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NCT Number: NCT07703501

Advancing North Shore Community Health Through Ocean-raised and faRm-grown Foods (ANCHOR Study)

This study is testing a new way to support healthy eating by providing free meal kits through a food pantry. Adults who use The Open Door food pantry will receive meal kits that include fresh produce, seafood, and other ingredients, along with simple recipes and optional cooking demonstrations, over a 3-month period. The goal is to learn whether these meal kits are helpful, easy to use, and a good fit for the community. Researchers will also look at whether they help improve access to healthy foods, diet quality, and confidence with cooking. Participants will be asked to complete short surveys at the beginning and end of the study, and some may be invited to join a group discussion to share their experiences. Overall, the study aims to improve programs that connect people to healthy, locally sourced food and to inform future efforts to support nutrition and food access in the community.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

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Key information

Conditions

Diet Quality Prevention

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Tufts University (Investigator site) The Open Door (Recruitment & Intervention site)

Gloucester, Massachusetts, 01930, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Participants must meet all of the following:

  • Be 18 years of age or older
  • Be a client of The Open Door food pantry in Gloucester, MA
  • Be able to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

  • Under age 18
  • Unable to provide informed consent
  • Have a food allergy, medical condition, or dietary restriction that makes it unsafe to eat the study foods (e.g., seafood or milk allergy, liquid diet)
  • Another member of the same household is already participating (only one participant per household)
  • Planning to move out of the area within the next 4 months
  • Previously participated in a healthy meal kit program at The Open Door
  • Do not have reliable transportation to pick up meal kits

Treatment and study plan

Medically supportive meal kits

Behavioral

Participants in this single-arm pilot study will receive a nutrition-focused meal kit intervention delivered through a community food pantry. Over a 12-week period, participants will receive three meal kits per week during their regular pantry visits. Each meal kit includes fresh produce, locally sourced seafood, and pantry staple ingredients (e.g., grains, seasonings), bundled together with simple, culturally relevant recipes designed to support preparation of healthy meals at home. In addition to meal kit distribution, participants will be invited to attend optional onsite cooking demonstrations led by community partners, which provide hands-on guidance for preparing the recipes and using the provided ingredients. Participants will also complete a baseline and follow-up survey, and a subset may be invited to participate in focus groups to share feedback on their experience with the program.

Other names: Medically supportive groceries, Food is Medicine, Meal kits

Primary outcomes

  1. Feasibility and Acceptability of Medically Supportive Meal Kit Program

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study (end of 12-weeks)

    The primary outcome assesses whether providing meal kits with locally sourced seafood and produce through a food pantry is practical and well-received. This includes measures such as participation and retention rates, adherence to receiving meal kits, and participant feedback on satisfaction, ease of use, and cultural relevance of the meal kits and materials.

Other outcomes

  1. Food security

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study (end of 12-weeks)

    Changes in participants' ability to reliably access enough food for an active, healthy life, measured using a standardized food security survey (USDA 6-item module).

  2. Nutrition Security

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study (end of 12-weeks)

    Changes in consistent access to foods that support health and prevent disease, assessed using a brief validated screening tool (Tufts Nutrition Security Screener) focused on access to nutritious foods.

  3. Cooking & Food Preparation Skills

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study (end of 12-weeks)

    Changes in participants' confidence and ability to prepare meals at home, including using new ingredients and following recipes, assessed through validated cooking skills measures using Lavalle et al. 2017.

  4. Engagement in Nutrition Education

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study (end of 12-weeks)

    Participant exposure to and engagement with educational components, including attending cooking demonstrations and using recipes or educational materials provided with the meal kits.

  5. Diet quality

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study (end of 12-weeks)

    Changes in overall dietary patterns and alignment with healthy eating recommendations, measured using a validated diet quality instrument (e.g., MINI-EAT).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Tufts University

Other

Registry information

Acronym: ANCHOR

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jul 14, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 20, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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