When it comes to our health, we shouldn’t have to choose between healthy food and safe food. Both are important and can prevent foodborne illness outbreaks and diet-related chronic disease epidemics. Yet, there are conflicts between food safety and healthy food that can present challenges. Fortunately, these challenges can be effectively addressed through productive collaboration and strategic, shared action. The Healthy Food, Safe Food (HFSF) project examined these challenges with a team of diverse stakeholders and developed nine strategies to address them.
What we did
This partnership between University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Department of Health Office of Statewide Health Improvement Initiatives (OSHII) conducted a formative evaluation for the development of plan of action to make healthy foods accessible while maintaining food safety.
Between July 2015 and July 2016, the HFSF project team conducted a listening session, key informant interviews and focus groups, followed by analysis and planning meetings. Results from these activities are available for download from the list below.
- Striking the balance (PDF) — Project goals, methods, and findings, as well as goals generated by participants, project prioritization session outcomes, and plan of action.
- EFNEP listening session summary (PDF) — This listening session informed how the HFSF project team proceeded with key informant interviews.
- Key informant interviews summary (PDF) — The analysis of these interviews informed the directions of the following focus groups.
- SNAP-Ed SHIP focus groups summary (PDF) — A summary of findings from four focus groups with 34 SNAP-Ed and SHIP staff members.
- Farm to Table focus group summary (PDF) — A summary of findings from a focus group with six people who provide food across Minnesota.
- Regulatory mini-focus group summary (PDF) — A summary of findings from a discussion with two food safety regulatory staff members.
- HFSF equity review (PDF) — The perspective of an adult educator with direct experience with health inequities.
What you can do
We all have a part to play in making healthy foods accessible to all Minnesotans while maintaining food safety.
- Get to know each other. Change happens when we work together. Contact health and nutrition to get started.
- Learn from others. Browse case studies of farmers, food entrepreneurs and food safety regulators who made a change: MISA Changing the Approach to Regulation of Local Food Systems in Minnesota: Case studies
- Take action. Grab an online copy of the Minnesota Food Charter Healthy Food, Safe Food Action Guide and sign up for a companion toolkit:
Related resource
Reviewed in 2020