FEAD 2018 Catalogue of case studies

Portugal – Supporting the most deprived to adopt a healthier diet Mission Structure for the Operational Programme for the Most Deprived (POAPMC) Images © Ms. Cristina Rodrigues, 2018 WHY? Individuals with a lower socio-economic status generally lead a less healthy lifestyle. This is a due to a variety of reasons, one of which is that these individuals often opt for food items with a lower nutritional value because they are cheaper. They are also generally less aware of the nutritional value of foods and the manner in which they should be prepared. In Portugal, the Operational Programme for the Most Deprived (Programa Operacional de Apoio às Pessoas Mais Carenciadas – POAPMC) attempts to support these individuals to live a healthier lifestyle by providing food with a high nutritional value every month. As a result, the financial burden of purchasing food is decreased, and individuals are encouraged to improve their eating habits. WHAT? When designing the Portuguese food aid programme, the FEAD Managing Authority emphasised the importance of distributing food that allows for a balanced, healthy diet. Food baskets are delivered to beneficiaries on a monthly basis and offer 50% of the nutritional needs that an individual requires. The food baskets are composed of 18 food products that include refrigerated, frozen and dry products as well as fresh products such as meat and poultry. Diverse approaches to supporting Europe’s most deprived: FEAD case studies 2018 48