rich in vegetables, balanced for blood sugar. There could be multiple barriers keeping those from following these directions: mobility issues, limited income, and no easy access to healthy food. The fridge is empty. The nearest grocery store is miles away. Cooking feels impossible.
It’s the reality for many Cincinnatians living with chronic illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Without the right nutrition, managing these conditions becomes nearly impossible, and often leads to repeated hospital visits and worsening health.
This is where La Soupe steps in.
Through the Nourish pillar, La Soupe prepares Medically Tailored Meals (MTMs) designed to meet the specific dietary needs of people with chronic health conditions. These meals are delivered to individuals who are facing food insecurity and lack access to healthy food, an obstacle that can make managing illness difficult, stressful, and costly.
La Soupe is working hard, expanding access to MTMs for Cincinnatians in need. But the nonprofit is not alone. As Hannah Griswold, La Soupe’s Food as Medicine and Dietitian Director, said in an article in Access to Medically Tailored Nutrition through Policy and Leadership, “The Ohio Department of Health and Ohio Association of Foodbanks have been working toward covering nutrition services…” However, for MTMs to be covered by insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare, there must be strong, local research to back their effectiveness.
That’s why La Soupe is working together with local researchers and managed care organizations to collect and analyze data on the impact of MTMs—meals that use rescued food to feed the food insecure. Research is vital to help demonstrate how nutrition improves health outcomes and inform policy changes that could make these meals accessible to thousands more.
Similar efforts are taking place across the country. In Boston, Community Servings is conducting comparable research with the same belief: that good food can help people feel good.
Through La Soupe, access to Medically Tailored Meals can ease the burden of illness, reduce healthcare costs, and give people more time for what matters—healing, living, and connecting with others.
Read the AMPL document here: https://www.servings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/AMPL-Report-CommunityServings-FINAL3-1.pdf
Sources:
https://www.servings.org/food-as-medicine-study/