Thankful Thursday – Access to freshness
Categories:
Welcome new readers! Just a quick reminder that the blog make a lot more sense if you start here and then read this.
So I was browsing some of my other favorite blogs yesterday, drooling over some of your scrumptious looking dishes and tasty snacks when it hit me – I am so lucky. For the most part, WE are so lucky. The fact that I am even able to have an opinion on these healthy delicious foods means that I have ACCESS and the ability to PURCHASE these foods. This week, I am thankful for access to healthy, fresh and for the most part, organic foods.
I too often take for granted that I have the opportunity to choose between fresh asparagus or bright, plump tomatoes. I have the option, while some don’t even have access.
Take a moment to review this quick survey. Isn’t it amazing, when you actually sit and think about it, how lucky most of us are? Imagine having to answer the questions differently. What if your biggest concern was HOW you would get fresh produce on the table instead of “organic baby carrots or locally grown beets?”
But why do certain communities have limited access to healthy food? Well, think about it — where are your local supermarket or organic chain grocery stores? The inner-city, back country or at fancy, suburban strip malls? In researching the topic, I came across a fantastic report, explaining that “over the last 40 years, supermarket chains have made decisions to close inner-city stores. While this disinvestment began with stores following out-migration to the suburbs, it also resulted in a new model of grocery store, one that required a much bigger store ‘footprint’ and included such services as banking and pharmacies on-site, all surrounded by acres of parking. This new model worked well in terms of maximizing profits on a per-store basis and served suburban customers well. But it is not a model that fits into the built environment of cities.”
As a result, the out-migration of supermarkets has left many inner-city residents dependent upon corner markets for food purchases. “Many of these stores, which in the pre-supermarket era carried a wide variety of foodstuffs, have become purveyors of primarily higher-profit goods such as alcohol, cigarettes, and nonperishable foods of limited nutritional value.”
Well, because small stores must maximize the profit on each product in order to remain viable, prices tend to be much higher in these corner stores than in larger markets. So families with less money to begin with have to spend more for the same products found in suburbia.
In addition, many lower-income communities have no stores that sell healthy food. According to a 2002 report issued by The Urban and Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College, “middle- and upper-income neighborhoods in Los Angeles had 2.26 times as many supermarkets per capita as low-income neighborhoods did.” One might argue that the reason for this disparity is that low-income households don’t have enough money to support a profitable local supermarket, “but a number of recent supermarket projects developed in low-income urban neighborhoods have proven to be among the most profitable in their regions.” In fact, many lower-income areas offer significant advantages, including convenient central locations, lower land costs, fewer retail competitors, and higher household densities, all of which should make them attractive locations for food retailers.
But this problem extends far beyond inner-city areas. Food deserts, exist in both rural areas, where the nearest supermarket is miles away, and urban areas, where the only food available within walking distance is at fast-food joints. As explained in this article from Today’s Dietitian, ”food deserts are places where supermarkets or farmers’ markets offering healthy and affordable foods are located too far away. Individuals who live in a food desert have poor access to a variety of healthy foods, especially fruits and vegetables, while fast-food restaurants and gas station convenience stores are often abundant.”
The article used East Palo Alto, Calif, as an example explaining that “while the region hasn’t had a supermarket in almost 40 years, it has two McDonald’s, a Pizza Hut, and a Taco Bell. To obtain fresh fruits and veggies, residents must travel outside the city; thus, they often rely on fast food for their meals.”
These food deserts span across the nation. The article cited the same problems near Seattle, Washington D.C, Vermont, Massachusetts, the list goes on…
According to Cuyahoga County Board of Health, A balanced food environment is an important key to community health. Factors affecting public health include access to markets and the balance of markets to fast food. A food desert is an area with no or distant grocery stores. Living in food deserts can mean higher obesity rates, premature death, and a lower quality of life, especially for mothers and children.
A common misperception is that fruits and vegetables are expensive; however, according to the Economic Research Service, a consumer can get an average of seven servings of fruits and vegetables per day for just 64 cents.
So what’s the problem? Well, how often do you see a commercial for a carrot or an apple? Exactly. Things are looking up however, as new guidelines have been put in place for marketing food to children.
While there is no easy solution, there are organizations with plans of action. Among the list are The Food Trust and D.C. Hunger Solutions. For more information on these organizations, visit their Web sites, which I linked in the previous sentence 
But we can do little things in our own communities, too. Support you local Farmer’s Market, participate in the community garden and keep doing what you can to promote and support local gardeners.
Eat your fruits and vegetables! (image credit: localecology.org)
Take a moment for reflection: what are you thankful for this week? Have you entered our Fashion Friday contest? Need a quick overview of the rules? Click HERE.
17 Responses to “Thankful Thursday – Access to freshness”
-
VeggieGirl said:
Posted on | -
Danielle said:
Posted on | -
K said:
Posted on | -
Katie said:
Posted on | -
Scoop said:
Posted on |-
thedailybalance said:
Posted on |
-
-
Rose said:
Posted on |-
Posted on |
-
Posted on |
-
-
Run Sarah said:
Posted on | -
Amber said:
Posted on | -
Sweetie Pie said:
Posted on | -
Andrea@WellnessNotes said:
Posted on | -
Kim @ Everything Etsy said:
Posted on | -
Sagan said:
Posted on | -
Maggie said:
Posted on | -
Michelle @ Find Your Balance said:
Posted on |