Through its app, Foodsmart offers meal plans based on your needs and preferences.
Food Smart
FoodSmart founder and CEO Dr. Jason Lanheyer grew up in a self-described “blue-collar family,” eating free school lunches and being on and off food stamps. He watched three uncles and aunts suffer strokes, others die young from diabetes, and struggle with obesity in his 50s. Dr. Lanheyer, who goes by Jay, was the first in his family to go to college, and during that time he was always amazed when his 85-year-old grandparents started coming to campus with their families on weekends.
He began to believe that he grew up poor.
Dr. Lanhier rejected that notion himself when he began working at Boston Medical Center and helped set up the hospital's pediatric obesity clinic. There, he saw many children surviving on chips, toaster paste and other foods provided by what pediatricians cynically call “food banks.” At school, many children eat their first meal of the day: pizza or chicken nuggets with chocolate milk, Dr. Lanhier added. For Dr. Lanhier, the physician, it was clear why these children were attending his obesity clinic. They were morbidly obese by the time they were five years old, suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure. It was a development unheard of in previous generations. This motivated Dr. Lanhier and his team to mobilize to better support these children and their families. They took a novel, more personalized approach to healthier living by providing personalized grocery lists based on the family's food preferences and food stamp budget. The plan resonated well, and the clinic staff noticed improvements in the children's insulin resistance. Additionally, doctors began to wonder whether it would be possible to write out so-called “food scripts” (an abbreviation for prescription paper) and have grocery store clerks or others deliver the items to people's front doors.
That's when the seed for Foodsmart was planted.
“I really appreciate the efforts families are making to save money and provide good food for their children,” Dr. Langeyer said.
Dr. Lanhier’s experience dates back to 2002, and a lot has happened since then. In a recent interview with me over email, Dr. Lanhier explained that Foodsmart has slowly but surely become “the largest food care provider in the U.S.,” clinically proven to “sustainably improve food insecurity, obesity, and chronic disease while delivering a positive return on investment for payers” through its vast network of dietitians tasked with delivering meal-centered telehealth care. Foodsmart describes itself on its website as “the first telehealth experience to combine the services of a registered dietitian, customized meal planning tools, and the broadest, most integrated food delivery marketplace in one place to make healthy eating good for the mind and wallet.” According to Dr. Lanhier, the reasons Foodsmart stands out among its competitors in the market are multifaceted, including grocery delivery, assistance with enrolling and using SNAP/EBT benefits, and meals tailored to medical needs.
Asked who would benefit most from FoodSmart, Langeyer said the company's primary focus is on “low-income families, people living in rural and food-insecure areas, and more broadly those who need nutritional support for chronic disease and preventative measures — people who often face significant barriers to living a healthy lifestyle,” adding that the majority of FoodSmart's partners are Medicaid and Medicare insurers. FoodSmart serves 2.2 million people and “tens of millions” of others at no cost.
“Our goal is to continue to increase partnerships so more people can access food care through their health insurance plans, making it more accessible and affordable,” Dr. Langeyer said.
Food Smart exists because, as Dr. Langeyer told me, more than 44 million Americans (1-8 percent) live with daily food insecurity. This situation is exacerbated by the pandemic and socio-economic challenges such as supply chains, rising inflation, and climate change. He also noted that more than half of Americans struggle with chronic illnesses (actually disabilities), and said Food Smart is committed to “addressing food insecurity.” [by] “It impacts patient outcomes and reduces health care costs for millions of people.” In short, a combination of factors contribute to food insecurity becoming the precarious and serious social issue it is today.
Although not stated explicitly, the reality is that food insecurity is also an access issue. That is, countless people in the disability community do not have the physical or financial capacity to not only grocery shop, but also bring food home and cook to feed themselves and their families. The aforementioned dependency on junk food observed by Dr. Langeyer and his colleagues is not a matter of laziness or apathy. For many, unhealthy food is better than not eating at all. With rising food costs and lower incomes, people with disabilities can undoubtedly benefit from food smarts. Especially when combined with programs like SNAP and the fact that food smarts deliver directly to homes, it makes healthier meals more accessible. It means barriers are removed, which, as has been argued here many times, is the whole point of accessibility.
The conversation with Dr. Lanhier came as FoodSmart announced today that it has partnered with TPG's Rise Fund to “lead an investment of over $200 million,” according to a press release, to further support FoodSmart's work, which began in 2010. Lanhier said the partnership with TPG “strengthens” the company's mission, and the expanded support will help FoodSmart scale and “expand its reach.” He added that the support will also help “integrate our food care solutions into more health insurance and healthcare systems,” as well as strengthen technology and more.
In terms of feedback, Dr. Langeyer boasts that it has been overwhelmingly positive, with 42% of FoodSmart users becoming food secure within six months. He adds that the company has also demonstrated “sustained clinical improvement in chronic conditions” through numerous clinical, peer-reviewed studies. People are losing weight, and Dr. Langeyer said they're saving an average of 34% on their grocery bills. This cost savings makes it “more affordable and accessible to eat healthy,” which leads to weight loss. It's a virtuous cycle.
Dr. Langeyer shared an anecdote about a person named Maya who has struggled with weight loss and chronic illness for the past few years. She said she tried traditional weight loss methods, but her attempts only led to erratic eating habits and overeating. Because of this, Maya was diagnosed with pre-diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Faced with the choice of losing weight or undergoing dialysis treatment, Maya chose the former and was ultimately able to lose over 165 pounds. She found FoodSmart through her insurance company and then began a personalized diet program that included “culturally relevant foods” such as cactus, corn, and dark chocolate. With better nutrition, Maya enjoyed better health and was able to get through her long-COVID-19 illness more easily, Dr. Langeyer said. He added that the journey prompted Maya to “throw away the rules of dieting and focus on what her body needs and craves.” [which ultimately improved] “Stories like Maya's motivate us at FoodSmart in our work,” Dr. Langeyer told me.
“Having the largest virtual network of dietitians in the country allows us to match our members with dietitians they can trust, which often means speaking the same language or having the same cultural background. Because food is a language for many, it's important that we match our members with dietitians who speak this 'language,'” he said. “Discussing food and health together is a very personal experience, so by starting with empathy and a mutual understanding of background, we can see positive outcomes and member experiences, as highlighted in our blog.” [net promotor score] In the 80s.”
Looking to the future, Dr. Langeyer said FoodSmart is committed to its mission of providing nutritious food to everyone, because everyone has a right to it.
“By bringing food care to millions, and ultimately hundreds of millions, of American homes already, we are preventing and defeating disease and improving quality of life,” he said.
