Toni’s Kitchen Nutrition Action Program Helps Guests Learn Better Nutrition for their Health

Many guests of Toni's Kitchen have chronic nutrition-related conditions such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension and heart disease. As access to medical care and SNAP resources become more constrained, Toni's Kitchen is taking steps to improve guests' education and understanding of how to use fresh produce and healthy food available at Choice Pantry to improve their health. To support guests through healthy eating we have introduced a Nutrition Action Program (NAP) to collaborate with them to improve their health. Here's how the program works:

We work with our health partners, Summit Health Cares and Mountainside Medical Center, to offer regular health screenings by nursing professionals (blood pressure, body mass index, glucose, hemoglobin A1C, cholesterol) for our guests at Toni's Kitchen's Choice Pantry. Guests who have out-of-range results from their screenings are given the option to visit a nutrition educator/counselor at Choice Pantry. Guests then continue to meet with their education/counselor weekly and receive monthly health screenings until they have completed their goals. This nutrition education can help guests make healthier food choices and improve their overall health.

"Seeing my counselor on a weekly basis has held me accountable to my health goals. I look forward to making changes that will allow me to live a long healthy life." — NAP guest after a session

Two Saturdays per month a nutrition educator/counselor conducts workshops in English and Spanish for all guests on a range of healthy eating topics.

"I enjoy being in the program because it gives me a better understanding of what exactly nutrition is and has exposed me to new foods that I can add to my diet that I wasn't aware of before." — Guest after attending an NAP workshop

The program is overseen by Toni's Kitchen's Director of Social Work, Nancy Xenakis. Health screenings are done by nursing professionals. The nutrition educators/counselors are carefully selected, trained and supervised and are bilingual (English/Spanish). A Registered Dietician and Social Worker collaborate on program enhancements, training and weekly clinical and operational supervision. 

"Since November, we have had health screenings with both Mountainside Medical Center and Summit Health Cares. We have screened a total of 51 guests. Currently, we have 30 guests who are enrolled in the program and meet their own nutrition counselor. We expect this number to grow as we host more events with our partners in the coming months." — Madeleine Montero, MSW, LSW