Kroger Health to Add Medically Tailored Meals for Chronic Conditions

Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., has partnered with Performance Kitchen to offer medically tailored meals (MTMs).

This partnership marks the first time that Kroger Health will be providing evidence-based, registered dietitian approved meals that meet the specific needs of people with various health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, the company said in a Friday (Sept. 15) press release.

MTMs have the potential to significantly improve people’s overall health and wellness by providing access to nutritious foods, according to the release. By offering MTMs, Kroger Health aims to empower people with resources that help them make healthy choices and achieve the best outcomes for their well-being.

A recent evidence review and national simulation modeling study conducted by researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University estimated that MTM programs could prevent 1.6 million hospitalizations and save health insurers $13.6 billion across the country in one year, the release said. Over a span of 10 years, the healthcare cost savings from MTM program participants, who receive 10 MTMs per week for eight months, were estimated to reach $185.1 billion.

Both Performance Kitchen and Kroger Health have strategic initiatives focused on implementing Food as Medicine into people’s daily lifestyles, per the release. These initiatives played a critical role in offering meals that are crafted to meet nutritional standards while considering the needs of diverse populations and including culturally relevant foods.

Kroger Health is able to pair these meals with its preexisting services, such as virtual appointments with registered dietitians and access to healthy groceries, to provide a holistic approach to improving nutrition security and patient outcomes, according to the release.

In another recent development in this space, Uber Health said in June that it was adding delivery of healthy foods and over-the-counter (OTC) medications to its existing services around non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) and prescription delivery. This offering addresses the “food as medicine” approach to healthy living, the company said at the time.

About 10 months earlier, in August 2022,  member engagement, benefits administration and healthcare company NationsBenefits announced an agreement to acquire health and wellness-oriented food manufacturer DeliverLean in order to expand its “food as medicine” offering.