Food is Medicine: From Prescription to Plate - Details of a Food Is Medicine Program

Across the country, healthcare providers are beginning to see food as more than just fuel. Food is being prescribed as medicine, with real results. Food is Medicine (FIM) programs are creating a shift in how we treat chronic disease, prevent illness, and support whole-person health. But what does this look like in practice, and how would tools like Fork Farms’ Flex Farm or Flex Acre seamlessly power these programs?

Imagine this: instead of leaving the doctor’s office with a slip for a new prescription from the pharmacy, a patient living with diabetes also leaves with a produce prescription*. This prescription is “filled” not at a pharmacy, but at a food pharmacy, clinic-based pantry, or community partner site. The patient has direct, dignified access to fresh produce—often free of charge—and receives guidance on how to prepare it. Food Bank News covered some of this in a recent article titled Cracking the Code on ‘Food is Medicine’ Referrals.

Produce prescriptions may be used in health care settings, local farmers markets, brick-and-mortar or online grocery stores, or mobile markets. Patients also typically receive vouchers to buy produce or receive produce.

The difference in these prescriptions is profound. Fresh, nutrient-dense food doesn’t just help patients meet clinical goals like lowering blood pressure or glucose levels; it empowers individuals to take charge of their health. Patients feel cared for in a holistic way that addresses both the symptoms and the root causes of disease.

Food is Medicine programs don’t work in silos. Like many programs, they thrive when they’re integrated into a larger, comprehensive care plan. Dietitians and clinicians translate prescriptions into practical nutrition guidance. Culinary medicine programs show patients how to prepare meals that are both healthy and culturally relevant. Community-based organizations help with distribution, education, and a comprehensive, holistic approach to care.

This multi-partner collaboration is key. Food prescriptions alone won’t change health outcomes, but access, education, and sustained support do.

That’s where Fork Farms comes in. The Flex Farm and Flex Acre, our indoor hydroponic farms, offer healthcare providers and community health organizations a way to grow their own source of fresh, customizable, nutrient-rich produce on-site every day of the year. Regardless of soil health, climate, or season, these systems grow food efficiently, affordably, and reliably. While we know that healthcare providers aren't necessarily farmers, we make it easy, provide turnkey solutions, and tools like Farmative (a community digital platform that offers grow guides, resources, and other tools that wrap around the Flex Farm) to ensure already-overworked healthcare providers can manage the tools needed for FIM efforts like produce prescriptions.

Flex Farms and Flex Acre systems can enhance FIM models in many ways:

Reliable supply – No waiting on deliveries. Providers can grow leafy greens, herbs, and vegetables year-round.

Customization – Crops can be tailored to meet specific nutrition prescriptions (e.g., iron-rich greens for anemia patients).

Scalability – From a clinic to a hospital system, the system adapts to different spaces and needs.

Education – Patients and staff can learn directly from the growing system, connecting them to the food as it grows.

By growing food at the source of care, healthcare systems reduce barriers, strengthen food security, and ensure their patients have a steady supply of what they need most.

From prescription to plate, Food is Medicine programs represent a radical but commonsense approach: treat food as an integral part of healthcare. With innovations like the Flex Farm and Flex Acre, we’re not just imagining what’s possible; we’re helping health systems make it real.

At Fork Farms, we believe every patient deserves access to fresh, nourishing food. Together with our partners, we’re building a more resilient, sustainable, and health-focused food system one prescription, one harvest, and one plate at a time.

Learn more about how we can help bring better access to fresh food to you and your community today. 

*Produce prescription programs allow health care workers to prescribe fruits and vegetables to patients who meet specific criteria. Such patients might be those who have chronic diseases and lack access to nutritious food.