Changing the World Through Food
1 in 10 Americans faces food insecurity every day, and it’s not just about hunger—it’s about health.
Wholesome Wave works at the root of the food and nutrition insecurity crisis, making fruits and vegetables affordable, accessible, and integrating successful strategies into healthcare and food policy. Through research, advocacy, and national chef-led mobilization, we’re reshaping systems so the right food reaches the people who need it most. This is more than just our mission; it’s a movement for long-term change.
Our Impact Approach
-
Research
We generate powerful evidence for food as medicine through research, including our groundbreaking Food4Moms program. By demonstrating how nutrition incentives improve maternal and infant health outcomes, we equip policymakers with the data they need to act and strengthen the case for produce prescriptions through community-based evidence.
-
Advocacy
Wholesome Wave co-founded the National Produce Prescription Collaborative (NPPC) to embed produce prescriptions into healthcare policy at every level. Through federal and state working groups, a grassroots taskforce, and steering committee leadership, we’re building a national framework for PRx integration into Medicaid, Medicare, and beyond.
-
Chef Mobilization
OneKitchen is our community-based initiative that trains chefs to become community advocates and systems leaders. Through education, mentorship, and national networking, we equip chefs with the skills and resources needed to tackle the most pressing food-related challenges— from social, environmental, to systemic issues—in the places they call home.
Our Values
Nutrition & Health For Everyone
Recognizing the profound impact of food on health, we have aligned our efforts to make sure every American can exercise their human right to choose the food that can keep them and their family healthy.
Community Vibrancy
When communities feel secure in their right to choose good food and good health, communities become more vibrant. Giving people the power to choose healthier lives supports both individual and community well-being.
Systemic Change
Through nonpartisan efforts and strategic partnerships, we have successfully influenced major federal policies, ensuring that more Americans have the means to purchase fruits and vegetables.
Scalability & Sustainability
Each program we pioneer is designed using common sense approaches to complex problems with adaptability in mind, allowing us to expand our reach effectively and ensure that our initiatives are sustainable long-term.
Awards & Recognitions
Innovation drives us at Wholesome Wave. From introducing the first SNAP double value coupon programs to piloting produce prescriptions, we constantly seek new ways to deliver systems-changing results.
Our commitment to creative solutions earned us the 2017 Fast Company World Changing Ideas Award, affirming our role as leaders in the food as medicine movement. More recently, our co-founder Chef Michel Nischan was presented the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition for his lasting commitment to ending food and nutrition insecurity.
