Nutrition

Healthy Eating Tips

Nutritious food is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. Find resources to help you and your family plan healthy meals and learn more about the Food Depository’s nutrition policy.

Nutrition Tips & Resources

USDA My Plate

The USDA MyPlate tool can help you figure out what food groups to eat within your calorie allowance. Take the quiz below and learn more from the USDA.

Additional Resources to Help with Healthy Eating

Our Nutrition Policy

To ensure that our food pantries and programs provide a variety of nutritious options, the Greater Chicago Food Depository prioritizes five categories of food. These are the items we focus on acquiring and distributing to our network.

Produce

Fruits & Vegetables

  • Fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Canned and frozen fruits packed in water, fruit juice or light syrup
  • Canned or frozen vegetables that are low-sodium or sodium-free
Packaged meats

Lean Protein

  • Low-fat, low-sodium lean proteins, including meats, poultry, fish, seafood and eggs
  • Plant-based proteins including tofu, legumes, lentils, peas, nuts and seeds
Bread

Whole Grains

  • 100% whole grain items (where whole grains are the first ingredient)
Milk and eggs

Dairy & Dairy-Free Items

  • 2%, 1% and skim milk
  • Reduced-fat cheese and yogurt
  • Calcium-fortified dairy-free options (e.g. almond, soy, pea, rice, cashew milk)
Shelves full of food

Other Nutritious Items

  • Snack foods that are low in sugar, sodium and fat
  • Unsweetened plain, carbonated and flavored water
  • Items specifically designed for special populations, such as baby formula
  • Healthy cooking staples, such as cooking oils and spices
Recipes & More

Visit the nutrition homepage to search for recipes, see featured resources and more.
Video Library

Watch cooking techniques on how to prepare many common ingredients.
Ingredients

Get nutrition information and learn how to select and store ingredients.
Community Partners

See local chefs demonstrate how to make delicious, healthy recipes.