This issue brief focuses on healthy food recovery in Colorado. It provides an overview of food waste issues within the state, the current and potential role for grocery retailers in decreasing waste and increasing healthy food distribution, and the role of food assistance programs today such as food banks and pantries as well as direct redistribution models, to facilitate the movement of healthy food from retail to food redistribution.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps) benefits play an important role in meeting the food needs of low-income Coloradoans. Farmers markets provide a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables direct from the farm to consumers. This brief presents key findings of the barriers and opportunities to grow the use of SNAP at farmers markets and direct market producer points of sale. Such efforts have been shown to connect food insecure residents with healthy Colorado products and support Colorado's economy.
