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Needs and Preferences Among Food Pantry Clients
ORIGINAL RESEARCH — Volume 18 — April 1, 2021
PEER REVIEWED
Figure 1.
Priority food categories for food pantry clients in 2019 and whether those food categories were always available. The percentage of clients who reported each food category as a priority each time they visited the pantry and the percentage who reported that the food category was always available are also shown. Data are from 5,529 clients and 220 food pantries who participated in the 2019 Minnesota Statewide Client Survey (25).
| Food Type | Clients Reporting Food Category as a Priority for Each Pantry Visit, % | Clients Reporting That Food Category Was Always Available at Pantry Visit, % |
|---|---|---|
| Meat | 89.7 | 67.5 |
| Fresh fruits and vegetables | 85.0 | 51.5 |
| Dairy | 81.0 | 57.2 |
| Eggs | 77.8 | 53.8 |
| Cooking items | 66.0 | 43.4 |
Box plots with whiskers show the following 11 food pantry experiences in descending order of reported importance: 1) I can choose my own food, 2) volunteers and staff greet me and make me feel welcome, 3) food selection process is easy, 4) plenty of food varieties are available, 5) food looks fresh and appealing, 6) wait time is reasonable, 7) volunteers and staff listen and answer questions, 8) I have a comfortable place to wait, 9) I understand signs and instructions, 10) someone speaks my language or can assist, and 11) foods from my culture are available. The aggregate percentage of clients at each pantry responding that they always had that experience at the pantry visit is also reported, with the median above 60% for all experiences.
Figure 2.
Most important experiences at the food pantry for clients, and whether clients always experienced them. Different experiences at the food pantry visit are listed on the x axis. The aggregated percentage of food pantry clients who selected each experience as one of the top 3 most important is presented. Also presented is the aggregated percentage of clients reporting that they always had that experience at the pantry. Data are from 5,529 clients and 220 food pantries participating in the 2019 Minnesota Statewide Client Survey (25).
The opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors’ affiliated institutions.