Have you ever heard of a “food desert”? The term is becoming more common in conversation these days, but if you are unfamiliar, a food desert is just what it sounds like: a geographic area where residents’ access to affordable, healthy food options (especially fresh produce) is significantly reduced due to the absence of grocery stores within reasonable traveling distance. These regions show up in urban neighborhoods, but also in small rural communities. And when you live in one, or even visit one for awhile, it can be really hard to maintain healthy eating habits.
I caught up with fellow Homebound Publications author Theodore Richards on the topic – I was curious what he thought about food deserts given the fact that there are plenty of them in his home city of Chicago. He said, “To some extent, there are no good answers– they all depend on a person’s level of privilege and money…..the truth is that the real answers to these problems involve political and economic factors far beyond the individual — we need a food system that is more localized and equitable.”
The phenomenon of the food desert is a problem that is not easily solved in the immediate – tips, tricks and hacks won’t make the issue go away. But while we work toward the systemic changes that are needed for everyone to have access to healthy and affordable food, there are strategies that can be employed to work around the challenges they pose. Richards shared several great ideas that work for his own family, such as joining a CSA and preserving fresh produce for later use, and he reminded me that gardens are becoming more and more popular in urban areas.
Below are some ideas on how to navigate a food desert (or add more intention to where your food comes from, food desert or not) – what would you add to this list?
- Grow your own! Find {or start!} a community garden in your area or fill a few pots on the windowsill with dirt, plant some seeds, and feel your power to take care of yourself start to grow as your plants do.
- Join a CSA (what’s involved with community supported agriculture?) and receive a box of fresh produce from a local farm every few weeks during the growing season. This model requires paying for a share upfront as most of a farm’s expenses come early in the season, but many farms also have work share options if the upfront cost is a barrier – there are always weeds to pull.
- Preserve! When fresh produce is in season, [whether you grow it, get it at a farmers market, a u-pick operation, or from a farm share] a great way to ensure you have access to healthy food all year is to freeze, dry, or can the abundance. There’s nothing like tasting a bit of summer in January via the fruits that you picked and froze yourself the previous July.
- Network. Ask at the local community center or YMCA where to find pop up farmers markets. Gather your neighbors together and request the local convenience store or gas station stock more fresh produce. Advocate for the changes that need to happen to ensure you and your family get what you need. Get comfortable (or embrace your discomfort!) with the art of asking and working together with your community.
- Get creative with what you have available. Leanne Brown wrote an amazing cookbook full of tips and recipes on how to eat well on four dollars a day, using mostly items that can be found at a food shelf. Cooking is one of your best tools when it comes to eating well and saving money – it can take more time upfront, absolutely, but in the long run, getting acquainted with your stove top and oven will not let you down.
So, while we continue to work for policy and systemic change, whether you are living in a food desert, have loved ones who do, or are simply looking for ways to increase the sustainability factor of the produce in your life, experimenting with some of these strategies might just make a difference.
Heidi Barr | Author 