Changing the Menu: How Pantries are Prioritizing Nutrition

“The transformation here has been remarkable,” John Maze says, motioning toward neatly organized shelves brimming with various foods, drinks, and household essentials. As he leads a Helping Hand High Point food pantry tour at 2301 South Main Street, the non-profit’s Director of Operations continues, “Now, when you walk in, fresh fruits and vegetables are immediately visible, a big change from before.”

Nine months earlier, Helping Hands High Point voluntarily enrolled in the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina’s Nourishing Pantry Program (NPP), designed to help food pantries improve access to healthier food options for those they serve. The program uses the University of Illinois’ Nutrition Environment Food Pantry Assessment Tool (NEFPAT) alongside Healthy Eating Research (HER) nutritional guidelines to help pantries make sustainable improvements at low to no cost.

Through the NPP, the Nutrition Services team at Second Harvest works with food pantries to assess their current operations, develop an action plan with achievable goals, and then return in six to twelve months to evaluate progress using a rating system—gold, silver, or bronze.

“We want to make healthy choices the easiest,” explains Sheri Cordell, Second Harvest’s Policy, Systems, and Environment Manager. “NEFPAT is not a tool for judging pantries, but for supporting them in improving their nutritional environment.”

By implementing cost-effective strategies like reorganizing shelves to place nutritious foods at eye level and showcasing more fresh produce, Helping Hands High Point has earned a prestigious gold star for their progress.

Founded in 1995, Helping Hands has been a resource addressing food insecurity in High Point for three decades. In addition to their regular food box distributions and backpack meal programs for school children, the pantry hosts “inside shopping” every third Thursday of the month. This event serves approximately one hundred families who browse the pantry and select ten to twelve items of their choice.

The pantry’s team recognized opportunities to improve the selection of healthy foods. “That’s where the NPP has been invaluable,” Maze says. “It has given us the knowledge and resources to make those changes.”

Through the program, Helping Hands has implemented a variety of strategies to make healthier food options more accessible. With the support of partners like Second Harvest and local grocery stores such as Food Lion, the pantry now offers a broader selection of fresh produce—melons, corn, potatoes, lettuce, bananas, and apples—alongside their regular offerings. Additionally, the pantry has reorganized its layout, ensuring that nutritious foods are prominently displayed, making it easier for visitors to choose them.

“From the beginning, we wanted to set realistic goals—ones we knew we could achieve,” Maze says.

Amelia Fleckenstein, the Second Harvest Nutrition Educator who evaluated Helping Hands, highlights other improvements, such as displaying nutritional information posters and offering six-week cooking classes focused on healthy recipes and food safety.

Through the pantry’s improvements, plus resources and growth assistance provided by Second Harvest, Helping Hands High Point boosted their NEFPAT score by 13 points, earning them the gold level.

For Maze and his team, the NPP has been transformative. “This program has truly made a positive difference for our pantry and the neighbors we are here to help” he says.

Larry Myers of Solid Rock Food Pantry, another NPP gold star recipient, shares Maze’s sentiment. “Without a doubt, the NPP has been the best program I’ve been part of in my eight years at Solid Rock.” Thanks to the program, Solid Rock has expanded its fresh produce supply and is entering its third year in the NPP.

Helping Hands High Point is already considering re-engaging with the program. With plans to move into a new building, the pantry is eager to expand its inventory to include more culturally sensitive and diet-friendly foods. “Through NPP,” Maze says, “we’re confident we can make that happen.”