2022 Minnesota Statewide Food Shelf Survey: Availability and Importance of Foods by Participant Characteristics

Background

In Minnesota, more than 5.5 million visits to food shelves were reported in 2022. Examining the perceived availability of healthy and culturally acceptable foods among food shelf users by demographic characteristics may improve our understanding of how charitable food systems can contribute to nutrition security.

Objective

To determine if the reported availability of healthy foods at food shelves and the perceived importance of having cultural foods and cooking items (spices/oils) at the food shelf differ by sociodemographic characteristics.

Study Design, Settings, Participants

Secondary analysis of data from the 2022 Minnesota Food Shelf Survey, a cross-sectional statewide survey of food pantry shoppers, was performed. The final analytical sample consisted of 4,680 participants who visited less than monthly and who affirmed they have choice over food selection.

Measurable Outcome/Analysis

Availability of the five food categories (meat, poultry, and fish; fruit and vegetables; dairy; eggs; and cooking items) was dichotomized into 2 groups (Always vs. Often+Sometimes+Rarely+Never). Perceived importance of culturally specific foods/cooking items was assessed as a binary variable (Yes/No). Adjusted logistic regression models (ORs, 95% CI, p-values) determined associations between demographic characteristics and outcomes of interest: the probability of answering “Always” for availability for each food category and the probability of indicating that availability of culturally-specific or cooking items separately was important.

Results

Non-White participants had lower odds of reporting that meat, poultry, and fish were always available than White participants (ORs 0.4-0.8, ps <0.001-0.047). The odds of Asian participants reporting that fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, and eggs were always available were lower than White participants (ORs 0.6-0.7, ps < 0.008-0.04). Asian, Black, Hispanic, and male participants had higher odds of indicating the importance of culturally-specific food and cooking item availability than their counterparts (ORs 1.7-6.1, ps <0.001).

Conclusions

Racial inequities exist in availability of healthy and culturally-specific foods in food pantries that could be addressed via food-sourcing policies/strategies and food bank distribution efforts.

Funding

None