Building nutrient-focused food recovery networks: a community case study of county-level food recovery
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Food recovery programs are often described by pounds collected or distributed, but weight alone does not capture the nutritional value of recovered foods or the local infrastructure needed to move nutrient-dense surplus foods before they become waste. This community case study describes the early implementation period of the Waste Not, Want Not Kentucky Feeding Network (WiN-WiN), a USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education-funded program in Jessamine County, Kentucky. WiN-WiN was designed as a connector among existing food sources, donation drop-off sites, and community feeding organizations. Guided by community-based participatory research and community asset mapping, the team developed a small county-level recovery network focused on redirecting fresh produce and other nutrient-dense foods through existing community partners. During the first donation season, WiN-WiN worked with six active donation drop-off sites and five receiving feeding partners and recorded 8,641 lb of donated food, with produce accounting for the largest share of donations. Estimated nutrient analysis showed that eligible whole-food donations contributed protein, fiber, micronutrients, and selected carotenoids, highlighting nutritional value that cannot be captured by pounds alone. The network relied on strong relationships with partners and quick adaptation to their needs. Early implementation challenges included inconsistent donation volume, variable volunteer coverage, inconsistent intake reporting, and changes in planned drop-off sites. Findings suggest that small and semi-rural communities can begin building nutrient-dense focused food recovery infrastructure by working through existing community assets, keeping participation requirements manageable, and simplifying operations before scaling the program.
Institution: University of Kentucky
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,353
OpenAlex ID: W7213451975