Strengths
The major strengths of this study were the randomized design, the ability to assess changes from baseline to follow-up, and our comprehensive measurement of food pantry clients’ preferences for two innovative nutrition interventions. Another major strength is our diverse population. Almost all participants (94%) were African American or Black or Hispanic or Latino, minoritized racial/ethnic groups historically underrepresented in research and most impacted by diet-related health inequities [In our study we found that 47% of pantry clients did not have health insurance and 47% did not seek medical care at some point within the past two years due to concerns around cost. Therefore, providing meal kits and no-prep meals through traditional avenues, such as through food retailers, medical insurers, or by medical referral may not reach a large portion of people with food insecurity. A strength of our study was the ability to provide these innovative nutrition intervention strategies to clients in a location they already frequent to procure food at no cost.Another strength of our study was that it was designed to understand whether meal kits and no-prep meals are desirable to food pantry clients. Our results indicate which study meals have the highest hedonic liking scores and can help researchers select and provide nutritious food options that align with clients’ preferences. Prior research has shown that client choice, taste preference, and intervention satisfaction are key components of effective nutrition interventions [