Food as Medicine: What It Really Means in 2026

By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD

The phrase “food as medicine” refers to the impact of diet in preventing and managing disease. A healthy diet can play a large role in clinical care, with nutrition advice and meal plans routinely implemented in the management of health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

In addition to nutrition recommendations, healthy prepared meal delivery services and medically-tailored meal plans are becoming more common as tools to operationalize “food as medicine.” Keep reading to learn how Healthy For Life Meals, a provider of fresh, healthy prepared meals, can serve as a tool in health management.

Nutrition Guidelines Informing Healthy For Life Meals

Our menus follow the nutrition guidelines put forth by the National Academy of Sciences and are in line with the American Heart Association (AHA), American Diabetes Association (ADA), and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). They are designed to help improve outcomes for those with heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and kidney disease. Customers can choose from 1200, 1500, or 2000 calorie menus, making them helpful for those trying to lose weight or individuals on a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medication looking for portion-controlled meals.

Each menu falls within the recommended daily percentages of calories from macronutrients, meets the guidelines of the AHA for saturated fat and total fat, and includes very few added sugars and no artificial sweeteners. The 1200 calorie meal plan has an average of 26 grams of fiber per day, which is in line with recommendations. Furthermore, it meets the AHA daily limit of less than 1500 mg of sodium for those with high blood pressure.

How Healthy For Life Meals Can Help You

Fresh, fully prepared meals that meet evidence-based nutrition guidelines are an ideal component of “food as medicine” plans. A healthy meal delivery service can help you implement the advice of your healthcare team and registered dietitian, while saving you the time and stress of planning and prepping nutritionally balanced meals. In addition, eligible customers may be able to use their HSA or FSA accounts to help cover the cost of meals when medically necessary. For more information, click here.

If you have recently been diagnosed with a diet-related condition, prescribed a GLP-1 medication, or simply want to eat better to prevent future health issues, Healthy For Life Meals can help support your journey. Here are some examples of the delicious meals you can enjoy while you manage your health:

·       Whole Wheat Pancakes with Lemon Ricotta and Blueberry Compote

·       Seasoned Scrambled Eggs and Garlic Roasted Potatoes

·       Black Bean Sliders with Carolina Style Slaw

·       Creamy Chicken Cherry Pasta Salad

·       Orange Honey Glazed Salmon with Butternut Couscous

·       Meatloaf Burger with Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans

Note from Healthy For Life Meals: At Healthy For Life Meals, we strive to put “food as medicine” into action through tailored, fully prepared meals that follow expert nutrition guidelines. If you’ve been searching for “healthy prepared meals near me” that align with medical nutrition therapy principles, our meal plans are built to support long-term health outcomes. Save $20 off your first order with Code: TryHFLM. Get started today and start your journey to get healthy for life!