The Veggie Van Model is designed to address multiple dimensions of access to fresh produce for lower-income and under-served communities:

Availability

Markets offer a good variety of fresh, high quality fruits and vegetables

Affordability

Produce is sold at reduced cost compared to market rates for similar items. 

Accessibility

Market locations, such as health clinics and community centers, have strong partnerships with organizations providing complementary services to the target population of lower income families

Acceptability 

Markets are designed to meet the needs of the target community, including high quality culturally relevant foods.h quality, culturally appropriate, often local and organic food

Accommodation

​Markets accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and other relevant local food incentive and benefit programs, like Double Up Food Bucks

In addition to addressing the above dimensions of access, the Veggie Van Model is defined by the following operational attributes:

Veggie Van customers are encouraged to purchase an entire bundle (or box) of produce rather than just one or two items

Cooking demos, recipes, and nutrition education are available at the Veggie Van mobile market sites to help customers better use the produce they receive

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Learn more about how the Veggie Van Model is implemented:

Access is not just about making food available, it includes accessibility, affordability, acceptability and more.

Food Access Intervention

Education includes cooking demos at the market, taste testings, recipes and weekly newsletters focused on local produce.

Educational Intervention

The Veggie Van Theoretical Framework

Are you a researcher or student interested in behavior change?  Check out the theories that support the Veggie Van model.

Theory and Conceptual Model