CookUnity Expands Medically Tailored and Chef Created Meals Program to Support Eating Disorder Treatment in Partnership with WithinHealth

• The “Food is Medicine” program was launched early this year in New York in partnership with EmblemHealth delivering over 3,000 meals a week to Alzheimer's patients.
• The program is expanding to support the treatment of eating disorders with telemedicine case service, WithinHealth, delivering over 50,000 meals nationwide.
• CookUnity's program is backed by leading healthcare systems in the USA and clinicians such as Stephen Lupe, Psy. D. at the Cleveland Clinic, and Tara Smidt, RDN, lead dietitian at the Mayo Clinic.

NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hospital food has long carried a bad reputation. According to patient satisfaction research, food quality consistently ranks among the lowest-rated aspects of hospital care, with common complaints about cold meals, receiving the wrong order, and poor service¹. CookUnity, the first and only meal delivery platform from award-winning chefs, is rewriting that story with its new “Food is Medicine” program, combining artistry with clinical nutrition to transform how patients experience food as part of their care.

Early this year, CookUnity launched the program in New York, in partnership with EmblemHealth and with physician-researcher Dr. Dean Ornish, delivering over 3,000 medically tailored meals weekly for their SOS Alzheimer's program supporting patients with early-stage memory loss. CookUnity is now expanding the initiative to support the treatment of eating disorders in partnership with telemedicine case service WithinHealth, delivering over 50,000 meals nationwide.

“Expanding our Food is Medicine program to support eating disorder treatments marks an important evolution in how we approach food as a form of care,” said Bruno Didier, Head of B2B at CookUnity. “Through our partnership with WithinHealth, we’re demonstrating that nutrition therapy can also be a source of comfort and joy. When meals are both clinically informant and chef-crafted, they don't just nourish the body, they help restore a healthy relationship with food.”

Proven Impact: Where Data Meets Delicious
The “Food is Medicine” initiative was created after a successful trial research run by the University of Vermont addressing food insecurity during substance-use recovery. CookUnity provided chef-crafted meals that helped reduce household insecurity by 50%, achieved 90% adherence to prescribed diets, and earned a 92% satisfaction rating from patients². Also, the platform has successfully launched a GLP-1 menu that has grown over 50% across all markets since its launch in early 2025³. “The data shows what we´ve always believed: when healthy meals are also delicious, patients stick to their diets and see results,” said Didier.

Clinical Rigor Meets Culinary Excellence
Most traditional hospital food is mass-produced, frozen, and nutritionally imbalanced, often exceeding recommended limits of sodium and fat, lacking variety, and failing to meet the medical and cultural needs of patients. In contrast, CookUnity meals are designed by over 160 chefs, including Iron Chef Cat Cora and Chef José Garces, winner of the James Beard Award, in consultation with physicians and registered dietitians, creating food that is not only medically appropriate, but also flavorful.

To make sure the program meets the health standards, the company formed a Clinical Advisory Board, where a group of experts guide the program medical and nutritional integrity, bringing together top experts at the intersection of food and health, including:

• Stephen Lupe, Psy.D. Behavioral Medicine Director, GI Center, specializing in chronic condition programs at the Cleveland Clinic.
• Tara Scmidt, RDN. Lead Dietitian at Mayo Clinic, expert in oncology and condition-specific nutrition, and
• Kristy Del Coro, MS, RDN, CookUnity. Culinary Nutritionist and former MSK Cancer Center expert, bridging clinical rigor with culinary creativity.
  

Medically Tailored Meals by CookUnity are now available nationwide, with the largest offering concentrated in the New York market, launched in 2025. The program's impact is measured through diet adherence, member satisfaction, and adoption rates. Historically, health plan meal benefits see low engagement— programs often used by fewer than 8% of eligible members⁴. But CookUnity’s medically tailored meal programs are already trending well above those benchmarks, showing how patients embrace meals that combine clinical precision with culinary excellence.³

The program also leverages the company's fresh sourcing model and sustainable packaging technology, which lock in flavor and nutrients. "We're proving that medically tailored meals don't have to be bland or boring, they can be gourmet, chef-driven experiences that improve quality of life,” concluded Didier.

About CookUnity
CookUnity is a premium, chef-made meal delivery platform that connects top chefs with discerning consumers seeking restaurant-quality meals delivered to their doorstep.  With a mission to redefine convenience without compromising on taste or quality, CookUnity offers a diverse menu curated by culinary professionals, using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Through innovative partnerships and a commitment to culinary excellence, CookUnity aims to reimagine the home dining experience, making chef-prepared meals accessible to food enthusiasts throughout North America. With thousands of recipes developed by top chefs, CookUnity offers the greatest range of cuisines for food enthusiasts. Learn more at CookUnity.com/business.

Media assets here.

Press Contact:
Carlos Olivos
PR Director at CookUnity
carlosolivos@cookunity.com

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_{¹ Tranter MA, Gregoire MB, Fullam FA, Lafferty LJ. Can patient-written comments help explain patient satisfaction with food quality? J Am Diet Assoc. 2009. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19942026/
² Research ran 2024-2025 and considers a bench mark of food insecurity of 4-7 times higher than the 3 general public. 
³ Based on number of GLP1 meals ordered from March to September 2025 
⁴ J.D. Power. Digital Health Adoption Remains Low Among Health Plan Members. HIT Consultant, June 12, 2023. https://hitconsultant.net/2023/06/12/digital-health-adoption-remains-low-health-plan-members/} 

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