Food Has Always Been Medicine
Nutrition As Transformative & Preventative Healthcare
How would your health—and overall life—change if fresh, organic, locally grown produce was covered through Medicaid?
How do we address the everyday stressors in our lives? We workout to stay lean, to blow off steam, but still find our joints weak. We stand in the presence of nature to calm ourselves, only to find our mind still racing. We take medication to restore our aches and pains, yet they are still ongoing. As we inch closer to wellness, we must address the dissonance between digesting positive mantras, habits, and prayers when our lifestyles often react and depend heavily on the food we’re digesting.
As of May 14, 2026, the state of Missouri enforced a new precedent for wellness by establishing the “Food as Medicine Act.” This newly instated initiative will introduce a food program that addresses health disparities for MO HealthNet participants with nutrition-related chronic diseases through dietary efforts.
This definitive step made by the state offers a new approach to preventive healthcare through the act of indulging in proper nutrition. These newly implemented services are said to cover, but not limit themselves to case management, nutrition counseling, meals or pantry stocking, nutrition prescriptions, and grocery provisions.
Passing this act has ignited a new flame of hope for black and brown communities, especially in the St. Louis area. Not only does this decision address disparities in our community’s health—it advocates for our pockets.
According to an article by the Missouri Independent, an estimate from the Tufts University Food is Medicine Institute stated that “providing produce prescriptions to Missourians with diabetes could save the state $101 million over 10 years, while medically tailored meals for Missourians with diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer could save $2,562 per patient per year.”
While celebratory of proof that our government systems offer empathy toward a long standing plight in our community, it also evokes a level of frustration. With food scarcity being a recurring issue in underserved areas, why are we only choosing to pass an initiative like this now?
In 2024, Katie Kaufmann, a senior strategist at Missouri Foundation for Health, spoke to Feast Magazine on the issue of food insecurity in St. Louis. Kaufmann stated that the “[Lack of access to healthy food] is a problem that’s been going on for generations.” She also recognizes that “the historical policies that ultimately led to food insecurity in St. Louis also had enduring racially discriminatory impacts.”
Feast Magazine also shares that, “according to the USDA, 18 percent of the St. Louis–area population lives in a food desert, meaning that they are a half mile or more away from a grocery store in urban areas and more than 10 miles away in rural areas.”
Underneath the pressure of accessibility and finances, families often find themselves contemplating between a nutritious meal (out of their price range) or continuing with the convenience of inexpensive fast food. While there’s finally an established sense of care and responsibility being enforced by the state, activists and organizations have spearheaded efforts to confront the damage of food scarcity despite our government’s consistent neglect.
Rustic Roots Sanctuary is one of those organizations. Here, we combat the issue of food insecurity head on through our Senior Produce Program, our Young Family Nutrition Program, and other community outreach efforts. Every Thursday, through funding provided by the Marillac Mission Fund, we pack and supply our program recipients with free, fresh produce that’s meant to last.
Offering delicious recipes and advice on where to start, our community’s recurring Thursday meet up is already making a huge impact. Recipients return ecstatic to share how they’ve incorporated their weekly produce into new meals—and most importantly—how the programs have improved their health and lifestyles.
While our Produce and Nutrition programs are designated to families and seniors who’ve signed up to reserve their boxes, we continue efforts to strengthen impact through our weekly market.
Every Saturday from 9am - 1pm, we host the Spanish Lake Farmers Market—where any and everyone can shop for freshly harvested produce and holistic remedies at prices that beat any local grocer. Imagine a new approach to preventative healthcare, supported by the community, and facilitated by local farms like Rustic Roots Sanctuary. That reality is closer than it seems, all you have to do is venture out and pay us a visit this Saturday.
Your journey toward better nutrition starts here.
