Evolution and Impact of Go for Green®

Evolution of Go for Green® 

Go for Green® (G4G) is a DoD joint-service nutrition-labeling program to improve the food environments where Service Members live, work, and train. The first version of what became G4G was introduced in 2008 with the Soldier Fueling Initiative, focusing on stoplight labeling of foods, and was later adopted by all Services.

Three G4G versions have been implemented across military installations since the program started. Each version—G4G 1.0 (2008), G4G 1.5 (2015–2016), and G4G 2.0 (2017)—has different aspects, materials, and requirements. G4G 2.0, the current version, is a more robust, multicomponent nutrition program to provide a greater performance-enhancing food environment for Service Members worldwide. The U.S. Marine Corps implements the G4G program under a different name: Fueled to Fight® (F2F).

Below is a comparison of the different versions:

G4G is governed by the DoD Nutrition Committee, and key documents for program revision in 2017 were approved by the Joint Subsistence Policy Board. G4G is also supported by policy.

• DoD Manual 1338.10: DoD Food Service Program
• Army Regulation 40–25 OPNAVINST 10110.1/MCO 10110.49 AFI 44–141: Nutrition and Menu Standards for Human Performance Optimization

Impact on Service Members and the military community

What Service Members eat matters! Good nutrition and hydration promote better mental and physical fitness for every mission. Nutritional fitness is a key domain of Total Force Fitness, the framework that emphasizes a holistic approach to wellness that can enhance Service Members’ health, performance, and readiness. G4G advances nutritional fitness by helping Service Members identify and choose nutrient-dense foods and drinks through increased access, availability, and knowledge of high-performance (“Green”) options.

Designed for the military community through evidence-based research and expert guidance, G4G uses multiple approaches to optimize its impact.

• Menus that feature high-quality, tasty recipes from the Armed Forces Recipe Service to increase the variety and flavors of nutrient-dense ingredients and menu items
• A stoplight-color system to label foods with simple visual cues helps diners quickly and easily choose high-performance fuel from multiple options
• Nutritious foods and drinks placed first in the serving lines, at eye level, and in front of less-nutritious options for easy access
• Education and marketing campaigns to inform and empower Service Members on the importance of nutrition for performance, readiness, and well-being

While G4G highlights foods that benefit the nutritional fitness of Service Members, the program also benefits dining facilities by promoting these locations as places to find performance-boosting foods and drinks. Dining facilities provide a great opportunity for the military community to learn more about fueling up with performance-boosting foods. Themed serving stations offer multiple high-performance options, and diners also can customize their meals with build-your-bowl and grab-and-go options. Menus specially designed with Service Members in mind to promote variety, bolder flavors, and appealing options can help increase diner attendance.

G4G program components can be expanded beyond traditional dining facilities and galleys to all aspects of an installation’s food environment. Identifying, labeling, and highlighting high-performance options—along with educating customers on their availability and access— benefits members of the military community wherever they’re fueling. Whether it’s highlighting nutritious Green-coded options at grab-and-go stations and vending machines, or keeping them in easy-to-reach places at home and work, G4G program principles can be easily incorporated into Service Members’ food environments anywhere.

For more information about the science behind G4G approaches, read Why It Works: Research Behind Go for Green® and visit Publications and Reports.