Healthy Food Voucher Programs: Global Evidence on Structure, Implementation, and Nutrition-Related Outcomes

Top Things to Know

HFVPs are most effective when they offer adequate benefit amounts, adjust for household size, and include diverse, culturally relevant healthy foods.

Programs that pair vouchers with engaging, experiential nutrition education (e.g., cooking demos or farm visits) show greater improvements in food literacy and behavior.

Electronic benefits, remote enrollment, and flexible redemption options reduce stigma and logistical barriers, increasing participation and satisfaction.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

This comprehensive narrative review synthesizes global evidence on healthy food voucher programs (HFVPs), focusing on their structural components, implementation strategies, and nutrition-related outcomes. The review analyzed 54 programs and interventions across 13 countries, identifying key factors that influence program effectiveness, including eligibility criteria, benefit delivery methods, voucher value, retail venue accessibility, and integration of nutrition education. HFVPs were generally found to improve healthy food purchases, food security, and nutrition knowledge, though results were mixed for diet quality, physical health, and mental health outcomes. Barriers such as insufficient benefit amounts, inflation, short program duration, and logistical challenges were common, especially in low-resource settings. Facilitators included electronic benefit delivery, remote enrollment, culturally appropriate food options, and experiential nutrition education. The study concludes that HFVPs hold promise for reducing nutritional disparities, but must be carefully designed to meet the diverse needs of target populations.